SUPERINTENDENT’S WINTER

NEWSLETTER FEBRUARY 2016

FAUQUIER COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Hello, Friends of FCPS!

So far, no days missed for snow in February, and we almost got through January with no snow! Oh well. At least it was a blizzard, and not 1.5 inches beginning at 6 a.m. (I HATE those!) January 2012, 2006, and 2001 were the last three “no snow Januarys.” I, for one, am thankful that the school year has been moving along fairly smoothly, once the blizzard came and went.

We have a wonderful resource for parents on our website that clearly explains closing and delay procedures, delay options, rationales, communication resources, etc. You may access our emergency closures brochure here.

Thank you for taking the time to read this Superintendent’s Winter Newsletter. My intent is that these twice-yearly letters keep you more informed about what is going on in our school division and in our individual schools. The letters are one of many ways we use to connect with you because, as always, I am committed to communicating. If you have questions that aren’t answered here or on our website, please feel free to contact my office (540-422-7020).

Speaking of questions, please submit any question you might have to “One Hard Question” at this location. I typically choose questions that impact the greatest number of people, although I try to answer all the questions that are submitted even if the answers are via email.

Thank you for caring about our school division, our schools, our students, our staff and about education in Fauquier County!

Dr. David Jeck

Budget

I presented my proposed FY 2017 (school year 2016 - 2017) budget to the School Board on Jan. 27 and Feb. 8 (a slightly amended version). In FY 2017 this would mean a 2.3 percent increase ($3.1 million) over the FY 2016 budget. The proposed budget advances the school board’s goals, the first of which is investing in world-class staff for the students of Fauquier County. Towards this goal, I have proposed the following across-the-board compensation increases for permanent staff:

All FCPS employees: The proposed budget includes $2.8 million for a three percent (3%) increase across the board for all staff.

Market study adjustments: In addition to the above, the proposed budget includes $463,000 to make market adjustments and reclassifications; however, the actual percentages are yet-to-be-determined. We are currently analyzing results of a recent study in order to recommend compensation increases that would bring our classified employee groups more in line with the market. These positions are fundamental to supporting academic services for our students.

The school board will hold a public hearing on the proposed budget on Monday, Feb. 22 at 7 p.m. in the Falcon Room at Fauquier High School. This will be followed by a board of supervisors public hearing on March 17 at 7 p.m.

The proposed budget, the time line for the budget adoption, and all documents presented to date can be found here. Many budget documents are linked within the timeline.

My proposed budget is significantly higher than requests from my last two budgets. This is primarily because our Local Composite Index (LCI) increased significantly, meaning a loss of $1.7 million in state funds to support public education in our county. The state calculates LCI by evaluating several key indicators (i.e. value of real

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property) to determine the local ability to pay for education costs fundamental to the Standards of Quality (SOQ). While the state’s reduction is a huge blow to us, we are committed to working transparently and collaboratively to attain the school board’s stated goals.

Camp Moss Hollow: 10 Years and Counting

This past year FCPS and Camp Moss Hollow celebrated its 10th year of partnership. Camp Moss Hollow is a week-long summer residential camp program with a focus on academic and life skills for nominated rising fifth graders. They have access to an outdoor learning environment that enhances their own learning along with preparing them for the next levels of their educational experience.

Last year we brought 70 rising fifth grade students along with 11 FCPS staff with us to camp. Over the last 10 years we have been able to impact over 500 students that walk the FCPS hallways daily from fifth-grade to 12th-grade along with having two groups already graduated, the first graduating in 2014. Each year we have been blessed with a wonderful and caring staff that has come with us over those years. Outside of the staff that we bring to camp each year, the Camp Moss

Hollow process includes the fourth and fifth grade teachers, elementary school counselors, elementary social workers, and elementary administrators to ensure a successful camp. This process starts in January and goes on until camp in July. Every year our Camp Moss Hollow family grows, and the legacy becomes stronger in the impact this partnership is making on the education in FCPS. As the program goes on and each year changes, the result after the week is always the same, and unless you have seen it firsthand, it is difficult to put into words. The only thing you can do is seek someone who knows about the “Hollow Experience” and ask them. As the sign at Camp Moss Hollow reads, “You Can Always Find a Friend at The Hollow,” and this partnership has a legacy of friends.

Fauquier Excellence in Education Foundation

I am privileged to sit on the Board of Directors for the Fauquier Excellence in Education Foundation. Through business partnerships and community support, FEIEF is able to provide programs and grants to benefit our schools that otherwise might not be available. When you have a moment, check out the Foundation’s website, and if you’re a golfer, consider signing up for the Monday, May 9, 2016, FEIEF Golf Tournament.

Graduation

If you haven’t yet gotten the word, here are graduation dates for the Class of 2016, and by the way graduation dates will not change, regardless of any further days missed for inclement weather:

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Liberty High School will hold graduation on Thursday, May 19, at 7 p.m. in the Jiffy Lube Live •amphitheatre, rain or shine.

Kettle Run High School will hold graduation on Friday, May 20, at 6 p.m. at Cougar Stadium •at KRHS. Inclement weather venue will be the school gymnasium.

Fauquier High School will hold graduation on Saturday, May 21, at 8 a.m. at Falcon Field at •FHS. Inclement weather venue will be the school gymnasium.

School Quality Survey

Just after spring break, please watch for an announcement regarding the biannual School Quality Survey, and please take time to complete the survey. I encourage you to give thoughtful consideration to each question as you share your opinions about your child’s school.

School Start Times

You may recall that last school year the School Support Council had proposed changing to a later start time for secondary schools in Fauquier County. If you’re wondering where that suggestion stands at this time, the School Board decided in late 2015 to ask their own Health Advisory Committee to oversee a campaign to educate teenagers about better sleep hygiene. With commitment and enthusiasm – and the assistance of some experts in the medical field – the committee is currently looking at how best to do that. Stay tuned.

Recycling

Many of you may not know that the school division works hard to teach young people about the importance of recycling. All of our schools have recycling bins, and we encourage student and staff participation in recycling all materials that we can. The County’s Office of Environmental Services sends us a monthly report to let us know how our schools are doing in their individual efforts, and I thought you might be interested to know how our schools have done from July to December 2015 (recycling weights in the chart below are in pounds):

School FY Total Average lbs. per student Year-to-date recycling rate

Bradley Elementary 8,320 3.06 17.0%Brumfield Elementary 9,820 3.11 15.5%Coleman Elementary 4,920 2.12 12.1%Greenville Elementary 7,640 2.58 17.2%Miller Elementary 6,000 2.13 9.6%Pearson Elementary 5,100 2.12 10.8%Pierce Elementary 10,440 3.13 14.5%Ritchie Elementary 9,060 3.57 18.2%Smith Elementary 3,920 1.76 10.6%Thompson Elementary 4,620 2.70 11.7%Walter Elementary 7,620 2.99 14.2%Auburn Middle 14,800 4.38 30.3%Cedar Lee Middle 5,380 1.43 8.9%Marshall Middle 13,260 4.56 23.6%Taylor Middle 9,380 3.23 20.2%Warrenton Middle 11,980 4.56 23.1%Fauquier High 17,180 2.20 19.3%Liberty High 31,720 4.31 29.5%Kettle Run High 13,760 1.85 16.8%Southeastern Alternative 3,100 23.1%

Our schools have recycled 198,020 total pounds from July through December! Well done to all of our environmentally conscious students and staff!

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Superintendent’s Annual Report

If you haven’t had a chance to check out the Superintendent’s Annual Report which was published in December, please find a few minutes to do so. For the third year in a row, we produced the report electronically as a cost-saving measure, and it is easily accessible on our website. However, if you would still like to have a hard copy of the report, simply call 422-7031 and request one, and we’ll get one in the mail to you.

Two-Year Calendar

In mid-January the School Board, for the first time, approved a two-year calendar, available on the website. In a slight variation from this year’s calendar, school will start on a Wednesday over the next two school years. I’ve heard from a number of teachers who like the idea, and I’m hoping you will too.

Youth Mental Health First Aid Training

If you haven’t signed up to take Youth Mental Health First Aid training, may I encourage you to do so. This is a grant-funded opportunity to help participants learn more about youth mental health – especially how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illness in children and youth. The eight-hour training certification course teaches a five-step action plan to assess a situation, select and implement interventions, and secure appropriate care for the individual. Please consider signing up to take the training.

Helpful Resources

I want to include a few helpful resources in case you haven’t had a chance to see them…or maybe it’s been a while since you checked them out. At any rate, I hope you find them informative. Please read what interests you:

Emergency Closures Brochure – Information related to inclement-weather delays, cancellations, procedures, etc.

One Hard Question – A place to ask me tough questions and a place to get my honest answers (in video format)

Division Strategic Plan – The Aspirations 2.0 strategies and action plans that guide the work of the school division

FCPS App – Lots of great resources, including late-bus listings, to keep parents in the loop! The FCPS mobile app can be downloaded from the Apple and Android store.

Coming Fall 2016!!!

Coming in the fall of 2016 to Fauquier County Public Schools: A new Blackboard mobile app that will harness the power of digital education anytime, anywhere. Learning will have no limits as the new Blackboard mobile app’s “responsive” design ensures a great experience on all devices and screen sizes – with no loss of functionality. For teachers and students, access to Blackboard Learn will be enhanced, providing new features that can be tailored by the user. These features will encourage interaction between students and teachers by engaging them through devices of their choosing. For parents, they will also see improved functionality and access to their student’s learning as well as other information provided by Fauquier County Public Schools. The new Blackboard mobile app will also be available to community members with access to publicly available information. Stay tuned.

In Conclusion…

This was a lot to cover, but it is important information that needed to be shared! If you have questions regarding any of the topics covered in this Superintendent’s Winter Newsletter, please contact the School Board Office, and we will do our best to assist. Until next time, be safe and stay warm!