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You are Here: Fairfax County Public Schools > Departments, Clusters > Superintendent's Office > Superintendent's Community Advisory Council > SCAC Minutes December 14, 2004
Superintendent’s Community Advisory Council
Meeting 12/14/04
Lynn Terhar opened the meeting and asked Superintendent Jack Dale to provide updates.
Dale noted that the Board of Supervisors had approved financing for the consolidation of administrative offices into one location. He said that the move-in to the new building would begin at the top floor. There will be meeting rooms for the public.
Dale stated that the School Board was exploring some possible changes to the school calendar, including "banking" time by adding minutes to the school day so that students might not have to attend 180 days of school.
Dale distributed copies of responses to the online survey of SCAC members, which he said were so far pretty much in line with those of the FCPS Leadership Team and the School Board. While none of these groups has seen earlier high school start times as a high priority, there has been a lot of public testimony in favor of earlier start times.
He said that approval of the administrative consolidation came about because of lots of discussions with stakeholders; he is trying the same approach on the budget.
In January, Dale will present a tiered budget in which the first tier will stay within the limits of the 6.8 percent increase in the county transfer that the Board of Supervisors has proposed; the second and third tiers will add items that have been proposed and seem to have support. The debate then will be about priorities, not numbers.
Connie Lorentzen said that her community had a problem with the way that salary increases were explained last year as overall increases rather than step increases separated from market adjustments. Dale said they would be explained more clearly this year. He also said that he and the Board were considering compressing the teacher salary scale by bringing up entry-level salaries.
Terhar asked Council members who had not yet participated in the survey to do so.
Nell Hurley said that teacher salaries need to be high enough so that gifted teachers need not become administrators to make adequate salaries. She also said that student population growth will be declining so that boundary changes not new schools are needed.
Terhar introduced Mark Emery and Nick Fischer to discuss after-school programs.
Emery distributed copies of a presentation on the subject. He said the need for increased after-school programs is evident. Existing middle school programs need to be expanded from two days per week. We are considering different models for elementary schools. New programs need to supplement, not supplant, existing programs.
Middle school programs have three components: academics, social skills, and athletics. Evaluation of programs will include evaluation of participation rates, academic achievement, substance and behavior referrals, and suspension rates. The challenge is to integrate school system programs with those operated by county government and other agencies.
Issues in starting and operating programs include supervision, staffing, facilities, training, and transportation. We would like each principal to appoint a coordinator. We recognize that coordinators should be paid; we do not want to build this program on the backs of teachers. The facilities issues have to do with the various demands on athletic and other school facilities from the schools themselves, from the recreation department, and from the public. People working in these programs must receive staff development, and we will be working with FCPS and George Mason University on this. Late buses will need to be later, and this will increase the need for bus drivers and increase overtime costs.
Ginger Shea said that the School Board had considered proposals to end Monday early closing for elementary schools but had never approved them. Now the Board is adding after-school programs.
Emery introduced Holmes Middle School principal Roberto Pamas and Holmes student Brissette Carrasco.
Pamas noted that the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors had funded "Club 78" at one middle school; he showed a poster for the club. He said it had been a big success in involving students in after-school activities. The swim club at Holmes Middle School is another example; Carrasco is a member of that club. She and others did not know how to swim when they joined. Now, on Fridays, they swim at the YMCA. The coach who has taught them to swim works for free. Carrasco also now stays after school to work with teachers and noted that Club 78 includes an art club and a dance team.
Brenda Greene asked about the extent to which the after-school effort reaches out to the business community. Emery said that business partners are very receptive to working with this program. Results of a survey of parents showed that for many their work environment and productivity are negatively affected by a lack of after-school programs.
Eileen Filler-Corn asked about the relationship between SACC and after-school programs. Emery said they were being woven together and that after-school programs would not compete with SACC. SACC is at capacity at nearly all elementary schools.
Laura Floyd noted that SACC did not supply transportation.
Filler-Corn asked how special populations of students were included in after-school activities. Pamas said Club 78 includes special education students and that this inclusion benefits regular students who learn how to work with people with disabilities.
Nell Hurley said that high school teams use middle school gyms after school for practice and asked how this affects middle school after-school programs. Emery said this is one of the challenges for making the program work.
Nick Fischer said it is important to serve the neediest students with this program.
Pamas said 65 students currently participate in Club 78, and 15 are on the waiting list.
Hurley asked how the faith community was involved. Emery said his office has reached out to this community.
Elizabeth Freed said the program as presented seemed too small. Emery said the program will expand but that he wants to build professionalism into it as it grows. Eventually, there will need to be a sliding scale of fees for the program. Fischer noted that schools can only do so many things well and that other agencies will need to be involved.
Freed said she had asked people in Mason District to give her questions to ask about this topic. One question was whether more could be done with this program if middle school start times were later. Fischer noted that starting middle schools later would require changing start times at all levels and that any substantial change would cost money.
Andrea Sobol said that problems do not go away when students get to high school; high schools also need resources, mostly funding and transportation, for such programs. GMU education school students are looking for part-time work that will help them professionally. Emery agreed but noted that the program needs to move one step at a time.
Ray Worley wondered at what age gangs become an attractive alternative to school for some students.
Floyd asked about compensation for people who want to staff these programs. Emery said one of the program's goals is to provide reasonable compensation for staff members but that a volunteer core would remain. Fischer noted that the National Fair Labor Standards Act requires pay for on-staff personnel who do this work.
Charlie Dane said that the transportation problem needs to be solved and that recruiting enough drivers is the core of the problem. Members of the business community should be asked if they are willing to find drivers.
Martin asked if the after-school program was doing anything to alleviate the problem of elementary school students going home to empty houses after Monday early closing. Emery said his office is looking at ways to bring elementary students together with their middle school siblings in Middle School programs.
Rick Baumgartner noted that, when Monday early closing was instituted many years ago, the other days in the week were lengthened. If Monday is made the same length as the other days are now, teachers would need to be compensated for the extra time (as they are in Excel schools; which have ended early closing).
Terhar introduce Mike Molloy to discuss the coming legislative session.
Molloy said that state funding for education was increased substantially last year and is not expected to increase again this year. On the federal side, there is a bias toward the status quo, although No Child Left Behind (NCLB) may be expanded to high school. The School Board's message to legislators this year is to protect budget gains from last year.
Without funding debates in the General Assembly, there will be policy debates on such subjects as opening school before Labor Day, changes in the local composite index, gang prevention, and changes in the Standards of Quality (to require things that FCPS has been doing for years).
On the federal side, we will resist expanding NCLB without making changes in the law as it stands now and will urge mitigation of the $3 million loss in Title I funds that FCPS sustained last year.
Rick Baumgartner asked about the "charter university" proposal. Molloy said it might improve the funding capacity of the charter schools but make the non-charter schools less competitive. The proposal has, therefore, split the Virginia higher-education community.
The meeting was adjourned.