School Board Discusses 'Bare Bones' Budget
Published 5:01 pm Thursday, February 7, 2013
CUMBERLAND – The Cumberland County School Board is looking for community support as it approaches budget talks with the County.
Newly re-elected Chairman Ginger Sanderson, District One, encouraged citizens to become involved in the school budget discussion during the January school board meeting, pointing out, “we are almost at bare bones and we are asking people to do so much, more than they've ever been asked to do and now, because we haven't been able to give raises for so long for… five years…. There comes a point where people are going to start to find other avenues of work. And we have some phenomenal people that we don't want to have seeking other opportunities.”
During a budget work session on January 28, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Amy Griffin presented a draft budget, which required a smaller increase in the County's contribution to the school budget than previously estimated.
After her presentation of the draft budget, Dr. Griffin informed board members, “we're running with the minimum amount of the staff that you can and still operate.” Listing a number of requirements high school students now must meet to graduate, she said, “I don't have anyone else at the high school that I feel like we could cut…and still operate.”
Previously, an estimated $500,000 increase was expected to be asked.
The current draft budget now requires an increase of $337,421.89 from the County.
The budget reflects a $109,950.13 decrease in federal funding. Because sequestration is still possible, the budget document also noted that there could potentially be the reduction of another $72,000 in federal funding.
During the January work session, Dr. Griffin announced that $110,000 in cuts were made to the working budget, so that the school board wouldn't have to request a full additional half a million dollars from the board as it originally expected.
According to the draft budget, this was partially accomplished by cutting the utilities budget by $60,000 and the budget for technology equipment by $50,000.
The draft budget includes both a two percent pay increase for all full-time employees and a step increase based on salary scale for those who are eligible. It also includes an estimated increase in health insurance and the inclusion of a reading specialist.
Dr. Griffin also reiterated that the draft budget was a working document.
Sanderson expressed concern that citizens may not understand that “there isn't anything else left to cut. In other words, if we start having to cut 1.7 percent from this number that we're requesting, students are going to be affected, staff is going to be affected.”
During the work session, board members discussed the feasibility of cutting the school's budget in other areas, including athletics or transportation.
However, board members also expressed a fear of adjusting athletics, only to have students begin attending schools in neighboring counties, which would result in an even greater cut in funding.
Although Dr. Christine Ross, District Five, agreed that cutting athletics isn't her first choice, she said, “Look, this is where we are. There is nothing to cut, except the things that are not essential. And transportation and athletics and, as much as I love all my fine arts stuff after school, they're not, they're not essential. In my world they are. But in our board of supervisors' world, they, they're not.”
Sanderson pointed out that the board was also actively voicing their concerns with their state legislatures, having sent a delegation to Richmond the previous week. She added, “We're shaking everybody's strings.”
Dr. Ross expressed frustration regarding state funding as well, adding that she had been told the Governor has put a lot of money into a rainy day fund. She felt that whether he realizes it or not the “sixty-eight percent of his counties that are rural are in the rainy day. We don't need him putting any more in his little rainy day fund for when a rainy day comes. It's pouring on us.”
Sanderson encouraged citizens to attend budget meetings and speak to their board of supervisors regarding the budget.
Opportunities to attend meetings abound in the upcoming month. Besides the regularly scheduled school board and board of supervisors meetings slated to occur Monday and Tuesday nights of next week, February 11 and 12; two board of supervisor budget work sessions are scheduled for Wednesday, February 13, and Thursday, February 14, beginning at 5 p.m. in the Old Clerk's Office. While open to the public, there will be no time for public comment.
The second work session will feature a joint meeting with both the school board and board of supervisors, beginning at 7:30 p.m.
The school board has also announced a public hearing for the school budget on February 25 at 7 p.m. in the Middle/High School Cafetorium.
During their January meeting, Cumberland School Board members reaffirmed their leadership, unanimously re-electing Board Member Ginger Sanderson, District One, as chairman and Board Member George Reid Jr., District Four, as vice-chair.
The clerk and deputy clerk were also unanimously voted to remain, respectively, Supervisor of Human Resources Elizabeth Jamerson and Assistant Superintendent of Finances and Operations Chip Jones.
The board unanimously approved Superintendent of Schools Dr. Amy Griffin's appointments, which remained the same from the previous year according to Sanderson.
The board also voted on appointees to other organizations and committees during the meeting. Board Member George Lee Dowdy III, District Two, was appointed to sit on the Capital Improvement Plan committee and be the alternate voting delegate at the Virginia School Board Association. Reid was appointed to be the primary voting delegate for the Virginia School Board Association and the board representative for the Governor's School. Sanderson was appointed to be the Virginia School Board Association insurance voting representative.
Meetings were unanimously approved to continue occurring on the second Monday of every month, with the regular meeting beginning at 7 p.m.
Sanderson also announced that the updated policy manual is available at the division's central office and also on the division's website.
The board approved an application to the Virginia Department of Education for a permanent waiver to open prior to Labor Day during its January meeting. Until now, the school has been able to open early by submitting a yearly request based on the number of days missed due to inclement weather.
The permanent waiver is being based on the approval of an innovative program, Project 21. Project 21 is based upon the implementation of 21st Century learning skills, application of project based learning in the classroom and the promotion of career readiness for all students, according to the application.
In the division's waiver application, justification for early opening was based primarily on standardizing the school calendar with that of area colleges and universities and other Region VIII schools.
The standardization is also meant to facilitate the collaboration of area schools as they work to encourage staff development opportunities through the Region Eight Education Center. The application points out that many Region VIII schools, with which is collaborates, are already on a pre-Labor day schedule.
Reducing cost was also a justification for collaboration and an early start calendar. “Area schools have had budgets decreased alarmingly; however, coordination of high quality staff development with other schools within the region can lesson the cost,” says the application.
The board approved the following legislative priorities, in anticipation of visiting their delegates at the end of January:
1) The Cumberland County School Board supports an increase in state basic funding for K-12 public education to offset past reductions and fully fund the Standards of Quality (SOQ) commitments of the Commonwealth.
2) The Cumberland County School Board supports state funding efforts to increase salaries and benefits for all teachers, administrators, superintendents, and classified staff so that Virginia will be, at the minimum, at or above the national average.
3) The Cumberland County School Board opposes federal sequestration due to the adverse impact it will have on federal programming and services to students and schools.
4) The Cumberland County School Board supports legislation that would reduce the state mandated number of required Standards of Learning (SOL) assessments for students.
5) The Cumberland County School Board supports extending the initial probationary period for teachers from three to five years.
Upon Dr. Griffin's suggestion, the priorities were also edited to include opposition to instituting an “A-F” grading system for schools and support of a raise for all school employees and not just instructional positions.
Jones announced to the board that the division, especially the middle school and high school, would be participating in Cumberland Kids Get Off The Couch. A grant from United Health HEROES has allowed Cumberland County Public School and the Cumberland County Public Library to partner together in teaching students about “the importance of proper nutrition and activities that benefit their health throughout adulthood.”
Activities were scheduled to begin January 22 and will continue for 13 weeks, culminating in a 5K walk/run. Plans also include a health and wellness booth hosted by students during Patriot's Day.
During the period for business by school board members, Student Liaison Mason Dukes said he had received no complaints from fellow students; although, as a senior, his work load has increased substantially. He also commended the school lunches, in particular the new buffet-style options in the healthy choice line.
Reid reported that over 700 people attended a memorial service held earlier in the month for two of his church's members who died tragically in a fire. He was thankful that two of the people in attendance were Dr. Griffin and Cumberland High School Principal Jeff Scales. He noted that many people recognized them and he was glad that Dr. Griffin was so visible in the community.
In relation to Reid's comments, Dr. Griffin also commended Assistant to the Middle School Principal Charles Motter and the rest of the middle school, which she said worked hard to help a student who experienced great loss because of the same fire.
Sanderson thanked the board for their support in re-electing her chairman. She also stated that she was very proud of their student liaison, Mason Dukes, congratulating him on his recent acceptance to Hampden-Sydney College.
The school board continued with its tradition of recognizing students of the month during the January meeting.
The Cumberland Elementary School Student of the Month for January was Leonard Foster, kindergarten. The Middle School Student of the Month was Austin Hernandez, eighth grade; and the High School Student of the Month was Cory Deane, twelfth grade.
Meet the Staff honorees this month were Anna Wieder, Cumberland Middle School history teacher; Carlie Duncan, English and drama teacher at the High School; and Michael Booker, Cumberland Middle School basketball coach.
The Meet the Community recognition was awarded to Carolyn Tipton, a store manager of Tipton's Midway Market. It was noted that Tipton was also preparing to open Tip Top Partee Shop next to the market.
The Helping Hands Recognition was given to the Cumberland County Elementary School volunteers, TEAM WIN, a group of five parent volunteers who work together to provide support for elementary school teachers and students.
Quinn Duty, Ivy Arbaugh, and Mason Dukes presented on attending the Leadership Summit on the Hill, a leadership forum at Hampden-Sydney College for student leaders from area schools.
Greg Butz, a senior at Cumberland High School, was recognized for receiving the Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizen Award.
The board watched a short film on 21st Century Learning at Cumberland Public Schools, produced by Network Administrator Chris Hartley and Motter. The film can be watched by visiting the division website: www.cucps.k12.va.us.
