Back to FY Dockets


Special Meeting
Thursday, February 6, 1992 - - 8:00 pm

* * * * *
ALEXANDRIA SCHOOL BOARD
JOINT PUBLIC HEARING MEETING
SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION BUILDING
3801 WEST BRADDOCK ROAD


Present: Mayor Patricia S. Ticer, Vice Mayor William C. Cleveland, Members of Council Kerry J. Donley, Redella S. Pepper, Lonnie C. Rich and David G. Speck; Chair A. Melvin Miller, School Board Members Virginia Adams, Sallie Craft, Cecelia Godfrey, Nelson Greene, Jr., Leslie Hagan, Gene Lange, William Purdy and Judith Seltz.

Absent: Councilman T. Michael Jackson.

Also Present: Mrs. Lawson, City Manager; Ms. Evans, Assistant City Manager; Ms. Steele, Deputy City Manager; Mr. Gitajn, Director of Financial and Information Services; Mr. Platky, Director of Management and Budget; Mr. O'Kane, Director of Transportation and Environmental Services; Mr. Masem, Superintendent of Schools; and Ms. Hughes, Clerk of the School Board.

Recorded by: Susan K. Seagroves, Deputy City Clerk and Clerk of Council.

OPENING

The Joint Meeting was called to order by Chair Miller. All Members of City Council were present except Councilman Jackson; all Members of the School Board were present. Chair Miller and Mayor Ticer made opening remarks. Mayor Ticer explained that Councilman Jackson was attending the NVTC meeting tonight.

(It was noted that a notice of this Joint Public Hearing Meeting was previously served upon each Member of Council, pursuant to a provision of the City Charter, a copy of the notice certified by each Member of Council being on file in the office of the City Clerk and Clerk of Council.)

1. Public Hearing on the Superintendent's Proposed School Budget for Fiscal Year 92-93.

(A copy of the Proposed Alexandria City Public Schools Budget, 1992-1993, is on file in the office of the City Clerk and Clerk of Council, marked Exhibit No. 1 of Item No. 1; 2/6/92, and is incorporated herewith as part of this record by reference.

A copy of the Approved Alexandria City Public Schools Capital Budget, 1992-1993, is on file in the office of the City Clerk and Clerk of Council, marked Exhibit No. 2 of Item No. 1; 2/6/92, and is incorporated herewith as part of this record by reference.

A copy of the City Clerk's memorandum dated January 30, 1992, is on file in the office of the City Clerk and Clerk of Council, marked Exhibit No. 3 of Item No. 1; 2/6/92, and is incorporated herewith as part of this record by reference.)



1


(The following persons participated in the Public Hearing:

Lucy Kirby, President of the Retired Teachers' Association, spoke on the need for affordable health insurance for retirees;

Pat Tiedt, Chairman of the Family Life Advisory Committee, spoke in support of family life education training and monitoring of the program;

Jim Fitzgerald, a parent of four children in the school system, spoke on the need for curriculum specialists;

Sharon Shackelford, Co-president of the T.C. Williams PTSA, spoke against cuts in instructional material and supplies and the new deputy superintendent;

Dorianne Morrison, parent of a ninth-grader at G.W. Junior High School, spoke in opposition to cutting curriculum specialists;

Phil Beck, parent of an elementary student, urged that funds not be expended on restructuring schools in 1993 but on teacher salaries or instructional materials;

Vida Johnson, President of the Education Association of Alexandria, spoke in opposition to employee salaries being frozen;

William Stafford, parent of two children in school and one just graduated, spoke in support of teacher specialists;

Camilla Woolard, a parent, raised concerns about classroom size, having enough teachers and bus safety;

Helen Staren, French teacher at T.C. Williams High School, spoke in opposition to the elimination of curriculum specialist positions;

Virginia Layman, French and Russian teacher at T.C. Williams High School since 1971, spoke in opposition to the elimination of curriculum specialist positions;

Patricia Severs, President of William Ramsay PTA, spoke in opposition to the early restructuring date;

(A copy of the statement of Patricia Severs is on file in the office of the City Clerk and Clerk of Council, marked Exhibit No. 4 of Item No. 1; 2/6/92, and is incorporated herewith as part of this record by reference.)

Elizabeth O'Brien, President of the Foreign Language Advisory Committee (FLAG), spoke in opposition to the elimination of curriculum specialist positions;

Nancy McCormick, parent of a kindergarten student and two younger children, questioned the proposed spending cuts;

(A copy of the statement of Nancy McCormick is on file in the office of the City Clerk and Clerk of Council, marked Exhibit No. 5 of Item No. 1; 2/6/92, and is incorporated herewith as part of this record by reference.)

Mary Jane Adams, T.C. Williams High School, waived her right to speak to Tom Nickelson;


2


Roberta Morris, parent of a kindergarten student and member of the Alexandria Commission on Early Childhood Development, supports full-day kindergarten classes;

Dagobert Sonegele, member of the Early Childhood Development Commission, spoke in support of the Community Integration Project to mainstream handicapped children into the school system;

Alicia Vandrovec, Chair of FLAG, spoke in support of teacher specialists;

Alice Cannon, President of the Alexandria PTA Council, spoke against budget cuts and against the addition of the deputy superintendent;

Ann Blabey, parent of three children, spoke against the 1993 date of implementation for restructuring of the schools and against the addition of the deputy superintendent;

Patricia Lopez, representing Douglas MacArthur PTA and parent of three school-age children, read a statement in opposition to the early restructuring;

Shirley Shifflett, first-grade teacher since 1973, spoke about class size;

Martha Trana, student, did not speak;

Martha Flores, parent, did not speak;

Pam Walkup, teacher at Jefferson-Houston Elementary School, supports lead teachers, curriculum specialists and an increase in teacher salaries;

Libby Johnson, President of Charles Barrett PTA, spoke in support of adequate funding for the school system and in opposition to the early restructuring date;

Lynda Menefee, President of Head Start, spoke in support of full-day kindergarten;

Denise Jackson, President of Jefferson-Houston PTA with a second and fourth grader, spoke about the class size of grades 1 to 3;

Robin Harpe, parent and Vice President of Jefferson-Houston PTA, spoke against elimination of the assistant principal at Jefferson-Houston Elementary School and against the addition of high-level administrators;

Bernadette Johnson Green, Head Start, G.W. site, spoke in support of eliminating the lottery system;

Angela Gannon, Co-president of Maury/Lyles-Crouch PTA, spoke in support of small class size and the need for special funds for supplies;

Betty Myers, parent, did not speak;

Barbara Harslem, President of the Mount Vernon Community School PTA and parent of four children, spoke in opposition to personnel cuts;

Marianne Ingold, parent of two children, raised concerns about the acceleration of the restructuring and the need to keep class size small;


3


Susan Yowell, parent, spoke in opposition to rescheduling the restructuring;

Susan Winter, President of Alexandria Developmental Center PTA, spoke in opposition to the closing of the school and requested at least a one-year transition period;

Mary Sue Garner, teacher at G.W. Junior High, spoke about the increase of living costs with no planned salary increases for employees;

Chris Davis, parent, spoke in opposition to eliminating the principal at the Alexandria Developmental Center and raised concern about mainstreaming;

Jean Niebauer, parent of two children, spoke against the elimination of the program administrator at the Alexandria Developmental Center; let the task force do its job by giving it one year;

Ellsa Rivera, Spanish-speaking parent of a child in the Alexandria Developmental Center, spoke in opposition to the elimination of Dr. Davis' position;

Janie Moon, parent of three children, spoke in opposition to eliminating the principal of the Alexandria Developmental Center or to at least allow a transition period;

Susan Willis, parent of a child in elementary school, cannot support the school budget unless it includes full funding for a TAG program and grouping policy and restores the original restructuring time;

Mary Ileen Dixon, Co-president of the G.W. PTSA, spoke against the timing of the restructuring and in support of the original 1994 recommendation;

Teres Crahan, PTA president, did not speak;

Gail Fletcher, parent, spoke in support of the Alexandria Developmental Center;

Allen Katlus, parent, spoke in support of allowing teacher specialists to continue;

Victor Glasburg, Mount Vernon PTA and parent of two children, spoke against the budget;

Carl Feashurens, Chair of the Budget Advisory Committee (BAC), spoke about the fewer number of students but the larger cost per student;

Paul van de Water, TAG Advisory Committee, spoke in support of the retention of full-time TAG program curriculum specialists;

Michael Cook, parent of two children, spoke in opposition to the timing of the restructuring and urged raising taxes, but don't abandon the education system;

Rosalie Mow, reading specialist at Jefferson-Houston Elementary School representing the reading specialists, read a statement of concern about eliminating teacher specialists for reading and language arts;

Jessie Moore did not speak;


4


WITHOUT OBJECTION, the public hearing was concluded and the Joint Public Hearing Meeting of February 6, 1992, was adjourned at 10:25 p.m.


APPROVED BY:

____________________________
PATRICIA S. TICER MAYOR

Attest:

___________________________________
Susan K. Seagroves, Deputy City Clerk

Notice
5


This docket is subject to change.

* * * * *

Full-text copies of ordinances, resolutions, and agenda items are available in the Office of the City Clerk and Clerk of the Council.
* * * * *

Individuals with disabilities who require assistance or special arrangements to participate in the City Council meeting may call the City Clerk and Clerk of Council's Office at 838-4500 (TTY/TDD 838-5056). We request that you provide a 48-hour notice so that the proper arrangements may be made.
* * * * *