Thanks for reading Fluco Blog! I’m Perrie Johnson, Fork Union’s representative to the Fluvanna County School Board. My goal with Fluco Blog is to let people know what’s going on at School Board meetings beyond the reports available online. Be forewarned, when it comes to discussion, most of the comments I remember turn out to be mine! Here’s the latest…
The School Board is meeting A LOT in February, mostly to pass a budget to present to the Board of Supervisors. On Feb. 7 we heard the superintendent’s proposal and comments from six employees during a public hearing. The comments were wonderful, and the stories and information made a big impression.
Last night (Feb. 14) we passed the budget BUT the work may be just beginning. If the Board of Supervisors doesn’t approve the total we’re asking for, we’ll have to make adjustments, of course, and I’m hoping the School Board will not just cut new requests off at the top (money for salary and health insurance increases). You can see the budget packet online, but along with a few additional instructional staff and assistants, that’s the gist of it.
The night went on with something like a million superintendent’s reports. The proposed calendar for next year got some attention. One parent addressed it during public comment. The big controversy involves 9 half days for students so teachers can attend professional development sessions. I believe in the concept in theory, but I think to lose that much instructional time and, yes, place that much of a burden on parents, the professional development needs to be really valuable, and that has not always been my personal experience. (I did run for School Board partly to bring a teacher’s perspective.) And, because the calendar says 12 other full staff/workdays but actually contains 13, I suggested fewer half days.
Mr. Winkler wants to begin to approve calendars two years out instead of one at a time. I suggested we get input from staff and parents and look at other counties to consider the big picture in that case.
The next big discussion was about staff bonuses this year. The Board definitely wants to get this money to the staff, but timing became an issue. It’s a long story. Ms. Pace wanted to vote to approve the bonus now, Ms. Stewart abstained, I moved to table the vote until April because the two other Board members thought it might help.
Toward the end of the meeting we looked at cell phone policies. The consensus was the policies are good, and if enforcement is an issue maybe the School Board can help by assuring administrators we will back them up.
Items of New Business brought up VSBA board development and recording/streaming/archiving our meetings for future discussion.
We finished some old business by voting to lift the restrictions on Board members visiting and volunteering in the schools. Formerly, protocols called for 24 hours notice to the superintendent and Chair. We replaced those protocols with existing Fluvanna policy that specifies School Board members may visit schools to maintain contact with employees and increase their understanding of actual educational practices. SB members follow the same procedures applicable to all other visitors. I know I went overboard a little there, but this change was important to me. (Unofficial quote, ‘I am crazy excited’)
It was one of my favorite Valentine gifts!
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This blog is a personal blog, written and edited by me. The views expressed in this blog are purely my own and do not represent the Fluvanna County School Board, the school superintendent, or anyone else. Comments added by others are not necessarily my opinions and I am not responsible for their content.
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