Meeting Notes
Community Leadership Council
Gatehouse Administration Center I
October 4, 2007
MEETING OPENING
Linkage Committee Chairman and Meeting Facilitator Brad Center convened the first meeting of the CLC at 7:45 a.m. The following members were in attendance:
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• Ann Rodriguez, Arts Council of Fairfax
• Tania Hindert, Boys and Girls Clubs, Fairfax Chapter
• Mary Kimm, Connection Newspapers
• Michele Menapace, Fairfax County Council of PTAs
• Ginny Peters, Fairfax County Democratic Committee
• Jeffrey Parnes, Fairfax County Federation of Civic Associations
• Colonel David Rohrer, Fairfax County Chief of Police
• Jim Hyland, Fairfax County Republican Committee
• Norma Lopez, Hispanic Committee of Northern Virginia
• Reverend Ronald Winters, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
• Colonel Brian Lauritzen, Commander, Fort Belvoir
Also present were Board Members Brad Center, Lee District; Dan Storck, Chairman and Mount Vernon District; Phil Niedzielski-Eichner, Providence District; Stuart Gibson, Hunter Mill District; Kaye Kory, Mason District; Tessie Wilson, Braddock District; Kathy Smith, Vice Chairman and Sully District; Steve Hunt, At Large; and Ilryong Moon, At Large; Division Superintendent Jack D. Dale; Deputy Superintendent Richard Moniuszko; Executive Assistant and Clerk of the Board Pamela Goddard; and Deputy Clerk of the Board Linda Sabo.
DISCUSSION
Mr. Center presented an overview of the vision for the CLC and its role in relation to the School Board's commitment to linking with the community. Mr. Center then briefly discussed how the CLC would function as a mechanism to gain input and insight from community leaders on the strategic direction of FCPS. Finally, Mr. Center gave a brief overview of the Board's recently adopted Vision, Mission , and Goals.
Following this overview, the group focused their discussion on ways to improve both parental and community involvement and input with the school system. The group believed that FCPS needs to become more engaged with the community at large. Comments included the following:
- • There is a perception that the school system is difficult to connect with and is not seen as part of the community.
- • School-based management, policies, procedures, and practices vary by individual school; which can sometimes hinder the ability of parents to interact and engage school staff some participants believe that it might be helpful to parents if there were more of an consistent and organized structure.
- • The Minority Student Achievement Parent Advocacy Handbook should be provided to every parent.
- • FCPS does a good job of getting information out to the community, but needs to improve on getting information from the community.
- • An assertive effort should be made to work with organizations that already serve at-risk parents; when parents visit these organizations they could be encouraged to participate in their child's education.
- • Front office staff members in schools should make parents feel welcome and promote a positive reception.
- • Parent liaisons were an important part of parental involvement because they know their school community very well.
- • Unlike the County, the school system does not have a committee of staff members to provide presentations to citizen groups with factual information on the 2007 School Bond Referendum.**
- • FCPS needs to reach out to all Fairfax County citizens, not just parents; this should be accomplished by going out into the community, and not always asking the community to come to the school system.
The committee members decided that it would meet every two months, but due to the holidays, the next meeting would be held in January.
- • The meeting adjourned at 9 a.m.