Dalia Palchik's Newsletter
BUDGET UPDATES
This Monday, the school board held one of our series of budget work sessions. While we are now down to a much smaller deficit and can invest in teacher pay and reduced elementary class sizes, we are in the final phases of deciding how to close the remaining $9.4 million gap. This is after newly identified reductions, with minimal impact to programs and students.
As we get closer to looking at consensus over the final cuts, several options are: using available one time funding, a $2/hour increase to the community use fee, reducing substitute teacher pay to the overall market average, having the living wage increase charged to the Food and Nutrition Services fund, and reducing operating expenditures in central departments.
To follow the discussion and to participate, you may communicate by email or sign up to speak at the public hearing on May 17th.
The school board calendar for the remainder of the budget cycle is as follows:
May 12 School Board FY 2017 Approved Budget presented for new business
May 17 School Board holds public hearings on budget (May 18 if needed)
May 19 School Board conducts budget work session
May 26 School Board adopts FY 2017 Approved Budget
For the full budget calendar, click here.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT on POSSIBLE STUART NAME CHANGE
From Mason District Representative Sandy Evans:
To the Stuart HS Community:
Over the past year, a number of Stuart community members, including a group of current Stuart students, have asked the School Board to consider renaming Stuart High School so that it would not be named for a Confederate General. The School Board asked the superintendent to start community engagement on this issue and that process will take place over the next two months.
FCPS will begin the process with a short survey of Stuart students, parents, teachers, alumni, and community members to gage interest in a name change. The survey will be open from May 12 through May 20.
A community meeting on the issue will be held at 7 pm Monday, May 23, at Stuart High School. If the superintendent determines there is sufficient support to pursue a name change, the Stuart community will be asked to vote on possible names on Saturday, June 11, from 9 am to 1 pm, at Stuart High School. The voting is open to current residents of the Stuart pyramid.
The superintendent’s recommendation to the School Board will be due by June 23. Any proposed name change would be posted as New Business on the School Board’s June 30 regular meeting agenda. A vote would then be expected at the Board’s July 14 regular meeting.
Several petitions for and against a name change at Stuart have been started at ChangeOrg each sharing their rationale and perspective on why they support or oppose a change. In addition, I’ve received many emails and calls about this issue. I appreciate getting this community feedback, and look forward to hearing more during the community engagement process.
COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS
The Business and Community Partnerships office recently launched a new platform to help grow and enhance community partnerships. The office recruits and supports Ignite Partnerships. To see how you, your community, and local business partners can help enhance the experience and services offered to our students and families, check out and share their new platform: www.fcps.edu/cco/bcp/.
Currently, FCPS has some 440 business and community partners in 196 schools.
AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS (Providence District Schools)
Oakton High School’s Matt Wohlleben named Northern Virginia regional winner of the 2016 Virginia Bankers Association Educational Foundation’s Bank Day Scholarship Program.
Angeli Mittal received a Best Delegate award, and several Longfellow Model UN team members won accolades at WashMUN in Arlington last month.
COMMUNITY CALENDAR:
May 11 - 7 p.m. – Screenagers Screening at Thoreau Middle School
The Thoreau Middle PTA will host a screening of the documentary film Screenagers on Wednesday, for current and future Thoreau parents. This new documentary looks at the various facets of online life: screen time, cyberbullying, sexting, gaming, and more. This screening follows a brief PTA meeting, and will be followed by a panel discussion of Marshall High and Madison High students
May 12, 13, and 14 – 7 p.m. - The Phantom of the Opera at Oakton High School
Oakton High’s performing arts department will present The Phantom of the Opera. Deformed since birth, a bitter man known only as the Phantom lives in the sewers underneath the Paris Opera House. He falls in love with the obscure chorus singer Christine, and privately tutors her while terrorizing the rest of the opera house and demanding Christine be given lead roles. Tickets are $12 in advance, $15 at the door.
May 13 - 7:30 p.m. - Fairfax Academy Students Showcase Collections at Fashion in Motion
Sherwood Community Center, 740 Old Lee Hwy, Fairfax, VA 22030
Original fashions created by 25 Fairfax Academy Fashion Careers students will be featured as part of the Fairfax Spotlight on the Arts celebration on Friday, May 13. The students, representing 14 different Fairfax County public schools, will showcase their original collections at the fourth annual Fashion in Motion Fashion Show at 7:30 p.m. at Sherwood Community Center.
May 14 - 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. – Pollinator Meadow Planting and Celebration
Fairfax County Government Center, 12000 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax, VA 22035
Come help celebrate and plant a pollinator-friendly meadow next to the Fairfax County Government Center on Saturday, May 14. There will be two planting days, Thursday, May 12 and Saturday, May 14. Feel free to join for the date that fits your calendar best. Sign up to volunteer or email lily.whitesell@fairfaxcounty.gov for more information and reasonable ADA accommodations.
June 4 – Dalia’s Final 2015-16 Office Hours:
10 – 11:30 a.m. - Panera (Mosaic District), 8191 Strawberry Lane, Merrifield, VA 22042
2:30 – 4:00 p.m. - Oakton Library, 10304 Lynnhaven Place, Oakton, VA 22124
Please join me in my final office hours of the 2015-16 school year. I will have an additional afternoon session at Oakton Library and would love to meet you!
June 8 - FCPS Honors
George Mason’s Center for the Arts
The FCPS Honors recognizes excellence in our school system with awards for outstanding support employees, principals, teachers and business partners.
The 2016 Graduation Calendar is now available.
STUDENT VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:
Fairfax County Park Authority’s Invasive Management Area; Calendar
For additional opportunities, you can reach out to your local high school’s college and career center.
Upcoming Office Hours:
Saturday, June 4:
10 – 11:30 a.m. – Panera (Mosaic District), 8191 Strawberry Lane, Merrifield, VA 22042
2:30 – 4:00 p.m. - Oakton Library, 10304 Lynnhaven Place, Oakton, VA 22124 New Location
Contact Information:
Email: dapalchik@fcps.edu
Voicemail: 571-423-1084
Twitter: @DaliaPalchik
Annie Meier, Executive Administrative Assistant
Email: akmeier@fcps.edu
Office: 571-423-1069
Fax: 571-423-1067
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