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Governor's School inspired me
Date published: 2/10/2009 Governor's School inspired me Since beginning my year at the University of Virginia, I have not seen or heard much from The Free Lance-Star. I've been more concerned with school news than what is going on at home. However, when a friend sent me the article from Feb. 8 suggesting that the Stafford County School Board is considering eliminating the Commonwealth Governor's School, I was incensed. I graduated from the program in 2008 as the salutatorian of Colonial Forge High School. CGS was a pivotal part of my high school experience and offered me the opportunities that helped me get to where I am now. Working with professional engineers on my senior culminating project inspired me to pursue engineering as a career. The college-credit classes offered let me start my higher education with over 40 credit hours. Beyond education, the program developed me as CGS gave me a learning environment with equally motivated peers and teachers who understood the way Sure, the program costs money. Everything does. But no monetary value can be placed on the necessity for gifted students to have the environment necessary for their growth and development. The School Board should be able to find ways to cut costs without punishing the students who desperately need the program. Kathryn Geberth Charlottesville
Date published: 2/10/2009
These are the facts
(posted by
Minx
, Feb. 10, 2009 12:28 pm)
Contrary to Dr. Sawyer's letter, there is no need to announce an intent to withdraw in order to open negotiations on the CGS charter. The head of the CGS verified this as well. Furthermore, the board has not given any information on how this renegotiation will help the students or the county. I suspect given most of the decisions made by the board in recent years, that they want to negotiate to make changes that will dilute the program by giving the teachers a heavier workload and more students.
Dean - Murray may be gone
(posted by
Dana1
, Feb. 10, 2009 12:25 pm)
But culpable others remain.
Look at the Bigger Picture
(posted by
DeanFetterolf
, Feb. 10, 2009 10:12 am)
You all should be upset at the bigger picture - $12.3M in permanent state cuts and lack of BOS support for years. Murry is long gone - stop harping on the past. I agree move those 20 coordinators back to the classroom - that's 20 less teachers to hire when they leave in droves for $10-$12K more in Pr Wm. Oh and lets not replace those 7 year old computers (give 'em slide rules) and keep maintaining (at 4x cost vs new) those 25 busses that are long past life cycle replacement. Who needs new books anyway?
Please don't rely on the FLS for all the facts....
(posted by
schoolsupporter
, Feb. 10, 2009 9:49 am)
Please go to staffordschools.net and read the letter and facts. The FLS is the worst at reporting accurate information! The SB is looking to RENEGOTIATE its contract, not remove the program! Sounds like a fiscally responsible decision...keep the program, but look at the costs and make adjustments. I wish the FLS would report everything from these meetings and not just bits and pieces that don't even go together!
There still is no planning!
(posted by
Minx
, Feb. 10, 2009 9:20 am)
The school board and Dr Sawyer are talking about terminating this agreement without looking at the consequences - the state pays approximately $300K in support of the CGS to stafford schools - how will that money be made up? In addition, the CGS owns the textbooks those students use, and a lot of the technology equipment in their classrooms - what are the plans for replacing that. In the long run, there is no cost savings here, but the reputation of the schools will go down.
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