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Subj: MCPS Budget Hearing, February 3rd, 7:00 PM, Christiansburg Middle School
Date: 1/26/2004 8:50:46 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: deckel1@hotmail.com
To: deckel1@hotmail.com
To School Board List:
This is my first e-mail to the list, so I'll give you a brief idea of my starting point as a newly elected member of the Montgomery County School Board. I thought Jim Klagge, my predecessor, did a wonderful job during his two terms on the board. I ran for this position because I have a deep background in local governmental affairs, an abiding interest in the success of public education, and because I felt the existing superintendent, district staff, and board were doing a good job running the system. I was not an "issues" candidate, but I do tell everyone that I support increasing the resources available to the district, continuing to address the capital improvement program priorities already established, and ensuring that our teachers' salaries are competitive. If this requires increasing taxes I'll be the first person to support that action, as I have in the past. In general, I feel our level of investment in the public sector has fallen unsustainably low.
One other background note, I see the public schools through the lens of my two children and their close friends, who have done really well, are more cerebral than most kids (zero athletics), interested in music and drama, and interested in attending college (Chris graduated from Blacksburg High School last year and now attends Rice in Houston.) At least my daughter Meredyth played in the marching band, so I finally had an excuse, if one was needed, to attend football games. However, I have a lot to learn about the school system.
We have been working on the budget for 2004-2005 this month. There will be an Operating Budget hearing at Christiansburg Middle School on Tuesday February 3rd at 7:00 PM to hear public input into the budget deliberations. I'm learning as we go on this and everything else in my first month on the board, but here are a couple of highlights.
1) The Board is considering asking the Board of Supervisors (BoS) to support a substantial increase (roughly 7%) in teacher salaries next year so that we might attempt to catch other jurisdictions with whom we compete for new and established teacher talent. Even with a significant increase this year, it will take two more years of solid increases to pull us to a projected level position with other districts in the region by 2006-2007. I support this effort in general, and would be interested in hearing from you on this issue.
2) Requests in the budget for new teaching positions will really only maintain our current pupil-teacher ratios, with smaller additional amounts to cover administrative staff, and athletic supervision.
3) There is a request in the budget for an additional 2 gifted teachers, which would, again, only bring us up to the minimum standard, 1 per 1000 students, or 9 full-time gifted teachers. The district has about 9,200 students and 22 schools. We talked briefly about what it would take to go to one gifted teacher for every school. This would more than double the number, cost around $500,000 per year in additional funds, and may be unrealistic. But I'd like to know how you all feel about this item.
4) A range of Student Services, Special Education, and Technology needs are addressed in the budget, as are replacement costs for an aging bus fleet. Facilities is asking for funds to help us work through a long backlog of capital improvements and repairs, including environmental air quality remediation efforts. The roughly $1.8 million left over from the bond issue for the two new middle schools will probably be used to cover some of this work as well.
Let me know if you have any specific budget concerns. Until next time.
Dr. Doug Eckel
School Board, District F
Montgomery County
deckel1@hotmail.com
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