Loudoun Schools Dais

Welcome Home Company C!

Over 150 members of the Leesburg based Company C, 3rd Battalion, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team returned from Iraq today. Hundreds of appreciative citizens, led by our Congressman Frank Wolf, cheered for our returning heroes.

Children's Science Exam Answers

If you need a laugh, then read these Children's Science Exam answers. However, these answers didnt come from Loudoun County Students! (I hope!).

    Q: Name the four seasons.
    A: Salt, pepper, mustard, and vinegar.

    Q: Explain one of the processes by which water can be made safe to drink.
    A: Flirtation makes water safe to drink because it removes large pollutants like grit, sand, dead sheep, and canoeists.

    Q: How is dew formed?
    A: The sun shines down on the leaves and makes them perspire.

    Q: How can you delay milk turning sour? (brilliant, love this!)
    A: Keep it in the cow.

    Q: What causes the tides in the oceans?
    A: The tides are a fight between the Earth and the Moon. All water tends to flow towards the moon, because there is no water on the moon, and nature hates a vacuum. I forget where the sun joins in this fight.

    Q: What are steroids?
    A: Things for keeping carpets still on the stairs.

    Q: What happens to your body as you age?
    A: When you get old, so do your bowels and you get intercontinental.

    Q: What happens to a boy when he reaches puberty?
    A: He says good-bye to his boyhood and looks forward to his adultery.

    Q: Name a major disease associated with cigarettes
    A: Premature death.

    Q: How are the main parts of the body categorized? (e.g. , abdomen.)
    A: The body is consisted into three parts - the brainium, the borax, and the abdominal cavity. The brainium contains the brain; the borax contains the heart and lungs, and the abdominal cavity contains the five bowels, A, E, I, O, and U.

    Q: What is the fibula?
    A: A small lie.

    Q: What does 'varicose' mean? (I do love this one...)
    A: Nearby.

    Q: Give the meaning of the term 'Caesarean Section'
    A: The Caesarean Section is a district in Rome

    Q: What does the word 'benign' mean?'
    A: Benign is what you will be after you be eight.

What Does a Teacher Make??

The dinner guests were sitting around the table discussing life.

One man, a CEO, decided to explain the problem with education. He argued, "What's a kid going to learn from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher?"

He reminded the other dinner guests what they say about teachers: "Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach."

To stress his point he said to another guest; "You're a teacher, Bonnie. Be honest. What do you make?"

Bonnie, who had a reputation for honesty and frankness replied, "You want to know what I make? (She paused for a second, then began...)

"Well, I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could.

I make a C+ feel like the Congressional Medal of Honor winner.

I make kids sit through 40 minutes of class time when their parents can't make them sit for 5 without an I Pod, Game Cube or movie rental.

You want to know what I make?" (She paused again and looked at each and every person at the table.)
 

I make kids wonder.

I make them question.

I make them apologize and mean it.

I make them have respect and take responsibility for their actions.

I teach them to write and then I make them write.  Keyboarding isn't everything.

I make them read, read, read.

I make them show all their work in math. They use their God given brain, not the man-made calculator.

I make my students from other countries learn everything they need to know about English while preserving their unique cultural identity.

I make my classroom a place where all my students feel safe.

I make my students stand, placing their hand over their heart to say the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag, One Nation Under God, because we live in the United States of America.

Finally, I make them understand that if they use the gifts they were given, work hard, and follow their hearts, they can succeed in life.

(Bonnie paused one last time and then continued.)

"Then, when people try to judge me by what I make, with me knowing money isn't everything, I can hold my head up high and pay no attention because they are ignorant.... You want to know what I make?

I MAKE A DIFFERENCE. What do you make Mr. CEO?"

His jaw dropped, he went silent.

Wood Grove High School will ease congestion in Purcellville

View this photo << Map of Bus Routes to Wood Grove High School.

Anyone who has been through the intersections of Maple and Main in Purcellville on a school day morning or afternoon knows it is highly congested. With opening of Wood Grove High School, East of Round Hill, the traffic through this intersection will be reduced by 50%. Buses will no longer come from Harmony Intermediate School (IS) to Blue Ridge Middle School or Harmony IS to Loudoun Valley High School. During the busiest times, a Police Officer, paid for by Loudoun County, directs the traffic to reduce the bottleneck. 

Conclusion: OPENING WOOD GROVE HIGH SCHOOL SOONER WILL EASE CONGESTION IN PURCELLVILLE SOONER.

Interactive Whiteboards Will Improve Classroom Instruction

  During the FY09 Operating Budget Reconciliation Meeting, there were several attempts to reduce or eliminate the implementation of the Promethean Interactive Whiteboard. I'm happy to say the majority of the initiatives failed and a majority of the boards will be installed in the middle and elementary schools next year.  Having actually observed teachers using the boards is what sold me on them.  Our student's instruction will benefit from these boards.

Learning Experience in Orlando

I recently spent five days attending work sessions at the National School Boards Associations annual conference to improve my skills as a Board Member. Here is my schedule: Friday March 28
01:30 PM - 04:30 PM	Early Bird #7 -- Leading a Culture of Success
Saturday March 29
08:00 AM - 09:15 AM	What Brain Research and Neuroscience Tell Us About Educational Facilities and School Design
11:00 AM - 12:30 PM	The First General Session -- Sandra Day O'Connor, Speaker
01:00 PM - 01:30 PM	Luncheon Concert Series
02:00 PM - 03:15 PM	Blogging School District Leaders: Directly Engage Your Community Using the Internet
03:45 PM - 05:00 PM	Sharpening the District's Leadership Through an Individual Educational Plan (IEP) for the School Board
Sunday March 30
07:15 AM - 08:30 AM	Fellowship Gathering -- Lee Woodruff, Speaker
08:30 AM - 10:30 AM	Council of Urban Boards of Education -- New Urban and Large-Size School Board Leadership Training
08:45 AM - 10:00 AM	21st Century Skills: The Importance of Professional Development
11:00 AM - 12:30 PM	The Second General Session -- Sidney Poitier, Speaker
12:30 PM - 03:30 PM	Walk of Excellence
12:30 PM - 04:00 PM	Exhibit Hall and Exhibition of School Architecture
01:00 PM - 01:30 PM	Luncheon Concert Series
02:00 PM - 03:15 PM	Working with Difficult People Can be as Much Fun as a Trip to Disney world
02:00 PM - 03:00 PM	Releasing Leadership Brilliance with Simon T. Bailey
03:45 PM - 05:00 PM	Successful Careers of Tomorrow Must Be Nurtured Today
03:45 PM - 05:00 PM	Ossining Creates a Culturally Competent Learning Community: Students Soar
03:45 PM - 05:00 PM	Strategic Planning for Increased Student Achievement: A Guide to Increase Community Engagement
Monday March 31
08:00 AM - 09:15 AM	The First Amendment in Schools -- What Can You Do With Free Speech and Religion?
08:00 AM - 09:15 AM	Creating a System Where There is Never a Gap to Close: Early Learning Centers for Ages 3 to Kindergarten
08:00 AM - 09:15 AM	Automate -- Empower your School Board to Go Paperless
08:00 AM - 09:15 AM	Bullying and Harassment in Schools
08:00 AM - 09:15 AM	Barriers to Effective School Leadership: The Autonomy Gap
09:30 AM - 11:00 AM	The Third General Session -- Jim Lehrer, Speaker
11:00 AM - 02:00 PM	Exhibit Hall and Exhibition of School Architecture
11:15 AM - 12:30 PM	Using the Baldrige Quality Indicators: A New Path to Committed Continuous Improvement
02:00 PM - 03:15 PM	High Tech Communication Strategies Make the District an Open Book
02:00 PM - 03:15 PM	National Teacher of the Year Focus on...Beyond One Subject at a Time -- Educating the Whole Child
03:45 PM - 05:00 PM	How Does a School Board, and the District it Governs, Go from Good to GREAT?
03:45 PM - 05:00 PM	Leap Ahead! One District's Steps Toward Full-Day Kindergarten
Tuesday April 01
08:00 AM - 09:15 AM	The Multiple Roles of a School Board -- What Are They and When Do They Apply?
08:00 AM - 09:15 AM	Public Commentary Going Global: The Good, the Bad and How It Can Get Ugly
09:30 AM - 11:00 AM	The Fourth General Session -- Garrison Keillor, Speaker

Addition of Ombudsman Position Fails 2-5-2

By a vote of 2-5-2 with Dr. Guzman and Myself Voting YES, Mr. Geurin, Mr. Stevens, Ms. Godfrey, Mr. Marshall,and Mr. DuPree voting NO; and Ms. Bergel and Mr. Ohneiser abstaining.  Part of the discussion concerned where an ombudsman exists in a school system.  If you know  of a public school system that has an ombudsman, please let me know. A draft a job description is listed below. 

LOUDOUN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS (LCPS) OMBUDSMAN JOB DESCRITION:

The Ombudsperson has primary responsibility for serving parents and staff by offering a confidential, informal, and neutral dispute resolution service. The Ombudsperson is neither an advocate neither for any individual nor for LCPS, but rather an advocate for fairness who provides information, advice, intervention, mediation and referrals to ensure that parents and LCPS employees receive fair and equitable treatment. The Ombudsperson will listen to members and discuss their problems or concerns; coordinate with appropriate LCPS administrative offices to  gather information about various policies and procedures; and advise members on alternative courses of action for their issue (i.e., referrals) and help pursue those options. The Ombudsperson will also serve as a “liaison” between the person with the concern and the LCPS organization or LCPS employee with whom the conflict exists and will work through established administrative channels to assist in resolving problems. The Ombudsperson will be responsible for managing the daily operation of the Office of the Ombuds and will advise appropriate administrators about problem areas and recommend changes to correct those areas. This position reports to the School Board/Superintendent.

QUALIFICATIONS:
The ideal candidate will possess the following minimum qualifications:
•   Strong leadership, interpersonal, and problem solving skills with ability to gather and analyze information and assist the inquirer in developing appropriate options and actions
•   Certified in dispute resolution or be willing to undergo certification
•   Experience in dispute resolution preferred
•   A Master’s degree is required (doctorate degree preferred) and at least five (5) years of experience in public education and some evidence of managerial experience
•   Excellent written and oral communication skills with ability to communicate effectively with individuals at all levels of the university and with individuals of various cultures and backgrounds
•   Personal traits of a high level of integrity, team orientation, professionalism, and trustworthiness
•   Knowledge of LCPS structure, culture, policies, and practices
•   A leadership style that emphasizes collaboration and facilitation
•   Ability to maintain confidentiality and use sound judgment in sharing information, consistent with the Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice of the International Ombudsman Association

My Proposed Budget Adjustment for Monday's Reconciliation

On Monday night, the School Board will consider modifications to Dr. Hatrick's proposed budget changes. Dr. Hatrick crafted a balanced budget reduction plan that I can mostly support. At this point, I intend only to make a single motion. I have no more power than any other member and I don't know if my motion will be supported by a majority of the board. Here is my motion:

I move that custodian salaries be reduced to a step increase only for a savings of $912,448 and that $213,555 be applied to implement Full Day Kindergarten, $31,000 be applied to purchase a custodial robot, and $667,893 be used to offset the cuts in non-position accounts in Department budgets.

Please find below the details for my only motion on Monday:

Description                                                           Amount
Provide Custodians only a step increase                ($912,448)
Full Day Kindergarten                                           $213,555
Custodial Robot                                                    $31,000
Reduce Non-Programmatic Department cut             $667,893 

Rationale:
My motion will provide custodians with a step increase similar to other LCPS employees. It allows the implementation of Full Day Kindergarten at four schools; It allows for the evaluation of a custodial robot to increase the efficiency of our custodians and potentially reduce custodial costs. The balance of the funds will reduce the impacts of a $6.6 Million non-programmatic cut to LCPS departments.

If you support my motion or have other recommendations, please let me know

Superintendent's Recommended Cuts

The Board of Supervisor approved an assessment rate of $1.14 earlier today. The Superintendent has developed a list of recommended cuts totaling $48,737,891 (See Below). A public hearing will be held on Thursday, April 3rd at the School Board Admin Building in Ashburn to allow the public to comment on the cuts and make recommendations. The School Board will meet on Monday, April 7th to finalize the Fiscal Year 2008 Operating Budget.  Should any changes be made or is the list below OK?

Item /Amount

Group Health Insurance Adjustments / ($2,590,000)
Based on a March 25, 2008 renewal meeting with CIGNA, and a review of recent claims experience, it is believed that the 14% increase proposed in the School Board Budget can be reduced to 11%.

Salary Adjustments / ($13,300,000)
Eliminate the 3% cost of living adjustment (COLA) funded in the School Board Proposed Budget.  Employees will receive an average step increase of 3%.  A longevity step of 2% has been added to all salary scale lanes to ensure that all employees get a salary increase in FY 2009.

Paid Holiday Initiative / ($685,000)
Delay the implementation of four additional paid holidays for 12 month classified employees. This would have been the second year of a program leading to 12 paid holidays; four paid holidays were added this year (FY 08).

New Initiatives FTE (28.0) / ($1,751,387)
New initiatives included in the School Board Proposed Budget are recommended for reduction
including:

Eliminate 14 extra secretarial positions for large elementary schools (January 2009 start date) /  FTE (14.0) ($351,261)

Eliminate full day kindergarten expansion at Aldie, Lincoln, Hillsboro, and Middleburg / FTE (4.0) ($213,823)
 
Eliminate new substitute custodian positions / FTE (10.0) ($386,648)

Eliminate new student allotment for Career & Tech Ed / ($128,989)

Use a revised methodology to provide a living wage to custodians / ($670,666)
Custodians on steps, 1, 2, and 3 will be moved to step 4 ($11.89 per hour)
making certain that all employees will earn no less than a living wage as defined for Loudoun County.

*All positions savings include salary and fringe benefit costs.

Class Size Increase of 1 Student / FTE (100.0) ($7,326,500)
Increase average class size from 22 to 23 at elementary schools, 21.6 to 22.6 at middle schools and 25.6 to 26.6 at high schools.  This change will not involve a reduction in force (RIF).

* Elementary School teacher reductions  (44.0) ($3,223,660)
* Middle School teacher reductions        (26.0) ($1,904,890)
* High School teacher reductions           (30.0) ($2,197,950)

English as a Second Language (ESL) / Staff FTE (36.0) ($1,924,848)
ESL positions are filled as needed.  The dramatic leveling off of ESL enrollment coupled with efficiencies of scale allow for a reduction in new staffing in both teacher and assistant positions supporting the ESL program.

* ESL Teachers (18.0) ($1,318,770)
* ESL Assistants (18.0) ($606,078)

Textbooks / ($4,200,000)
Delay purchase of Science Textbooks

Instructional Technology / ($3,600,000)
Delay upgrade of instructional networks and peripherals

Department of Instruction / FTE (24.0) ($1,761,854)
Reduce new positions as follows:

English Resource Teacher (1.0) ($73,265)

Gifted Resource Teacher  (1.0) ($73,265)

Science Resource Teacher (1.0) ($73,265)

Health & Phys Ed Resource Teacher (1.0)($73,265)

Social Science Resource Teacher(1.0)($73,265)

Teacher, Mandarin Chinese(1.0)($73,265)

Teacher, Math Resource Elementary (enhancement)(1.0)($73,265)

Teacher, Math Resource Middle (enhancement)(1.0)($73,265)

Teacher, Physical Education(5.0)($366,325)

Teacher, Reading Elementary (enhancement)(3.0)($219,795)

Teacher, Reading Middle (enhancement)(2.0)($146,530)

Teacher, Reading High (enhancement)(1.0)($73,265)

Instructional Coach - Elementary(1.0)($73,265)

Instructional Coach - High(1.0)($73,265)

Instructional Coach - Middle(1.0)($73,265)

Instructional Specialist, Math(1.0)($109,842)

Program Analyst - Research (January 2009 start date)(1.0)($40,182)

Total     (24.0)($1,761,854)

Department of Pupil Services /  FTE (8.0) ($621,929)
Reduce new positions as follows:)

Speech Therapist(2.0)($146,530)

Social Worker(1.0)($90,523)

Education Diagnostician(1.0)($90,523)

Eligibility Coordinator(1.0)($109,842)

Data Analyst (1.0)($71,244)

Program Assistant (1.0)($59,879)

Secretary II(1.0)($53,388)

Total(8.0)($621,929

Department of Support Services / FTE (16.0) ($1,023,034)
Reduce new positions as follows:

Safety and Security Specialists(5.0)($284,727)

Communications Tech - Safety(1.0)($59,879)

Communications Tech - Support Svcs(1.0)($59,879)

Communications Tech - Trans(1.0)($59,879)

Engineering Technician(1.0)($71,244)

Mechanical Engineer(1.0)($132,507)

Project Manager(1.0)($63,434)

Telecomm Analyst(1.0)($71,244)

Bus Driver Instructor(1.0)($43,937)

Dispatcher(1.0)($56,546)

Driver Instructor – Transportation (1.0)($59,879)

Lead Bus Driver(1.0)($59,879)

Total(16.0)($1,023,034)

Department of Personnel / FTE (2.0) ($128,934)
Reduce new positions as follows:

Resource Nurse - Personnel(1.0)($75,546)

Personnel Secretary(1.0)($53,388)

Total (2.0)($128,934)

Department of Business and Finance FTE (7.0) ($479,842)
Reduce new positions as follows:

Account Clerk III - Accounting(1.0)($56,556)
Bid Specialist(1.0)($36,278)
Coordinator, AIT(1.0)($109,842)
Financial Analyst(1.0)($71,244)
Network Engineer(1.0)($71,244)
Payroll Spec III(1.0)($63,434)
Risk Analyst(1.0)($71,244)
Total(7.0)($479,842)

5.8% Reductions to Non-position Accounts in Department Budgets  / ($6,604,563)
Senior Staff members were asked to identify 5.8% of selected non-position accounts to meet the total reduction.  The amounts are listed below:

Instruction($3,398,800)

Pupil Services($400,200)

Support Services($2,882,600)

School Board($5,800)

Superintendent($4,234)

Deputy Superintendent($20,010)

Planning($67,454)

Public Information($25,230)

Personnel ($194,880)

Business & Financial Services($171,680)

Total($7,170,888)

Virginia Retirement System (VRS) & Group Life Adjustments / ($2,740,000)

The General Assembly took action on March 13, 2008 lowering the rate for the VRS contributions resulting in a savings to local jurisdictions. Although the state budget is not yet final, it is believed that the assumptions used in deriving the rates will remain at the reduced levels.  The Group Life rate was lowered slightly by the VRS Board on March 26, 2008.

Total Recommended Reductions FTE (221.0) ($48,737,891)