Category: Schools

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Register for Kindergarten in Crozet

I know, it’s really early to be thinking about this, but apparently it’s good to get registered for kindergarten now:

A note from Mrs. Marcus:

If you know of any family with a rising Kindergarten student, please make sure they have registered for next year. Teachers are hired based on the number of registered students and as of now, there are only 35 rising Kindergartners at Crozet Elementary!

Parents can call the School Office at 434-823-4800 or Albemarle County at 434-296-5877 for more information. Families whose first language is other than English should contact the International & ESOL Office at 434-296-6517.

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Albemarle County Announces Safe Routes to School Grant for Crozet Elementary

Earning/winning this grant was the result of collaborative work by the County of Albemarle, the Albemarle County School Board, 250 West group, Crozet Community Association, the Alliance for Community Choice in Transportation and a few others. Readers of RealCrozetVA know that I have long advocated for walkability and bikeability in Crozet, and practice what I preach.

(Bolding mine.)

From the press release:

Chairman Ann Mallek, School Board member Barbara Massie Mouly, and Crozet school officials and parents. The grant will fund construction of a new sidewalk north of the school connecting to neighborhoods where many students live and a crosswalk with activated flashers and a warning sign to alert approaching motorists. This project will be funded entirely by grant funds.

The project is intended to provide a pedestrian-friendly environment in the area surrounding the school, and will significantly increase the number of students who can safely walk or bike to school. Approximately 177 of 305 students live within two miles of Crozet Elementary School and there are over 200 homes in neighborhood located within one-half mile of the school that will be able to take advantage of the new pedestrian features. In addition, the private Field School located directly across the street from Crozet Elementary will also be linked by the new sidewalk to neighborhoods north of downtown Crozet and will be served by the new crosswalk and warning sign features.

Continue reading “Albemarle County Announces Safe Routes to School Grant for Crozet Elementary”

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Crozet Housing Prices and School Quality

Crozet has traditionally been regarded as having high-quality public schools; as such we benefit from the market created by our schools.

Do better schools increase house prices? From my perspective as a Realtor in the Crozet area, the answer is yes. I have never had buyers tell me that they wanted to live in a bad school district; but virtually every single one – whether they have kids or not – wants to be in a good school district. Frankly, I don’t need metrics or analysis or data to support my conclusion; I know that people buying homes in Charlottesville and Albemarle want good schools.

All the data in the world isn’t going to change my opinion, either as a Realtor or as a parent, that good, quality schools matter – to our kids and to our housing values.

From The Impact of School Characteristics on House Prices: Chicago 1987-1991

For many people, an important consideration when buying a house is the quality of the local public schools. There is a general perception that, all else equal, houses in better school districts will cost more.
…

Our results indicate that individuals pay attention to both per-pupil expenditures and test scores when deciding where to locate. However, when purchasing a home, individuals do appear to consider the current test performance of students in the local school rather than the extent to which a community’s schools contribute to a cohort’s test performance.

So what? What happens to Albemarle County home values if:

1 – Albemarle County schools cannot trim the fat sufficiently and
2 – They have to make so many dramatic cuts?

This is an email sent by the Albemarle County Parents’ Council with five attachments that will help you get acclimated … before the public hearing tonight at 6:30.

And now the meat of the post – if I’m a homeowner in Albemarle County, what are you talking about? How much more would I pay in taxes?

Continue reading “Crozet Housing Prices and School Quality”

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News From Henley Middle School – 8 January 2010

Editor’s Note: I’m re-printing the entirety of the Henley Middle School newsletter because there’s quite a bit of interesting stuff there – calendar, school budgets, trip to Panama, CATEC seeking people … I’m sorry about the formatting, but it was frankly a lot easier to simply copy and paste. I do encourage folks to at least scan the bolded parts (which I’ve done) –

The School Budget Public Hearing will be on February 2, 2010 6:30 pm at the Albemarle County Office Building, Lane Auditorium (2nd floor). Public input on the budget is a critical component of the budget-making process. If you wish to speak, the sign-in sheet is usually made available early. Speakers are called to the podium in the order in which they signed in; they can speak for a maximum of three minutes. Additional information will be distributed as it becomes available. If you have any questions, please contact Parent Counsel Representative, Robin LeGallo at [email protected].

Continue reading “News From Henley Middle School – 8 January 2010”

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News From Henley Middle School – 15 December 2009

You might not have kids in schools, but Crozet schools affect all of us.

From the Henley Matters newsletter:

EARLY DISMISSAL – WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

For the past three years, high schools in Albemarle County have held first semester exams prior to Winter Break on a modified half-day schedule which included two exams per day. Last year, the program was expanded to middle schools. Many middle school students take high school level classes, and all students begin taking semester exams in their eighth grade year, so the change will align these students with their high school counterparts.

Having both middle and high school students follow the same schedule will save about $10,000 in operational efficiency for the county. The regular middle and high school bus routes will run at 1:00 p.m., and drivers will then return for elementary school routes at 2:20 p.m. Since most middle and high school students ride the same buses, not combining their schedules would have required a third bus run each day to bring middle school students home at 4:00 p.m.

BUDGET SYNOPSIS UPDATE FROM PARENTS COUNCIL

This will likely be the most challenging budget cycle experienced by Albemarle County Schools in its history. State revenues may decline by as much as 15% for 2010-11 due to changes in Albemarle County’s composite index and overall state budget reductions. We will have a better idea how much when the Governor presents his budget on 12/18. Local revenues continue to slide as housing values slump and sales tax revenue falls. The projected revenue shortfall for the 2010-11 school year is between $8 and $11 million, depending on the tax rate agreed to by the newly elected Board of Supervisors.

Even an equalized tax rate of 77.2 cents will not eliminate the need for major reductions. The anticipated revenue shortfall with the higher rate is $8 million, due to declining state and local revenues. It is not possible to make reductions of this magnitude (4-5 times as many as were made this current fiscal year) in department or operational budgets/staffing. All positions and programs will be affected.

The board is pursuing a budget amendment at the state level to recalculate the county’s ability to pay for education based on the actual revenues on hand after the $18 million in revenue sharing is given to the city of Charlottesville. The current ratio overstates the county’s ability to pay and understates the city’s ability to pay. There is no guarantee that this budget amendment will pass in the General Assembly; in fact, it will face stiff opposition. The change would result in approximately $2 to $2.5 million in additional state funding to Albemarle County. Dr. Moran will present her funding request to the School Board on Wednesday, January 20.

Daily Progress: link to December 11th article on the School Board vote, Albemarle wants funds from city for schools:

Governor Kaine’s budget is expected to be released this Friday, December 18th. “Thanks to a slumping economy, Kaine has to find $3.5 billion in cuts in the state budget. He is scheduled to propose his fiscal plan next Friday at a joint meeting of the legislature’s money committees. Kaine has said that in balancing the budget, “everything’s on the table.””

Finally, the updated budget calendar for Albemarle County Public Schools is (after the jump); the date of the School Board public hearing has been changed to Tuesday, February 2nd.

The ACPS School Board has revised its budget development calendar. The Albemarle County Board of Supervisors public hearing dates have not changed.

Please mark these dates on your calendar and plan to attend and speak in support of our schools.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010, 6:30 pm, Location TBD
ACPS School Board Public Hearing: Proposed budget, FY 2010/11

Wednesday, March 3, 2010, time TBA, Lane Auditorium, ACOB
Board of Supervisors Public Hearing: The County Executive’s recommended budget, Fiscal Year 2010/11

Wednesday, March 31, 2010, time TBA, Lane Auditorium, ACOB
Board of Supervisors Public Hearing: The BOS’s proposed budget, FY 2010/11 2010 calendar year tax rate

Wednesday, April 7, 2010, time TBA, Lane Auditorium, ACOB
Board of Supervisors Public Hearing: The BOS sets the 2010 calendar year tax rate. The BOS adopts its FY 2010/2011budget (during ACPS Spring Break)

Continue reading “News From Henley Middle School – 15 December 2009”

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Support the WAHS Library – Buy books at Barnes and Noble

As much as I prefer to shop at local bookstores rather than chains, in light of the recession and the need for schools to earn money, the following presents an opportunity to support the Western Albemarle High School Library:*

A book is a present you can open again and again!

If you plan to give books as gifts this holiday season, please plan to buy them all at Barnes & Noble during the WAHS Library Book Fair, Saturday, Dec. 12 through Monday, Dec. 14.

On those dates a percentage of all B&N purchases made with a WAHS voucher—including café and gift purchases—will be donated to the Western Albemarle High School Library Media Center! The voucher is available on the WAHS website and here— please give one to everyone you know!

This year’s Book Fair Events include:

– Sat. a.m. (time TBA) – Harp & Flute Music with Darailia Evans + Grace Chiarella

– Sat. 12/12 @ 1:00 – A Jazzy Holiday with Spencer Kulow on keyboard

– Sat. 12/12 @ 3:00 – Morgan High singing with guitar

– Sun. 12/13 @ 5:00 – Willie D-E singing original songs with guitar

Far away friends and relatives can even support your child’s school library by taking the WAHS Book Fair ID number 583088 to any Barnes & Noble in the U.S. and making purchases on behalf of the WAHS Library from a distance! There will be a Wish List Table of books we would love to have donated to the WAHS Library Media Center. With the current budget climate, we need your support more than ever! So don’t forget to save all your holiday book shopping for the WAHS Library Book Fair at Barnes & Noble Dec. 12 – 14. Thanks so much for your support!

In response to my question about what percentage of the proceeds actually go to Western, Clover Carroll, the school librarian kindly responded:

“The more that is sold with WAHS vouchers on those dates (Dec. 12-14), the larger percentage we earn. We usually make the cutoff for 20%, but not always. One of the reasons we have added the cheesecake sale this year is to bump up that bottom line figure. The important thing to emphasize is that only purchases made with a WAHS voucher count.

The voucher is also available on the WAHS website, and in the front office and library here at school. If supporters forget to bring their voucher, they can ask for one at the B&N register or just give them the WAHS bookfair ID #583088. In fact, relatives and friends all over the U.S. can shop that weekend at their local Barnes & Nobles, and if they provide our ID #, we will be credited!

Download the flyer here.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Clover Carroll – 434-823-8700 or Jane Kulow – 434-293-9940.

* One question that I always ask when donating to charities is, “what percentage of the proceeds actually go to the charity?” They requested that I not publicize those numbers here, but if you’re curious, please contact me and I will gladly tell you.

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H1N1 Vaccines at Albemarle County Schools

From Albemarle County Schools and the Henley Matters listserv:

IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING THE H1N1 FLU VACCINE: DUE TODAY, TUESDAY 13

PLEASE READ THIS PACKET CAREFULLY AND RETURN ALL REQUIRED FORMS ON OR BEFORE TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13TH. EVERY CHILD, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT THEY WILL PARTICIPATE IN THE SCHOOL-BASED CLINIC, SHOULD RETURN THE VACCINE PLAN FORM.

· Vaccinations are currently scheduled for October 28th.

· Vaccination will be voluntary. No child will receive the H1N1 flu vaccine if we do not have a signed consent form from a parent or guardian.

· There is no cost for your child to receive the H1N1 flu vaccine at school.

· We are offering only the 2009 H1N1 flu shot, as described on the Vaccine Information Statement. This vaccine contains the common preservative thimerosal. We will not offer the Nasal Mist flu vaccine. If you wish your child to receive the Nasal Mist or a preservative-free vaccine, please make arrangements with a private provider as soon as possible.

· One dose of vaccine is required for children age ten and older, but two doses are recommended for children age nine and younger. The second dose is required four weeks after the first. We will schedule follow-up clinics for the second dose.

· If a child with permission to be vaccinated does not cooperate, we will not force him or her to receive the vaccine. We will inform you so you can make vaccination arrangements with a private provider.

All documents sent home with students (letter in English/Spanish, VIS in English/Spanish, Vaccination Plan and VDH Consent Form) as well as master schedules of clinic dates are located here. The link is also available from the division home page.

Listen to the message from the Albemarle County School System here.

————-

MESSAGE FROM ALBEMARLE COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT – H1N1 A FLU INFORMATION FROM VDOE
Greetings, Albemarle County Public Schools Families and Educators:

The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE), in cooperation with the Virginia Department of Health, has produced brief videos to inform parents and educators of the steps they can take to prevent the spread of H1N1 A and seasonal influenza in schools.

Please view “H1N1 for Parents” (length 3:05) by clicking this link.

A companion video, “H1N1 for Educators” (length 3:54), describes the steps schools should take to protect the health of students and staff and may be viewed at this address.

Additional information on H1N1 A Influenza and schools is available on the VDOE Web site at this address.

Thank you for your support as we all work together to keep our children safe, healthy, and ready to learn. You may also visit our News site, www.k12albemarle.org/news and click on the H1N1 information link on the left hand side. We are posting updates from the Thomas Jefferson Health Department, as well as copies of any communications regarding H1N1 A influenza distributed through our schools.

Maury Brown, communications coordinator
on behalf of

Dr. Bruce Benson
Assistant Superintendent for Planning & Systems Operations
(434)296-5877

Editor’s note:

I’m encouraging everyone to ask questions about the vaccine(s). A little questioning and healthy skepticism can’t hurt.

Age of Autism

Charlottesville-Right Now: Barbara Loe Fisher

Barbara Loe Fisher, Co-Founder of the National Vaccine Information Center, joined Charlottesville—Right Now! to discuss the swine flu and vaccine.

David Kirby