Thursday, April 18, 2013
Fairfax County Public Schools new leader says she'll focus on teaching and learning as she succeeds Superintendent Jack Dale, who retires June 30.
In her first public appearance in Fairfax County, incoming superintendent Karen Garza said her focus would be on teaching and learning and responding to students and their needs — a philosophy she intends to continue if she begins work here this summer. At a press briefing late Thursday afternoon, she said she'd seek input from a wide range of stakeholders when approaching difficult situations. "I think every decision you make and every challenge that you face, having various voices included in those solutions ... makes for a much better decision," she said. Garza, currently the superintendent of the Lubbock Independent School District in Texas, was officially appointed the next leader of Fairfax County Public Schools at the school board's…
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Fairfax County School Board, community members, share hopes for Karen Garza, likely the system's next superintendent.
Hours after Fairfax County Public Schools announced Karen Garza would likely become its next superintendent, school board leaders and other stakeholders spoke to the number of "unique qualities" they looked forward to seeing at the head of the system — chief among them, her ability to work collaboratively to find solutions. In a county that's home to a "highly demanding community and high expectations and different groups with strong voices who are not shy about expressing their opinions," that's an incredibly coveted trait, school board chair Ilryong Moon told Patch. "It's good to have a superintendent who believes in collaborating with a wide number of groups and does it well," Moon said, noting the former elementary school teacher was …
Karen Garza, currently a superintendent in Texas, will likely become the next leader of Fairfax County Public Schools.
A "strategic planner, a systems thinker, a stellar manager, and a highly effective communicator" is how the Fairfax County School Board described Karen Garza, the Texas superintendent leaders announced as their preferred candidate for superintendent Wednesday. Garza, who for the past four years has led the 30,000-student district of Lubbock, Texas, will assume the role pending final negotiations and a board site visit to the Lubbock Independent School District (ISD). She will become the system's first female superintendent as she takes the place of current Superintendent Jack Dale, who retires June 30. Garza was selected from 47 applicants for the position, and came out ahead of the 18 other candidates who were interviewed largely because…
School board asks Fairfax County supervisors for more money Tuesday to deal with growing pains and teacher pay.
Fairfax County Executive Ed Long has recommended giving the county's school system a 2 percent increase in funding over the transfer it received last year. But at Tuesday night’s public hearing on the county’s Fiscal Year 2014 budget plan, schools officials and advocates said it still wasn't enough. Fairfax County School Board Chairman Ilryong Moon kicked off the first day of public input on County Executive Ed Long’s proposed $7 billion budget plan, asking the Board of Supervisors for a higher transfer to the school system. Long’s budget, which raises real estate taxes and cuts funds to parks, libraries and some other services, provides the school system with $1.72 billion – approximately $62 million less than the school board was hoping …
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Debate heats up as school board weighs community and staff recommendations before coming school year.
Two weeks after a community committee detailed 52 recommendations to overhaul discipline practices systemwide, Fairfax County Public Schools staff has presented its own proposal for policy changes. But the plan leaves out two programs some see as key to a years-long push for reform — sparking a debate Monday on what role both groups would play in how the system moves forward. Staff leaders backed many of the ideas put forward by the 40-member Ad Hoc Community Committee on Student Rights and Responsibilities, including initiatives to make the discipline handbook easier to understand, keep students in school as they appeal a suspension and give principals tiered, age-specific approaches to a range of offenses. But staff members said they …
Monday, April 8, 2013
School board agrees on a number of measures to re-evaluate teacher workday, but associations say teachers "need relief now."
Fairfax County School Board members agreed Monday on four initiatives to address the system's years-long teacher workload issue, including the creation of a committee charged with returning to the board with recommendations on reducing teacher time demands by the end of the month. But the board did not agree on specific actions to relieve teachers in the short term, as teachers associations and some school board members had hoped. More analysis and discussions, they said, are "not enough" — and continuing for much longer without concrete action will begin to impact student achievement, if it hasn't already, they said. "I'm not happy. ... This has been the No.1 issue in my tenure," Michael Hairston said of his time as president of the …
Sunday, April 7, 2013
Results of survey, which runs through April 12, will be used in Virginia's efficiency review of the system.
If you've ever had feedback on Fairfax County Public Schools operations or organizational decisions, the time to give it is now. A survey designed by Gibson Consulting, Inc. is giving residents, parents, community groups and educators alike a chance to weigh in on a wide range of issues, from whether the system is up to date on technology and if it has safe bus stops to if the community is adequately involved in the school board's decisions and whether leaders spend money appropriately. The survey is open through April 12. The online questionnaire is part of the Virginia Department of Planning and Budget's School Efficiency Review Program, which assesses efficiencies and potential savings in school systems across the state each year. The …
Friday, April 5, 2013
Fairfax County school board to talk with next round of candidates in coming weeks as Superintendent Jack Dale prepares to retire.
The Fairfax County School Board will continue to narrow its field of superintendent candidates in the next two weeks as it prepares to name a new system leader by May. At its meeting Thursday night, the school board approved a motion to discuss, consider and interview candidates for the division's superintendent "at one or more undisclosed locations" between April 5 and 19. Outgoing Superintendent Jack Dale announced in 2011 his plans to retire June 30 of this year. Last fall, the board selected Hazard, Young, Attea and Associates — the same consulting firm that found Dale in 2004 — to lead the current search process. While the board has focused more on community engagement in this search than in the one it used to hire Dale, it decided to…
Saturday, March 23, 2013
International pilot test could offer new way to measure student knowledge, but whether the program should be expanded in Fairfax, and how, is unclear
When teachers in Fairfax County review results of the state's Standard of Learning tests, they learn whether their students passed or failed in a given subject. But beyond that, some teachers say, they don't have a great sense of what connections students are making or missing, or why. In a presentation to the school board Thursday, officials said a new pilot test given across 10 county high schools — which asked students to draw on prior knowledge and new information to solve problems across disciplines — gave teachers new information about what students actually know rather than what they can recall from their curriculum in any given year, as is often the case with standardized tests like the SOL. With it comes an opportunity to change …
Friday, March 22, 2013
"No evidence of water damage or active mold growth."
Herndon High School staff and their families have expressed concern over mold in the school recently. According to one source, staff members have complained of feeling sick and having chronic sinus issues. The source said an environmental testing engineer from the county tested classrooms and reported a mold infestation. On Wednesday Principal William Bates addressed the issue in an email to families. Bates said minor surface mildew was found in several classrooms of the foreign language wing. He said the mildew was found on surfaces that are not routinely cleaned by the custodial staff, and the mildew was likely due to excessive humidity during the last air conditioning season. “There is no evidence of water damage or active mold growth…
RGS
4:42 pm on Thursday, April 11, 2013
Lets hope she can deal with those that are falling through the cracks. I am tired of always hearing about the issues of the"top performers" what about those who are "normal" or regular education. These students can't get anyone to even listen to them when they have questions of their schools. Like classes or academic paths that should be followed because eveyone is so focused on "top" performers… more ›