The Virginian-Pilot
©
NORFOLK
The school division's next budget would eliminate 410 jobs, including 135 teaching positions, under the proposal presented Wednesday by Superintendent Stephen Jones.
The budget must offset an estimated $40 million in higher fixed costs and state funding cuts, and would be nearly 13 percent less than this year. It also eliminates the Coronado school for teen mothers and pregnant students, student cultural field trips and the Chrysalis alternative program for elementary students.
Employees would get no pay raises or tuition reimbursement and would have to absorb a 12.5 percent increase in health insurance costs. Some grades would see class sizes get bigger.
"There's absolutely no way the board and the school system can reasonably expect to do business as usual," School Board Chairman Stephen Tonelson said after Jones' presentation. "We're looking at massive changes."
Jones warned that wage reductions and school closings might be necessary if the General Assembly adopts proposals to cut even more education funding. (The full budget and Jones' presentation is posted on the division's Web site at www.npsk12.com.)
The job cuts - some of which could be absorbed through retirements and routine attrition - would include 18 guidance workers, two principals, five assistant principals, 19 security personnel, 21 bus drivers, 39 custodians, 31 school instructional support staff and 39 professional or para-professional staff.
The cuts also would include 27 employees at the division's central office, including 15 percent of the current administrative positions.
Jones said the proposed budget tried not to undercut programs designed to improve five schools that don't have full state accreditation.
The division is asking the city to give schools the same $101 million it got in the current budget. City leaders previously had said they'd like to cut funding for schools by 3 percent, or about $3 million.
Board member Jim Driggers said the budget reductions would mean less take-home pay for employees.
"Having to reduce the pay of the teachers we do keep is just a real hard pill for me to swallow," he said.
The board is scheduled to adopt its budget on March 24 at 6 p.m. at Granby High School.
Marian Flickinger, president of the Norfolk Federation of Teachers, called the proposed budget depressing and overwhelming.
"This is just the beginning. If the General Assembly does what Governor McDonnell wants, we're going to have to cut a whole bunch more stuff - I don't know if it will be people or programs," she said.
Steven G. Vegh, (757) 446-2417, steven.vegh@pilotonline.com
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"Tell me what charter
"Tell me what charter schools offer that public schools don't and I'll point you in the direction of state/federal mandates that require public schools to follow one set of rules while charter schools are allowed to write their own."
A conversation like this is a possible start to real dialog. Teachers must come forward and denounce specific mandates, methods, and pedagogic failures. Teachers need to start speaking out about "specialist" abuse, and present specific ideas regarding curriculum. The wall of silence that surrounds lousy teachers is percieved in the same light as the blue wall of silence that surrounds corrupt police officers.
The constant (and only) cry most people hear is the mantra of pay us more, protect our jobs, even while our students fail. While teachers are not paid at the rates of doctors or lawyers(they also do not work near as many hours), neither are the rest of the general public. Teacher pay in this area far exceeds the median incomes of the blue collar and service industry parents trusting you take make the lives of their children better, and they no longer feels as if the sacrifice of additional tax dollars is justified.
Start the Cuts at the Top!
NPS is top heavy with overpaid "specialists" who do little more than make a bunch of rules for teachers to follow without providing the resources needed to carry it out. Most of them have been out of the classroom for so long, they have no idea what works and what doesn't. These positions should be the first to go! There are reading specialists, communication skills specialists, math specialists, reading coaches, instructional specialists -- many of whom do not ever work directly with students! Maybe we can afford these positions in good times, but when times are rough, they need to go!
A charter school will not succeed ...
without sufficient numbers of parents who are unhappy with the public schools their children are attending.
The Washington Post By Jay
The Washington Post
By Jay Mathews
Monday, March 23, 2009
"Charter growth is soaring, with more than 1.3 million students enrolled in such public schools. The best charter schools, particularly in the District, are showing gains beyond what even the best public or private schools have done. President Obama wants states and the District to lift limits on charter growth. More money would help."
Charter schools work, but our public school total control of being able to shoot them down keeps our area from making progress in this area.
Charter Schools vs Public Schools...Separate And Not Equal
Jay Matthews is an unabashed supporter of charter schools. He refuses to admit that charter schools are no more successful than public schools. Just like public schools and the rest of life, there are good and bad in the world of charter schools.
Tell me what charter schools offer that public schools don't and I'll point you in the direction of state/federal mandates that require public schools to follow one set of rules while charter schools are allowed to write their own.
When? Why? and How?
I have read many articles on this site and others about public education. On those sites where public comment is allowed, the majority of the comments treat teachers and public schools as though they are evil and receive some sadistic pleaure from watching kids fail as we spend taxpayer money.
And along with teachers, their "union" is often criticized. As a teacher and parent, I, too, have witnessed and experienced many crazy and wasteful decisions by administrator's from the building level, to the Superintendent's office, to the school board.
But, I have to ask...When, exactly, did the public school's and teacher's become the whipping post of the public? What curve did teachers fail to navigate that causes so many people to write such negative comments about teachers and the schools? What is it charter schools will solve that public schools have been unable to address? Why?
How?
job cuts in norfolk
I have a very good friend in the Norfolk School System who is a single mother with two small children, and I sincerely hope she does not lose her job...unfortunately, most job cuts begin with the arts--music and art teachers...That is very disturbing. Remember people, these teachers are parents, and people just like you and me trying to make a living...maybe if we quit paying all the big guys in all business astronomical salaries and bonuses (that includes the superintendent of the school system) we could afford to keep teachers. Thank God it was not an issue when I was growing up, I certainly would not have have turned out a very upstanding citizen if not for my teachers.. God Bless you all (teachers) you deserve combat pay!!
I applaud the ernest intentions of teachers who teach against
the odds and want to ensure every child has an opportunity.
However, there is a point where we have to realize perhaps efforts to provide for other people's children may be enabling them to not accept that responsibility themselves. You say if it's not done the children suffer but what about the suffering of the children from regular homes where parents provide the necessities such as supplies, nourishing breakfasts and lunches, help with and follow up on class assignments etc. Those children are in classes enduring the consequesnces of children who come from bad home environments and the behavior issues those children bring to class. I'm a parent who has lost compassion for these children because I see the negative imapct to my child!
misplaced whining
The majority of teacher positions have been rightfully protected. Early retirements, normal attrition, eliminating "budgeted positions" that were not filled anyhow, decreasing over bloated administrative positions, and eliminating "special" programs for pregnant teens have gone a long way to absorbing these cuts.
Hampton school systems are doing the same thing, with very few, if any, cuts to teaching positions. http://www.dailypress.com/dp-local_hamptonschools_0304mar04,0,5778779.story
Virginia Beach, same deal http://hamptonroads.com/2010/02/beach-schools-looks-retirements-class-sizes-avoid-layoffs
Alarmist whining like some of these posts only hardens the positions of many that feel like there is too much waste and too much protectionism going on in our school systems.
time to stop mainstreaming uncontrollable students
Many of went to school during a time when unruly students were removed from the classroom. There were special classes with teachers who could control these students. Leaving these students in every class makes it difficult for teachers to provide the best education for students who are trying excel. It makes it nearly impossible for students who are at the "average" level to be elevated to top level. Education is not only a right it is a privilege and class placement should be made on this basis. Mainstreaming thugs has only worked to reduce the quality of education of all students.