The Virginian-Pilot
©
VIRGINIA BEACH
The School Board emerged from a closed-door meeting Tuesday night with the name of its third appointed member in four months: Ashley McLeod.
McLeod, a former Old Donation Center PTA president who co-chaired the division's Facilities Planning Committee, was chosen on a 7-2 vote from among 15 applicants to fill Rita Sweet Bellitto's at-large seat for the rest of the year.
"It's an honor," said McLeod, who vowed to listen to the public's desires when weighing decisions.
The other finalists were Carray Banks Jr., director of the Department of Technology at Norfolk State University; Vickie Pulley, a financial adviser and former Virginia Beach Education Association president; C. Mac Rawls, a former Beach principal and director of museums and cultural arts for the city; and Ken Sutton, a retired Navy officer and high school chemistry and physics teacher.
Banks, McLeod and Pulley were finalists for a previous opening.
Late last year, the board appointed Carolyn Weems, who held one of four at-large seats, to represent Bayside in one of seven district seats after Dan Lowe resigned. To fill her former seat, the board held a public hearing, conducted interviews, then appointed Scott Seery. Bellitto resigned last month to be appointed to the City Council.
The board also heard the budget prognosis Tuesday.
Chief Financial Officer Farrell Hanzaker said that if the House version of the state budget passes, the division would face a $37.4 million shortfall. That could be made up by increasing minimum class sizes, cutting non-personnel budgets by 3 percent and making fourth- and fifth-grade classes larger.
The board plans to vote next week. Other local divisions are considering layoffs and school closings to meet their budgets.
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hahahahahaha
Read the comments of Pulley's supporters here, and you wonder why the School Board repeatedly rejected the former Union boss?
Amazing...
No contest
Thank you, 757Vbin: The only 'highly qualified' candidate on the list was Vickie Pulley. Shame on them for not selecting her. As a financial planner living in the real world, her input would have had great value. Instead they choose a lightweight, who in her initial presentation, told the Board that she 'was fun to work with'. Let them have their FUN at our children's expense! Why is the Board holding back on publishing the teacher surveys from the past 2 years. Why won't they publicily address the issue of teacher dissatifaction and dropout? Maybe because sometimes reality is not FUN. Hopefully, the November elections will show the SB what the public really wants.
Overlooked Taxpayer Expenditure....
If the Virginian-Pilot really wanted to broaden their investigation ...you're right...why haven't the written results of the employee surveys been released? The written comments, as I understand it, were so negative and critical of Principal's and the administration that the Superintendent chose to keep the results from the public. Perhaps if the VBCPS released the results, the public could see that it is not only Norfolk that has morale problems and Principal's who bully and harass teachers and other employees.
Unbelievable!
They what? They voted in the weakest of the candidates and Carolyn Weems' good friend? What were they thinking with a vote of 7-2?
you got to be kidding
Seems to me we have some union folks here who don't get it. Brent Mckenzie is a nofolk teacher, em davis is a former principal, sandra smith jones is a college educator, pat salyer is married to a hs teacher. I think the union is represented just fine. Or do you want the school board to spend all the money (over 80%) on salaries and benefits and let the school buses break down, textbooks fm the 80s get used, and the building fall down around our children.
Puuuh...leeze....
And being married to a lawyer...wouldn't make me a law expert...anymore than being married to a teacher makes someone a expert on what happens in the classroom.
Not all school personnel are so-called union members.
And....we care about more than salaries. All research shows that among the top reasons teachers leave the profession is because of working conditions. And the only people who are familar with those working conditions are other teachers.
Like I said...read the front page of the paper...and see who it was that got busted for the SOL scandal in Norfolk...not the Principal (yet), not the Elementary Director, not the Superintendent, not the SB...it was the teacher.
Another Homemaker!!!
SOmething is wrong when this board picks another sit-at-home person like myself. At least I am retired! SO what happened in the interviews - they are better kept secrets than, Who Shot JR!
What, no minoriies? I guess they aren't qualified after all.
Sit at home?
It is a choice and a privelege to be a stay at home parent. A large percentage of such moms I know are college degreed but giving up a professional career to raise their children. Just because we stay at home doesn't mean we have no brains. Most of us are active in the schools and activities - contributing large amounts of time and talent for no compensation. A homemaker with school age children has a unique insight and sincere interest in the schools and is perfect to serve on the school board. Sure wish I could just sit at home and do nothing.
Deserving Candidate
Four highly qualified people made it to the finals. Only one can be chosen. Ashley McLeod is very deserving and she will serve diligently. You don't need to be a teacher or former administrator to serve well in this capacity.
So what do you need to be?
Stay at home moms and soccer coaches - so where are the qualifications listed. This has weems written all over it. She is bubbly, now what?