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Spotsylvania officials say new school may not open in fall
Spotsylvania tells new teachers it cannot offer them a contract due to anticipated budget cuts
BY KAREN BOLIPATA
Date published: 3/27/2008
BY KAREN BOLIPATA
Teacher applicants hoping to man classrooms in Spotsylvania County's new elementary school in the fall have found out they may have to look for jobs elsewhere.
Last week, 30 teachers who were offered employment for the upcoming school year after attending the division's job fair this month received letters telling them the district could not provide a contract.
The letter cited anticipated state cuts in revenue as well as insufficient local funds as reasons. The job fair took place before the General Assembly voted on the two-year budget.
"I'm sure people are disappointed," Superintendent Jerry Hill said yesterday in a phone interview. "We're disappointed because we wanted to hire these people."
Many of the applicants were being considered for Cedar Forest Elementary School, which, until recently, school officials had pushed to open in the fall.
The opening of three other facilities--an autism day-placement program, John J. Wright Cultural and Educational Center and a new fleet-maintenance facility--also may be delayed to close the $7.6 million deficit between what the schools are requesting in their budget and what the county recommends.
That gap may grow to $12 million if supervisors decide to lower the 62-cent proposed tax rate to an equalized tax rate of 56 cents.
Delaying the four facilities would reduce the school district's operating budget by about $3 million. Cedar Forest alone will cost $1.9 million to open.
Hill said he thinks the decision not to open the facilities would be "devastating to morale."
In the letter, the division encourages the applicants to consider Spotsylvania for employment once the number of positions to be filled has been determined.
But Hill said he expects the teachers to find jobs in places that can offer them written contracts now.
"We'll lose some good people because of what we did. I'm sure of that," he said.
Applicants for positions in demand, including math and science teachers and a high school band instructor, did not receive the letter.
The School Board will hold a work session at 6:30 tonight to discuss budget cuts.
Karen Bolipata: 540/374-5418
Email: kbolipata@freelancestar.com
Date published: 3/27/2008
Most recent reader comments:
I have read the posts....
(posted by
gramps
, Mar. 28, 2008 7:53 am)
with interest. Have we all forgotten that the State Legislature "shorted' education? Where is the anger with those elected reps? Do these folks not share the responsibility for some of this problem?
If you're really concerned about your children...
(posted by
concerned1964
, Mar. 27, 2008 7:14 pm)
then you should really be concerned about this! Enrollment in Spotsylvania County Schools has been increasing for years. The county has been struggling with retaining quality teachers. And now this? The quality teachers that were most valued have been told to look elsewhere. What message does that send about the value the residents place on education? Our schools can't do anything without the support of the community. We all need to let the county know that our children are our number 1 priority.
Fire the School Administration and
(posted by
imready
, Mar. 27, 2008 7:02 pm)
post a list of things that the schools will spend more $ on this coming year instead of opening the school. Raises for administrators? I bet it is on the list. How could competent "administrators" plan to open a school without getting some buy in to fund it first? Asking for it after the fact is pretty feeble. And to all those angry parents. You could vote for a tax on people who send their kids to public school. That makes more sense than raising the taxes for those of us that don't.
Time to get serious
(posted by
tuggboat
, Mar. 27, 2008 2:54 pm)
If this is true cancel athletics, after school clubs, no new
technology purchases, field trips, after school busing,
assemblies, no new hiring of math and language art
specialists and have all parents hold their kids home during
SOL testing. When the state, parents, and community at
large is sufficiently angered then something will change
Time to get serious
(posted by
tuggboat
, Mar. 27, 2008 2:53 pm)
If this is true cancel athletics, after school clubs, no new
technology purchases, field trips, after school busing,
assemblies, no new hiring of math and language art
specialists and have all parents hold their kids home during
SOL testing. When the state, parents, and community at
large is sufficiently angered then something will change
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