| The PTO would like to thank all of our families for their continued support! Thanks to all of you our fall fundraisers have been very successful. We would like to thank everyone who bought t-shirts, supported the Fall Festival/Silent Auction, purchased Attractions/Dining Guides. We would also like to thank everyone who came out and enjoyed the Barnes and Noble Book Fair, Skate Night and Art Night at Zoe’s kitchen. A huge thank you goes out to all the people, too many to list, that have volunteered their time to help make these events and fundraisers such a success!
Profits from Fundraisers: 1. Attraction/Dining Guides: $2481.22 We have been able to support the following projects: 1. Teacher classroom supplies ($100 per teacher) This has been increased to $150 per teacher. ($1237.75 to date) Future projects include International Night (March), the 5th grade field trip and graduation, and the Kindergarten butterfly project. The PTO will also be committing funds in support of playground improvements which are currently in the planning stages. Together we are making great things happen for our school! |
County School System News
Please contact your School Board member and ESPECIALLY your district’s Board Supervisor!!! Phone and email are both acceptable. (Even text works!) As county residents we deserve the opportunity to have a say on this issue!!
You may have heard that a referendum may go on the November ballot intended among other county needs to help improve existing schools and add elementary and high school capacity to address overcrowding at Albemarle High School and several urban ring elementary schools. I believe that our county is currently neglecting its responsibility related to devoting funds to area schools. This issue is not just for currently enrolled kids but our entire community who relies upon schools for jobs and as a draw for commercial businesses, government and University jobs. In the long run it is also necessary to be sure that our next generation is given the best opportunity to be intelligent and responsible stewards of our community, our infrastructure, our environment and aging populations.
We already have a crisis with close to 200 kids over at AHS and the same at urban ring elementary schools. Without new school capacity planned literally within the next 3 weeks we will not have the space for our own existing population or the natural growth rate of anticipated kids coming in the next 5 years—not to mention the new neighborhoods being built.
Our natural growth rate is 10% which means in 5 years given our current situation, we will be over by as many as 300 kids at AHS and nearly 150 over at Woodbrook, Greer and Agnor-Hurt WITHOUT accounting for new development to include the 850 new family units being built at Brookhill.
Our community needs to be aware of the circumstances we are facing. We need help to get the word out and tell our officials that we desperately need additional capacity to ease current and future overcrowding and we need improvements to existing schools to be sure our kids are getting the education we expect to create the next generation of smart, responsible citizens.
Who is the School Board? Click here for more info.
Stay Engaged and Informed: Public Budget Hearing
March 30th Public Hearing on Proposed Operating & Capital Budget
It’s peak budget season in Albemarle County and we’re eager to engage in a useful dialogue about budget priorities with you, our community. Throughout March and April, there will be many opportunities for you to stay informed and engaged on the budget review process.
On Wednesday, March 30th at 6:00 PM, the Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing on the Albemarle County FY 17 Operating and Capital budget. The meeting will be held in the Lane Auditorium of the County Office Building, 401 McIntire Road, Charlottesville. All residents are welcome and encouraged to attend.
People interested in speaking can sign up in person at the meeting or online at http://www.albemarle.org/bosspeakers/
For all the latest budget information and materials: http://www.albemarle.org/department.asp?department=budget
For detailed information about all FY17 Budget engagement opportunities, visit: http://www.albemarle.org/department.asp?department=budget&relpage=20058
To access live and recorded videos: https://albemarle.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx
To provide thoughts and comments to the Board of Supervisors write to the following e-mail: bos@albemarle.org
For questions to budget staff write to the following e-mail: gobudget@albemarle.org
Sign Up for A-mail, a service of Albemarle County’s Community Relations Office to notify the public about the services, programs, and events important to residents, visitors, businesses and the greater community. http://www.albemarle.org/page.asp?info=amail
School Budget Information
Ok, so the budget isn’t the most exciting topic, but it is pretty important. Here’s some info about the process, sent to us by the ACPS Parent Council:
* School Board Public Hearing on Thursday, February, 4th at 6:30pm
* County Executive’s Budget Proposed to Board of Supervisors, Friday, February 19
* Board of SupervisorsPublic Hearing on County Executive’s Budget, Tuesday, February 23
* Board of Supervisors Meeting to Approve Advertised Tax Rate for 2016-17, Tuesday, March 8
* Board of Supervisors Public Hearing on Proposed Operating and Capital Budgets, Wednesday, March 30
*Video of Dr. Moran’s explaining the budget: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh4s5lQN2NM
2016-17 Budget Fact Sheet
- Proposed budget is $174.1 million, a 4 percent increase
- Nearly $5 million of the $7 million in increased expenditures are for directed or mandated costs such as compensation, employee health care and retirement funding
- A total of $900,000 is related to growth—just over $500,000 for special education, $430,000 for modular classrooms at Albemarle High School
- Less than one percent of the budget is for new initiatives, mostly to restore professional development funds. If approved, professional development would for the first time approach the 2008 budget when the school division had 1500 fewer students
- Not fully funded is world languages in all elementary schools, instructional coaching program
- Projected revenue is $172.6 million, a 3.3 percent increase
- State revenue increase of $2.9 million to $48.8 million moves state share of per pupil funding to 28 percent, below the 32 percent of ten years ago
- Local government transfer of $116.9 million is a 2.5 percent increase
- Funding deficit is $1.5 million
PTO Budget Update
| Our fall fundraisers have been very successful! Thank you to those who bought t-shirts, supported the Fall Festival/ Silent Auction, and came to Skate Night! Here’s what we are doing with all that income:
We have spent money to support the following projects: 1. Teacher classroom supplies ($100 per teacher) 2. Wildlife Center Sponsor an Animal for 3rd grade 3. Jamestown Field trip – 4th grade 4. Native American Day – 2nd grade 5. Amazement Square field trip – 2nd grade 6. Teacher Back-to-School Breakfast (August) 7. Printing student directory
Future projects include International Night (March), the 5th grade field trip and graduation, and the Kindergarten butterfly project.
Come to our January 12 meeting to discuss other projects we would like to fund this year! |
Agnor-Hurt Elementary School PTO 