Prince William County Public Schools

School Board Meeting February 3, 2016
Select this link to view the agenda on the Electronic School Board webpage.
Select this link to view the School Board meeting on PWCS-TV.

The School Board Approved:

• February 8-12 as Crossing Guard Appreciation Week and February 10 as Crossing Guard Appreciation Day;
• March as National Women's History Month;
• February 15-19 as School Board Clerk Appreciation Week;
• Recognition of all teachers, support staff, and administrators who worked with dedication and professionalism throughout the inclement weather to deliver the ongoing team effort necessary to support the students and families of Prince William County, and asking the public to recognize the accomplishments, contributions, and commitment of these dedicated employees;
• The proposed Licensed Practical Nursing Program tuition rates for FY 2017;
• Payrolls for December 2015;
• The 2016 Summer School Program as recommended by staff, contingent upon funding in the FY 2017 budget;
• The requested temporary easement at Victory Elementary School to Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC;
• Board meeting minutes for January 20, 2016; and
• The confirmation of the Board poll dated January 14 regarding an employee.

Citizens' Comment Time:

• Citizens addressed the School Board on the following topics:
• Suggested names for the new "Ferlazzo" Elementary School;
• School Board transparency;
• School web classroom pages and homework;
• Caseloads of school counselors;
• Updated student grades on Parent Portal;
• Suspension of students and their education;
• Charter schools and the General Assembly;
• School staff outstanding work on removing snow and cleaning sidewalks from our last snow storm;
• Class size, workload, and salaries; and
• The School Division's budget.

Presentations:

• Mr. David Beavers, supervisor of Planning and Financial Services, provided information on the work of the Naming Committee for the "Ferlazzo" Elementary School. The Naming Committee met on January 19 to receive name suggestions for the new elementary school under construction at 5710 Liberty Hill Court in Woodbridge. The second meeting was rescheduled to February 16. (See second bullet under Superintendent's Time).
• Mr. David Cline, associate superintendent for Finance and Support Services, gave a presentation on the proposed sale of VPSA bonds for spring 2016.
• Mr. John Wallingford, director of Financial Services, gave a presentation on the second quarter budget review for FY 2016.

FY 2017 Proposed Budget & CIP:
Dr. Steven L. Walts, Superintendent of Schools, unveiled a proposed budget plan for Board and community consideration. The proposed operating and debt plan totaled 1.08 billion at 3.9% increase from FY 2016. Mr. David Cline, associate superintendent for Finance and Support Services, assisted with an in-depth proposal of plan details and related issues. See the budget update page on pwcs.edu for more information.

Superintendent's Time:
Dr. Steven L. Walts, Superintendent of Schools, made the following comments:

• Special thank you to all of the PWCS employees who helped to keep us going through snow, ice, and cold, and then prepared our schools to reopen for instruction. And also thanks to parents and students for their patience and understanding. A decision to close is always made with the safety of all in mind.
• The naming committee for the new "Ferlazzo" Elementary School will meet on Tuesday, February 16 at 7 p.m. at Forest Park High School. This meeting was originally scheduled for January 25 but was canceled because of the snow. Please check individual school websites for other rescheduled meetings and events.
• Last week was Virginia School Principals Week - a time to honor our principals who are among the greatest educational leaders in the Commonwealth. Each day principals and assistant principals are responsible for the safety and education of more than 87,000 students.
• School of Excellence celebrations are on the schedule for the next few months. Congratulations to all of these schools.
• The School Division has 5.3 days remaining before we fall below Virginia-mandated instructional minimums. This balance already includes the School Board's calendar change to close schools on March 1 for the primary election.

School Board Appreciation Month:
Dr. Walts recognized the dedication and hard work of the School Board. He thanked Chairman Sawyers, Vice Chairman Jessie, and members of the School Board for all that they do for the School Division's students and families, PWCS employees, and the PWC community. Dr. Walts presented all the Board members with a gift basket and the Virginia School Boards Association provided Certificates of Appreciation.

The following topics were raised by School Board members for Board discussion and possible action:

• It was decided that consideration of a School Board transparency committee will be discussed at another meeting.
• Mrs. Deborah Sparks, director of Benefits and Retirement Services, reviewed and discussed Policy 543, "Sick Leave Bank" and Regulation 543-1, "Sick Leave Bank for all Employees."

Volume 11, Number 10 - Publication date: February 5, 2016

Information and Public meetings of the School Board are broadcast on pwcstv.com (Select "Video on Demand"), Comcast Channel 18, and Verizon Channel 36.

School Board Meeting Information
School Board meetings are held in the School Board Meeting Room at 14715 Bristow Road, Manassas. Citizens who wish to address the School Board under Citizens' Comment Time may notify the Board Clerk in writing, by phone, or by email prior to noon on the day of the meeting.
Please include your address, phone number, and topic of discussion. Your contact information will not be shared with the public.

Clerk to the School Board, P.O. Box 389, Manassas, VA 20108
Phone: 703-791-8709 - Email: pwcsclerk@pwcs.edu
Citizens may also sign up to speak prior to 6:55 p.m. on the day of the meeting.
Closed Sessions start at 6 p.m. and are followed by public sessions, which start at 7 p.m.