STANDARDS OF MEDIOCRITY?

The Standards of Quality (SOQ) establish the foundation for public education in Virginia. The Standards of Quality are state law, adopted by the Virginia General Assembly. These standards:

Set pupil - teacher and other instructional ratios.

Mandate the subjects and skills that school divisions must teach and the services divisions must provide.

Require the Standards of Learning assessment program.

Are the basis for calculating most state funding to local school divisions for public elementary and secondary education.

Fairfax County Public Schools, apparently unbeknown to the School Board are abandoning the SOQ's. This is occurring despite several loud pronouncements about how FCPS is a "world class school system."

The Standards of Quality are not benchmarks. These standards are only minimums below which divisions must not fall.

Now in several areas FCPS has unilaterally decided to ignore the SOQ's in favor of "site based staffing" (Fail to remember when the School Board adopted that).

This policy places staffing completely in the hands of the principals.

Take library assistants for example.

Principals have the "right" to not fund these positions. This occurs despite the fact that the SOQ’s DEMAND a library assistant in the event a school houses over 700 people.

There is no directive that in the event that these positions are not funded the program MUST be scaled back accordingly.

No, we will pretend that everything is as usual. We will give ourselves labels.

Does anybody care about what is actually going on in the schools?

Be one of the first 10 people to read and respond to this blog and win a pair of movie tickets Email sbeasley@fairfaxea.org

SALARY INCREASE BEING KICKED TO THE CURB

If Jack Dale and Kevin North were working as hard to find a solution to paying FCPS employees more as they are to defeat every idea and concept that is being offered we could have a step and a COLA. They continue to repeat that YOU DO NOT WANT A RAISE!

Fortunately, there are several School Board members who are beginning to question the facts and figures which are being tossed around.

Strategic Governance is based solely on trust. You must trust the reports the administration is providing.

More and more information being provided by staff is full of holes, not complete, or diversionary.

Let's hope that the School Board can find 7 votes to help the FCPS staff.

What kind of raise is the Superintendent contractually guaranteed this year? Does he have the same health insurance programs as FCPS employees?

TRANSPERANCY IN SUPERINTENDENCY?

The Superintendent's evaluation is up for consideration next month

Some of the School Board members believe the evaluation should be done in open forum.

Some of the School Board believes that it should be done behind closed doors.

What do you think?

In the era of strategic governance the School Board receives reports from the Superintendent. In turn the Superintendent is accountable to the School Board for the overall operation of the School system.

As one of the highest paid public servants of Fairfax County it seems only fair that the community has its opportunity to have input into the evaluation and possible contract extension.

If the School Board has decided to leave the total management of the school system in the hands of the Superintendent, then the community MUST hold them accountable for the person they are putting all their faith in?

Unless we know how they are viewing the Superintendent, how do we hold the School Board accountable?

We think the process should be absolutely transparent.

CEO's across the country are coming under increased scrutiny.

You are being held accountable.

Why not Jack Dale?

FATHER KNOWS BEST

The Fairfax County School Board passed the proposed changes to the 403(b) program last evening ignoring the voice of literally hundreds of FCPS employees who told the School Board they DID NOT WANT THE CHANGE.

This issue is just one of many this year where the School Board is provided a single source of information on a topic they are not familiar and rather than question the administration and make a decision of valid information, they instead blindly follow.

This is NOT FCPS money that is being invested.

This is your money that YOU earned and YOU are responsible for investing.

Once again, FCPS knows what is best for you.

You need to thank the members that supported YOU and your ability to choose and let the others understand you are not happy with their decision.

This is how the School Board voted:

Daniel G Storck – Chairman Nay
Judith (Tessie) Wilson Yea
Elizabeth T Bradsher Yea
Brad Center Yea
Stuart D Gibson Yea
Martina A Hone Nay
Kaye Kory Nay
Ilryong Moon Nay
Phillip A Niedzielski-Eichner Yea
James L Raney Yea
Kathy L Smith Yea
Jane K Strauss Yea

TIME TO RALLY

It is time for all FCPS employees to come together around a single proposal that will provide increases in salary for next year. There are certain times when issues are so large and so important that we must put our differences aside and work for the common good.FEA is making a modest proposal to the School Board. We are asking all FCPS employees to support this effort for the good of all!

FEA PROPOSAL

All FCPS employees who are scheduled to receive a step increase for next year will receive a modified step (equivalent to half the scheduled step) on the regular implementation schedule starting July 1, 2009.

For FCPS employees receiving a step increase for next year their contract will be reduced by two days only. These days will be taken on non-student contact days as scheduled by the individual work sites/schools.

Employees NOT scheduled to receive a step will continue to work a standard contract. No reduction of contract length will occur.
Employees who work ONLY on student contact days will NOT have their contract reduced.

The School Board will examine the full restoration of the step, budget considerations pending, during the normal deliberations next year.
26,000 Employees, One Voice

Call or write your School Board members today and let them know you support the FEA proposal.

Chairman, Daniel G. Storck, Mt. Vernon District, 571-423-1086, daniel.storck@fcps.edu
Vice-Chairman, Kathy L. Smith, Sully District, 571-423-1085, kathy.l.smith@fcps.edu
Braddock District, Tessie Wilson, 571-423-1088, tessie.wilson@fcps.edu
Dranesville District, Jane K. Strauss, 571-423-1087, jane.strauss@fcps.edu
Hunter Mill District, Stuart D. Gibson, 571-423-1082, stuart.gibson@fcps.edu
Lee District, Brad Center, 571-423-1081, brad.center@fcps.edu
Mason District, Kaye Kory, 571-423-1083, kaye.kory@fcps.edu
Mt. Vernon District, Daniel G. Storck, Chairman, 571-423-1086, daniel.storck@fcps.edu Providence District, Phillip A. Niedzielski-Eichner, 571-423-1084, pneichner@fcps.edu Springfield District, Elizabeth T. Bradsher, 571-423-1080, elizabeth.bradsher@fcps.edu
Sully District, Kathy L. Smith, Vice-Chairman, 571-423-1085, kathy.l.smith@fcps.edu
At-Large MembersMartina A. Hone, 571-423-1089, martina.hone@fcps.edu
Ilryong Moon, 571-423-1090, ilryong.moon@fcps.edu
James L. Raney, 571-423-1091, james.raney@fcps.edu