The Buckingham Herald Tribblog

Students tried out, tried on, tested, stood, stared, bowed, fingered, slid, plucked, blew, and—occasionally—listened through a one-stop-shopping night of orchestral abundance. Since Internet storage is cheap, I’ll add that they laughed, measured, chatted, scratched, bleated and boomed.

Billed as the “Instrumental Music Information Night,” the Arlington Public Schools event was aimed primarily at 4th and 5th graders who can join the schools’ orchestras and bands this year.

School orchestra and band leaders with upper-class students, gave the elementary school kids quick lessons on how to hold, blow or strike the instrument in order to fit the student to the right size—a full-, or half-sized violin, for instance.

Sales and rental information was also available (rentals going first, and at reduced prices, to the families who need financial assistance most). Students handed in forms at the end of the night with their top three preferences. The schools make the choices about who gets which.

Christopher Wall, a 4th grader at Taylor Elementary School, was new to the school and the opportunity to get these music lessons, his mom, Beth, said. She added, he wanted to come to try the violin and the “kello.”

It’s a 30 second video of the night, enjoy:

Labels: aps, Barrett, instruments, kids music, music

// posted by Steve Thurston @ 5:35 AM 0 comments

I watched the new superintendent of Arlington Public Schools on his “APS Snapshots” video. (I missed it on TV, so I had to turn to the APS website, find it here; I had to download it in order to see it).

The press release for the video says that it was to be a view inside the school system, and this one wasn’t that really, more a welcome back speech.

“I’ve really emphasized the importance adults play in students’ lives, in building positive relationships,” Dr. Pat Murphy said in the two minute, 24 second address.

He started his run as the schools’ chief in July after long-time superintendent Robert Smith retired.

This is Mr. Murphy’s first video for the weekly series.

One little irony: After saying that any achievement requires a plan somewhere behind it, he added, “One is: get organized.” It is important for children to collect their materials and find a quite space to complete homework and to stay on top of assignments. Parents can help with daily reminders or nudging children to organize their academic lives and establish a routine.

There was no “Two.”

(I mean, if you’re going draw up a plan about planning and you say, “One,” shouldn’t you say, “Two”? If not, you sound disorganized!)

I’m looking forward to next week’s episode and am even hoping for a little more meat. It’s a great bully-pulpit, the superintendent should use it. I’d love to get some behind-the-scenes footage, or a clearer understanding of decisions.

According to the APS Web site, “APS Snapshots” is filmed and produced by the Arlington Educational Television Department (AETV) in cooperation with the Arlington Public Schools Department of School and Community Relations.

You can see “APS Snapshots” on Comcast Cable Channel 70 and Verizon FiOS Channel 41. Snapshots aired: 10:51 a.m.; 11:25 a.m.; 12:56 p.m.; 6:24 p.m.; 6:55 p.m.; and 10:27 p.m., and Frank Bellavia, a spokesperson for the schools, said the times it may run in the near future “is fluid.” I’ll try to keep you posted.

The Buckingham Youth Brigade will present its report on immigration and affordable housing to the Arlington County Housing Commission next Thursday and then to the County Board on Saturday Sept. 26.

The group of high schoolers took on the task of interviewing immigrants, their families and random people in Buckingham as part of a larger research project answering the question, “Who are Arlington’s Immigrants?”

The idea for the 12 page report started at the end of last year during the county’s “Diversity Dialogues.” The group’s findings boil down to three major recommendations: improving access to services for immigrants; improving affordability in housing; and preventing racism and promoting understanding.

I’ll have a larger story on this the week after next.

The BYB is funded by and supported through the BU-GATA Tenants Association. The report was funded by BU-GATA and the Arlington Community Foundation Education Trust.

There’s nothing quite like a wine-and-cheese function at an arts space to just make you feel creative and energized. The third Creative Arlington meeting in the Tiffany Gallery of Arlington Arts Center on Thursday did just that. Didn’t hurt that the cheese was on pizza provided by Liberty Tavern and the wine was a sparkling Italian champagne.

I like Creative Arlington, started by Ashton Heights civic association former president Ted Bilich.

The group aims to bring the different “creative classes” in Arlington together to create a stronger economy. The idea is to have a community online (find it here—it’s open to everyone, even people without arts degrees) that meets regularly in person to mingle, exchange ideas, and to see if some synergy can be created.

County board member Mary Hynes, Arlington Independent Media President Maurice Martin, planning commission member Terry Serie and about 25 others were there.

I was not planning on covering this, just went for the fun, but at the last minute, I tried. Cell phone photos, notes called into voice mail, and I missed a name: that of the Doorways representative. It was Kerri (Kerry? Carrie?) Something. Coming back off a hiatus is always way harder than I think it will be. (If Kerri Something wants to let me know her real name, I would love to post it.) Took a few hours, but she is: Kerry Goldstein, Donor Relations Manager for Doorways.

Stephen Fedorchak of Liberty Tavern was there, and he and Ms. Goldstein talked about just the sort of relationship Creative Arlington is trying to make.

Doorways is a shelter for abused women and children; Liberty Tavern is upscale food at moderate prices. They share a building in Clarendon.

The two have worked very closely, and Doorways has changed its philosophy of how it works with companies after its experience with Liberty Tavern.

“We want to work with you…It’s not just about writing a check,” Ms. Goldstein said. She said they now ask, “How can we help you, to get your name out, to get your word out?”

Returning that sentiment, Mr. Fedorchak said, “A restaurant is uniquely positioned to feed those children in a nourishing ways.”

Mr. Fedorchak’s business will be expanding into the former Murky Coffee building at the corner of Wilson Blvd. and N. Fairfax Drive in Clarendon. He said they plan to keep it a coffee shop, with expanded hours and menu.

He said they plan to “Tri-brand” a coffee—Counter Culture, Doorways, and whatever his coffee company will be called (he’s taking suggestions)—and $1 per bag of that coffee will go to Doorways.

Doorways recently started the PAWS animal rescue shelter with Caring Hands Animal Hospital for the pets of abused women—women often won’t leave without their pets, for fear that the pet will take the abuse.

“We’ve had one animal in our animal shelter so far, and unfortunately, he tore the thing to shreds, so we had to start over again!” she said, laughing.

My two cents: the new coffee shop should be called "Gitcher Coffee."

Labels: aps, byb, creative arlington

// posted by Steve Thurston @ 5:35 AM 1 comments

It’s tough, too, to make the argument that I must keep up this blog. It’s time consuming, and I get no money for it. I use it as professional development. That has been my largest argument—I stay up-to-date on media trends, and I keep covering stories so that I can, with more authority, tell my journalism students at Montgomery College how it’s done.

That’s the problem, though. I spend enough time at the blog that I don’t have time to prepare classes as fully as I would like. In short, I don’t have time to fully engage either as a placeblogger or as a professor. I can’t make the money off the blog that I would need to make, and I spend many hours blogging while worrying over papers to grade or wondering what more I could be doing with my students (or, as now, thinking about the screen door I must install, getting my daughter to camp, and getting both kids to the pool for races and lessons).

So, I’ll be going on hiatus now, immediately (geez, I feel a bit like Sarah Palin suddenly, and I hope I don’t sound as much like a quitter as she did). I need time to regroup and figure out how to balance everything, and of some imporatance, how to make money at this.

I’ll still be attending events and meetings, and such, and I hope to be back in September with fresh posts, maybe a fresh perspective. Maybe an Angel Investor?? I’d take one.

Before I go, I wanted to give my two cents to the new Superintendent of Arlington Public Schools. Dr. Pat Murphy is meeting with people in living rooms across Arlington this summer, and I must say it irks me, a touch. This is one of those times when you need to know something is available in order to take full advantage.

Anyone can contact the people who own the living rooms and go, so long there is space left in their living rooms (for contact info, click here). However, to be one of the people whose living room is used, you must have known to ask APS for the opportunity. That is, people who knew to call APS to set-up a meet-n-greet were able to set one up. APS tells me now that the space in Mr. Murphy's calendar is full.

Three of the meetings are at public venues with plenty of space (Arlington Education Center, Macedonia Baptist Church and Courthouse Plaza), but the rest are living rooms, with limited space. Only one lists Spanish translation (though others might have it).

I’ve put myself on the list should space for another arrive, and I plan to contact some Buckinghamsters to see who might host (I’m thinking either the Gates of Ballston Community Center or the Arlington Oaks Community Center), and you can bet I’ll get a translator. Sheesh.

Even if I do get asked to set-up a meeting, I still think there has to be a better system for setting the calendar.

At the same time, Arlington Public Schools adopted new facilities use plans that seem more clear and look fair to me.

Labels: aps, school board, schools

// posted by Steve Thurston @ 7:52 AM 0 comments

At last week’s PTA meeting, K.W. Barrett Elementary School Principal Terry Bratt said she is requesting two trailers for the fifth grade. If the request goes through, they will be placed in the school’s backyard near the playground used by the youngest children, close to the back of the school.

I don’t know who brought up the topic at the PTA meeting, but it was one that had me wondering: why didn’t Barrett nominate a teacher of the year? Kenmore Middle School teacher Elizabeth H. Castillo won the honor this year, and with the announcement came a list of nominated teachers. None from Barrett made the list. Why not? wondered parents in attendance.

Turns out Barrett staffers don’t want it. They don’t like the idea of singling out one teacher over another.

“We operate as a team,” said Rosa Briceno, the family involvement coordinator who was at the PTA meeting as a translator.

“People turn you down” when you go to nominate them, Mrs. Bratt said.

Even nominating Laurie Sullivan who won teacher of the year a few years back was difficult staff in attendance said.

“People turn you down,” Mrs. Bratt said.

But parent Sylvia Ortli said, “I’ll tell you what I see…Barrett doesn’t care.” It was an idea echoed by the parents in the room, with another person wondering if the school system could include a list of schools that did not compete, for clarity.

“Believe me, we have philosophical talks about it,” Mrs. Bratt said.

Taylor Elementary School fifth grader Ben Gessel placed second at the Virginia state level competition of the 2009 National Geographic Bee, reports Arlington Public Schools.

His mother, Marcy, a friend and long-time HeraldTrib reader wrote:

“You betcha it's our Ben! We are extremely proud. This was Ben's first trip to the state bee--and Taylor's first time participating. The boy who won against Ben, a 7th-grader from Herndon, had been to the state finals last year. Another boy came over to us after the competition. He had been one of the top 10 finalists, but went out relatively early. Turns out he was last year's state champion. We're excited that Ben will have 3 more chances to compete because you can keep trying through 8th grade.”

She also wrote that Ben just reads a lot of maps for fun. Good job, Ben!

I went to an association meeting at the Hyde Park condominium, the 12-storey high-rise mixed-use building built in the 1970s at the northwest corner of N. Glebe at N. Henderson roads. This is the second event regarding the proposed development that I have covered.

Personally, I find this stuff fascinating. The zoning, planning, the just-under-boil emotions. All a lot of fun. The problem, of course, is that many of you probably don't feel the same, don't want all the nitty-gritty zoning stuff. So, I cut that from the story, and in the summarization, pray that I don't get anything wrong. Let me know if I have. Find the link to the story below.

As always, you can scroll down to see all the recent stories, or simply click the links below (if the link doesn't work, scroll down to find the story, and email to tell me what's busted: heraldtrib@gmail.com --Steve Thurston).

Today's Headlines:

Hyde Park Chilly but Cordial to ASC Redevelopment

Announcements:

Bethel Church to Host B'ham Discussion

Headlines from Earlier in the Week:

Green Party Fields Candidate in 47th District

W-L Principal Tops in County

Police Notes March 27 - April 3

Letters and Comments:

Clean-up and Slow Down

"Grave of Ei Intoku"

From a couple weeks ago, the HeraldTrib Today column garnered a few interesting comments about political yard signs you might like (click the link and scroll down).

Announcements:

B'ham Youth Brigade Fundraiser Tonight (It was on Tuesday; sorry if you missed it. I posted the notice once I saw it, but it had come to me rather late.)

Labels: american service center, aps, Barrett, bee, hyde park

// posted by Steve Thurston @ 3:32 PM 0 comments

Washington-Lee High School principal Gregg Robertson has been named the Arlington Public Schools 2009 Principal of the Year and will be recognized as The Washington Post's Distinguished Educational Leadership Award recipient for Arlington, a press release said.

“Gregg is inspiring a generation of students to be thoughtful, sensitive, and responsible while he also helps them to grow, learn and achieve at school and in life,” said Superintendent Dr. Robert Smith. “I am very pleased that he has been chosen for this award,” Smith added in the release.

You may have already seen the email from Melanie Wilhelm, the K.W. Barrett Elementary School PTA president.

She wrote:

“Specifically, the plan calls for changing a long-established rule that once an elementary school’s enrollment exceeds 500, five key positions are upgraded from part-time to full time positions. The proposed budget raises the threshold for this upgrade from 500 to 550. This change means that Barrett, along with seven other schools, will not get the increased staffing despite exceeding 500 students next year. The five positions are:
1. Assistant Principal
2. Principals’ Assistant
3. Gifted and Talented Specialist
4. Reading Specialist
5. Library Assistant”

Principal Terry Bratt brought this to my attention. She said she has been talking with the public schools, and told the superintendent how much she dislikes this change, given that she knew the school would reach 500 students and would get the additional staff.

Part of her worry is that Barrett is close to the 550 mark, but is projected to stay under that. In the past, programming has not been adjusted after the fact, she said. That is, if the school is projected to be 544, it does not get the additional staffing even if the real number is 550 in September. It is unclear if this would continue to be the case.

One major argument of the Elementary Crowding and Capacity Committee last school year was that the APS estimates were notoriously inaccurate. (The ECCC was a countywide parents group looking at relieving overcrowding in some north Arlington elementary schools). APS has underestimated Barrett’s enrollment over the last three years.

I did make one phone call to APS yesterday, but it was not returned. I'll get back to them next week.

CHANGE TO THE ORIGINAL STORY (Updated Sunday March 29, evening):

At some point on Friday, the superintendent's office posted changes to the proposed budget (find them here).

The memo states that state, federal and local decisions have given APS another $6.8 million to work with, allowing the superintendent to reinstate some programs that had been cut or reduced.

This includes the 500-student enrollment level that triggers additional staff. That and other changes are here:

The TSA match is partially restored, increasing from 0.2% to 0.4%.

County might cut Amphitheatre programming…

The county tried earlier this decade to make cuts to the Lubber Run Amphitheatre summer programming, and the county manager’s current proposed budget puts it back on the block, saving the county about $16,000, the budget says.

Last time, people rallied to get the programming back, but I’ll admit I’ve heard and seen very little about this in the ‘hood. Other similar proposed cuts have generated facebook pages and everything. I have not seen that here, but maybe I’ve missed it.

I don’t know if this is because people see a need to cut somewhere, or if people just don’t know about it. I doubt that people don’t care, but I’m just not sure. Tell me what you think.

Proposed reductions also affecting the parks countywide: restroom cleaning, trash collection, grass mowing and “general upkeep of park facilities." The county also is looking at relying on in-house staff and volunteers to manage invasive plant removal.

Arlington Annex Started This Week…

I am really happy to announce the start of a new partnership with Buckinghamster Vic Socotra. He has a Web site with daily updates that cover history and a fun, quirky look at his life.

Vic Socotra

He has agreed to start supplying the HeraldTrib with a pieces called Arlington Annex on a regular basis, though we haven't figured out exactly what "regular basis" means.

What I like about him is that he's a Buckinghamster through-and-through with his writing. He knows the neighborhood, and its history, and is no stranger to the Virginia Room at Central Library when he's looking for something more. I can't wait to see what else he'll be writing about, but his piece on Columbia Gardens' spooky residents is a great first entry.

Scroll down to check it out below, or click here to read his Arlington Annex column.

Bethel Church’s Game Night…

Saturday April 4, 5:30p.m. 4347 Arlington Blvd (Northeast corner of Arlington Blvd. and George Mason Drive. ) Limited parking at the Red Cross on N. Trenton Street at Arlington Blvd. All are welcome.

I am inviting anyone with community announcements to send them to me. I will do my best to post them. --ST

---

The Week’s Headlines…
As always, you can scroll down to see all the recent stories, or simply click the links below (if the link doesn't work, scroll down to find the story, and email to tell me what's busted: heraldtrib@gmail.com --Steve Thurston).

Headlines from Earlier in the Week:

Labels: aps, Barrett, budget, schools, Socotra

// posted by Steve Thurston @ 6:22 AM 0 comments

Kenmore Middle School sixth grade science teacher Elizabeth H. Castillo has been named the Arlington Public Schools 2009 Teacher of the Year. Castillo has been with APS for 28 years and at Kenmore for 18 years, an APS press release reported.

“Elizabeth’s hands-on approach to learning opens students’ minds to new concepts and ideas. She is a role model to students as well as her peers,” said Superintendent Dr. Robert Smith in the release. “Liz has been shaping students in Arlington for almost 30 years. I congratulate her on this well-deserved recognition.”

Castillo began her career in Arlington as a substitute teacher in 1977. She received her bachelor's and master's degrees at Virginia Tech.

“Liz treats each child as a unique individual and knows her students well. She presents a quiet enthusiasm and thorough commitment to connect with all students,” said Kenmore principal Dr. John Word in the press release.

Several years ago, Castillo started the Earth Force green program which involved students testing and making recommendations about how to clean up the Potomac River watershed.

As a result of her initiatives, Kenmore was named the Capital Region Earth Force School of the Year and Staples Earth Force School of the Year for 2008-09.

Castillo’s students also had high praise for their teacher. “Not only did Mrs. Castillo do everything she could to help me succeed and earn the grade I wanted, but she was vibrant and nice to everyone,” said Kenmore student Samantha Tigner in the release.

According to the release, Castillo will serve as the school system’s nominee for the 2009 Virginia Teacher of the Year, and is one of 21 metropolitan D.C. area teachers who will be honored on May 12 at The Washington Post as part of the annual Agnes Meyer Outstanding Teacher Awards sponsored by The Post Company’s Educational Foundation.

The Arlington School Board will recognize Castillo and the 29 other APS teachers who were named “Teacher of the Year” for their individual schools. The Teacher of the Year reception and recognition program will be held on May 20 at 7p.m. at the Education Center. The program will be aired on Comcast Cable Channel 70 and Verizon FiOS 41 beginning at 7:30.

The school-based honorees include:

Beth Zivic – Taylor

Labels: aps, awards

// posted by Steve Thurston @ 4:47 PM 0 comments

I don't know how much or whether you're interested in including info about Kenmore [Middle School] in the Buckingham HeraldTrib (all of Arlington Forest and part of Buckingham are in the Kenmore boundary, for whatever that's worth), but I thought you might be interested in this info from the Kenmore principal that was posted to the Kenmore listserv:

"This email is to inform you that in the afternoon on Tuesday, March 17, 2009 six students had cell phones stolen along with a few items of jewelry. This incident occurred while students were auditioning for the Diva dance program after school at about 3:45p.m. The student's possessions were left in the locker room, but not secured in lockers. The administrators and the school's Resource Officer are conducting an investigation. Please remind your child to refrain from bringing expensive items to school and to always make every effort to secure their belongings while at school. I believe that we will apprehend the culprit(s) in this case and we will continue to work towards a creating a climate where these safeguards aren't necessary."

Our older daughter was NOT among those affected by this most recent incident, though she did have an item stolen from the locker room in February. She told me that she'd heard that the items were taken from book bags and that the book bags were then put in the shower, with the water turned on; thereby destroying the books and papers in them.

Apparently, the lockers in the locker room are too small for book bags, resulting in many students not securing their bags in that room. (I'm told there isn't enough time between classes to go to the regular hall locker, secure the bag, and then go to the gym locker and change in time for gym - I can't say I've tried timing it though!

I'm bothered by all of this, not just because of the obvious theft problem, but because at the middle school forum I attended before Emily started at Kenmore, it was represented to be a safe and secure facility. I have my doubts. It seems to me that a solution to the locker room theft problem is to either a) install larger lockers, or b) place cameras OUTSIDE the locker rooms so that it records entries and exists. I'll be suggesting this to the principal but I don't expect him to take any action.

Best,
Stephen Goldman
Arlington Forest

Labels: aps, Crime, kenmore, theft

// posted by Steve Thurston @ 7:30 AM 0 comments

The Arlington Public Schools Board will meet in June to revote on decisions it made once already in February, after a judge ruled that the public hearings for that vote were not properly advertised.

Arlington Circuit Court Judge Joanne Alper handed down a decision May 28 stating that the votes taken on Feb. 14 were made illegally as the public hearings of Feb. 13 and 14 had not been properly advertised. The plaintiffs in the case will “wait and see” whether to pursue more legal avenues regarding how the boundary decisions were made after the June 12 meeting, one of the plaintiffs said.

Two big stories top the news this week: School Board candidates answered a survey by the HeraldTrib just in time for the elections later this week (Terron Sims got his response in earlier today. I'll post it tomorrow morning. --ST). The county jail, on a daily basis, has 75 to 90 inmates who are being held for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Most are from elsewhere, but Arlington holds its own, too. [Mr. Sims' response has been posted, May 1. --ST] (Scroll down for the links.)

Arlington made a big splash late last year with a resolution stating that the county would follow all state and federal laws regarding immigration, but was still immigrant friendly while other Virginia counties were cracking down on illegals.

At the time, the county said that our police department would not be tracking down illegal aliens and asking about citizenship for every minor offense. What is less known is that under certain circumstances, the police will ask.

In fact the sheriff’s department must, by state law, ask about citizenry every time they book someone in their system. See the link to the story, below.

I have no plans to endorse a candidate in the school board race. I really have no plans to vote later this week when the Democratic party “endorses” its candidate. (I might change my mind, but we'll see.)

But I thought it was important to get the views of school board candidates, so that’s what I did (see their responses to the HeraldTrib survey, below).

Since political parties cannot nominate individuals to run for school board, they can only “endorse.” They do this by holding elections, open to everyone, and whoever gets the most votes (this year it is the top two vote-getters) wins the “endorsement.”

What stinks is that anyone who wants a shot at the “endorsement” must sign a statement saying that they will not continue to run if they lose the “endorsement.” It is a silly system both that the state will not allow a party to nominate and that the Democratic leadership plays along.

The winner of this election goes on to win in November, generally, since most of the field has been cleared out by the idiotic statement they signed. (The last question in the survey asked if any of the people planned to continue running if they lost—I was hopeful that one of them would write, “Hell Yeah!” but of course that did not happen).

I do not like the Tammany Hall feeling of the process. It’s an endorsement, or it is supposed to be. I believe it was yesterday that the governor of North Carolina endorsed Hillary Clinton for president. With his endorsement he did not say, “Now Obama MUST exit the race.” An endorsement should not carry that kind of weight.

Face it, the person who gets endorsed most likely will win, even if everyone could stay in the race (though I am sure some would bow out). Let the process run.

I have been meaning to report on this just a bit. You’ll notice Delancie has left the Arlington Oaks truck and is depositing mail in the box outside the El Paso Cafè.

A few astute readers have told me (and I believe it even came up at the Buckingham Center forum a couple weeks back) that the mailbox is too far from the curb!

It would have been just far enough to be a good practical joke if it weren’t permanent. Readers have told me they cannot reach the slot from their drivers' seats.

Normally I say, “Get out and walk for Pete’s sake, it won’t kill ya.” Yet the entire point of this box is that it keeps people from having to walk up to it. With luck, crews will move the box.

As always, you can scroll down to see all the recent stories, or simply click the links below (if the link doesn't work, scroll down to find the story, and email to tell me what's busted: heraldtrib@gmail.com --Steve Thurston).

Today's Headlines:

County Jail Holds Detainees for ICE

Police Notes for Buckingham

Headlines from Earlier in the Week:

School Board Candidates Answer Surveys

Labels: aps, Buckingham, election, ice, immigration, school board, schools

// posted by Steve Thurston @ 8:09 AM 0 comments

Question 1: Little was changed after last year's process to alleviate overcrowding in a few north Arlington elementary schools. Many parents were angry that county-wide programs at Arlington Traditional School and Drew Model School were removed from the charge that the Elementary Crowding and Capacity Committee considered when looking for solutions to overcrowding. The school board has pledged to continue the process of looking at capacity issues.

Will the school board have to consider admissions priorities or moving/relocating ATS and Drew while looking at overcrowding issues in the coming year or two, why or why not?

It is possible that the school board would have to consider admission policies or relocating ATS and the Montessori program in order to handle the northern Arlington overcrowding issue, but I would not make an off the cuff decision to say Yes or No to such an action without studying all of the facts and data surrounding our school population.

I have stated in several debates and interviews that I would reform the boundary committee, but make it much smaller (no more than 11 persons). Based upon the school board's criteria, the committee would generate 3-5 solutions, using its own utility, brief the solutions to the effected PTAs, and then to the board. Upon the briefing, the board will make a decide upon one of the 5 suggested actions.

Question 2: What specific initiatives would you develop or enhance to ensure capital projects stay on time and at—or under—budget?

Based upon the timeline from formulation of the project to project completion, I would place oversight to ensure that APS is working with as close to real dollars as possible. What I do not want to see is a 2009 prjection for a 2020 project. That is too far out and disables us from properly estimating the costs of a project.

Question 3: Most of you have on your web site, in one form or another, concerns with the "achievement gap" between whites and minorities in the schools. Please consider the achievement gap in terms of a budgeting priority. Of the money that the school board controls (i.e., not "entitlement" monies from the state or federal government that must go toward specific programs), which program would you defend as having the highest priority in a shrinking budget and why?

Money is not always the answer. My two means of eliminating the achievement is vry cost effective: The Parent Outreach Program (P.O.P.) and the official partnership with the local Chambers of Commerce.

For P.O.P., I would use the Carlin Springs model where all of its funding came from grants and donations from local businesses. I plan to impart the same methodology for all of the schools that need the program. The partnership with the local Chambers comes free of charge. Their proffessionally mentoring our students will not cost APS.

Question 4: Democrats will endorse only two of you on May 1 and 3. If you are one of the four not endorsed, will you stay in the race? If so, what is your strategy beyond that date, given the strength conferred with the endorsement to the two winners?

If I happen to not gain the Democratic endorsement, I will not continue to run. I am a member of the Democratic Party and thus, will support my party throughout the remainder of the election cycle. At the same time, I will remain active in the community: volunteering my time to help our kids. That is what I have always done and what I will continue to do: win or lose.

Labels: aps, election, school board, schools, sims

// posted by Steve Thurston @ 7:45 AM 0 comments

Four of the six people running for the school board responded in time for today's deadline. [Mr. Sims responded a day late, but has been added below. --ST] I am not sure why the others did not, but I can think of many legitimate reasons, so I hope readers will not hold the lack of a response against them.

Where I have added information for clarity, I put my writing inside [square brackets].

The respondents are (alphabetically):

James Lander campaign web site did not respond to the survey.

Remember that it is illegal in Virginia for political parties to nominate school board candidates, so the Democrats instead "endorse" after voting in a two-day affair, Thursday, May 1, 7-9p.m. at Jefferson Middle School, 125 South Old Glebe Road, or Saturday, May 3, 11a.m. to 7p.m. at Washington Lee High School, 1301 N Stafford St.

Two people will win the nod of the party, one person to replace outgoing member Frank Wilson, and the other is fighting for the spot incumbent Libby Garvey is trying to hold onto.

View Larger Map

Labels: aps, school board, schools

// posted by Steve Thurston @ 10:31 AM 5 comments

Question 1. Little was changed after last year's process to alleviate overcrowding in a few north Arlington elementary schools. Many parents were angry that county-wide programs at Arlington Traditional School and Drew Model School were removed from the charge that the Elementary Crowding and Capacity Committee considered when looking for solutions to overcrowding. The school board has pledged to continue the process of looking at capacity issues.

Will the school board have to consider admissions priorities or moving/relocating ATS and Drew while looking at overcrowding issues in the coming year or two, why or why not?

The evidence is clear: the number of school-aged children is increasing in Arlington, particularly in the northwest section. I served on the Elementary Crowding and Capacity Committee (ECCC). I share the frustration that all schools were not contributors to the conversation about potential solutions. I am also the only School Board candidate to speak out against the Superintendent's massive cascading boundary change plan.

Having worked through the analysis in the ECCC process, it is my conviction that it will take an assortment of tools to fully address the overcrowding challenge facing our community. Ultimately, several different tools will likely be part of the solution.

However, before choosing the tools to address this challenge, we first must do the analysis. There are several areas where potential solutions might lie. Some solutions might be shorter-term; others longer-term. Some potential solutions are program-focused; some are policy-based. Wholesale boundary changes should not be the first tool we turn to.

We must fully understand the challenge. This includes

I do not know whether admissions priorities or the location of ATS or Drew's Montessori programs would ultimately prove to be workable, or reasonable, options for the School Board to consider as they endeavor to address this challenge. However, I believe that, in the best tradition of Arlington, each school community should come to the table to address the complex overcrowding situation we’re experiencing, and identify ways they might contribute to the solution.

Question 2. What specific initiatives would you develop or enhance to ensure capital projects stay on time and at—or under—budget?

We are nearing the end of a capital improvement cycle in Arlington. The remaining facilities -- Wakefield High School, Thomas Jefferson Middle School, and the Arlington Career Center -- are in desperate need of attention. In these, and in far too many additional school buildings, major problems with HVAC, fire suppression and other major systems are so woefully inadequate that learning environments are not conducive to education. This is not a drive to create fine facilities in an affluent community: this is remedying current realities which get in the way of learning -- and result in a noticeable disparity between school and neighborhood communities.

Systemization of Needs Assessment. The County’s bonding capacity to raise funds for these much-needed renovations is limited. I will ensure there are tough, transparent, and realistic decisions made about renovation prioritization -- where all communities have an equal voice and where there are clear steps along the way to working toward the established goals. We must systemize the process for capital improvements. We must plan instead of being reactive.

Setting Budget Parameters Earlier. Citizen and community input to vet ideas and create a common understanding for facilities design is absolutely essential. But, importantly, citizens and staff must also work within a budget framework. In the past, budgets for new school facilities have not been clear at the outset of design. Instead, education design concerns have driven projects, with budget impacts coming in to play only at the back end. This has been poor planning, and cannot continue into the future.

We have a good start on processes that get input from all stakeholders in designing a schools facility – the Building Level Planning Committee process. However, the School Board must provide a clear budget framework at the outset of that process so that budget is a factor all the way through, not just after the fact.

Question 3. Most of you have on your web site, in one form or another, concerns with the "achievement gap" between whites and minorities in the schools. Please consider the achievement gap in terms of a budgeting priority. Of the money that the school board controls (i.e., not "entitlement" monies from the state or federal government that must go toward specific programs), which program would you defend as having the highest priority in a shrinking budget and why?

In Arlington, we have focused resources on the achievement gap and made significant strides over the years. However in the last three years we have stalled in making gains in closing the gap on multiple measures, among them: overall SOL pass rates, third grade reading scores, and high school graduation rates. We must do better.

Budget realities necessitate that we prioritize programs that will have the most impact in tackling this tough issue. Especially in today’s challenging budget environment, we must maximize our educational dollars spent. Providing high quality preschool to our most at-risk children is the single most effective way to leverage our investment. We must ensure each child starts kindergarten ready to learn; indeed high-quality early childhood programs are the foundation of success for a lifetime of learning.

Studies show that investment in preschool pays off, through a child’s school years and beyond. Children who have attended preschool have improved profiles on a staggering array of indicators: higher achievement throughout their school careers, fewer special education placements, higher graduation rates, higher incomes, higher rates of home ownership, and lower utilization of social services later in life.

We are not yet meeting the need for preschool for all our at-risk children in Arlington. We must continue to provide our high-quality preschool program, and strive to expand this program as the budget allows, to meet the need for each at-risk child, so that all kids have the opportunity to get the right start in school, and in life.

Question 4. Democrats will endorse only two of you on May 1 and 3. If you are one of the four not endorsed, will you stay in the race? If so, what is your strategy beyond that date, given the strength conferred with the endorsement to the two winners?

As part of the filing process, each candidate who runs for the Democratic endorsement for School Board must pledge not to run against a Democratic endorsee in the fall general election. Like each of the other five candidates who have filed for the Democratic School Board endorsement, I made this pledge. I will run as hard as I can to receive the Democratic endorsement in the May 1 and May 3 election, but if I do not receive it I will support the endorsees in the general election this fall.

Labels: aps, election, hagan, school board, schools

// posted by Steve Thurston @ 9:39 AM 0 comments

Question 1. Little was changed after last year’s process to alleviate overcrowding in a few north Arlington elementary schools. Many parents were angry that county-wide programs at Arlington Traditional School and Drew Model School were removed from the charge that the Elementary Crowding and Capacity Committee considered when looking for solutions to overcrowding. The school board has pledged to continue the process of looking at capacity issues. Will the school board have to consider admissions priorities or moving/relocating ATS and Drew while looking at overcrowding issues in the coming year or two, why or why not?

I believe that Arlington benefits from having a mixture of neighborhood schools and choice schools. Our choice schools originally were Arlington Traditional and Drew. Later, we added Spanish immersion, Science Focus, Campbell, H. B. Woodlawn and schools such as Barrett which have recently opened limited space for students from other attendance areas. I believe we should continue to give our families these choices.

At present the Board has adopted a short term plan for dealing with overcrowding. We need long term planning that involves the Arlington community in a meaningful way. Recognizing the value of providing both neighborhood schools and choice schools, we need to consider creative solutions, rather than to diminish the rich array of strong educational options we have in Arlington. One size does not fit all.

In the last redistricting process, there seemed to be a disconnect between School Board members, the Superintendent and parents. Such divisions are not good for the school system. In addition, we must make sure that the African American, Latino and Asian communities are involved in decision making.

Question 2. What specific initiatives would you develop or enhance to ensure capital projects stay on time and at – or under – budget?

Regarding capital improvement: at present, the work begun at Yorktown must be completed. Students at Wakefield must be given the same state-of-the-art facilities as those at the other high schools. We must also design and renovate the facilities needed for the students at Thomas Jefferson and the Career Center. Additionally, there are students in the High School continuation program for whom we must provide urgently needed classrooms.

Funding these initiatives, and at the same time keeping our AAA Bond rating, will require the School Board to work closely with the County Board, and also to consider some possibilities for cooperation with other entities. At present, our swimming pools are being constructed with joint funding because we have made those facilities available to the public during non school hours. Similarly, we should make available opportunities for the community to make use of our schools during non school hours. Another possibility of joint funding is presented by the proposed joint use of the Career Center with Northern Virginia Community College. We need to seek additional innovative paths to providing all our students, throughout Arlington, with topflight facilities.

Question 3. Most of you have on your web site, in one form or another, concerns with the “achievement gap” between whites and minorities in the schools. Please consider the achievement gap in terms of a budgeting priority. Of the money that the school board controls (i.e., not “entitlement” monies from the state or federal government that must go toward specific programs), which program would you defend as having the highest priority in a shrinking budget and why?

Elimination of the Achievement Gap has been addressed by our school system through focus on the S.O.L.s. We need to continue to provide the highest quality education for all our students, and to be sure that our expectations are high for each student enrolled in our schools, which means funding the Superintendent’s operating budget as fully as possible. However, when we address the Achievement Gap, I would like to give particular emphasis now to the “Graduation Gap.” While 95% of white students who are enrolled in 9th grade become high school graduates, about 30% of non-white students drop out. It is not just providing the funding needed for counselors and mentoring programs which must be given attention; we also need to seek partnerships with community organizations and others outside the school system so that these students receive the individual support they need to stay in school and prepare for the future in our global, technologically driven society.

Question 4. Democrats will endorse only two of you on May 1 and 3. If you are one of the four not endorsed, will you stay in the race? If so, what is your strategy beyond that date, given the strength conferred with the endorsement to the two winners?

I am running as a Democrat. I will not remain in the race if I do not receive the Democratic endorsement.

Labels: aps, election, school board, schools, violand-sanchez

// posted by Steve Thurston @ 9:29 AM 0 comments

Question 1: Little was changed after last year's process to alleviate overcrowding in a few north Arlington elementary schools. Many parents were angry that county-wide programs at Arlington Traditional School and Drew Model School were removed from the charge that the Elementary Crowding and Capacity Committee considered when looking for solutions to overcrowding. The school board has pledged to continue the process of looking at capacity issues.

Will the school board have to consider admissions priorities or moving/relocating ATS and Drew while looking at overcrowding issues in the coming year or two, why or why not?

The School Board has already begun the process of looking at these issues for the next go around. We directed staff to examine ways of balancing enrollment without moving boundaries. I am very sure changes to ATS and Drew will be among the many things our staff looks at. That report should come to us in June.

I discussed this issue back in January when I was putting issues up on my website. At the time, I had hoped we would be able to resolve the crowding issue with that process, but we did not. Your readers might like to look at the whole piece on my website www.libbygarvey.org but I've excerpted some below to explain my thinking:

"One issue that came up during the process was a request by the Committee to change the charge and allow changes in admissions policies for Arlington Traditional School and Drew. That was a difficult vote and I drew on my years of experience both before and after being on the School Board to make my decision to deny that request. I agree that admissions policies need to be examined, but did not agree that they should be looked at in the context of this process. It was simply too complex to handle well in the time given and also craft a crowding solution."

Question 2: What specific initiatives would you develop or enhance to ensure capital projects stay on time and at—or under—budget?

When I came on the Board we instituted a number of initiatives and those have worked well to keep our projects on time and on budget. We've got a well thought out capital improvement program (CIP) and we need to keep it on track. Sometimes people do not understand that our CIP document is a planning document. Budgets for projects are not firm until they are bonded. What is firm in our CIP are the projects for the bond we are requesting. What is still in planning, and could be changed, are the projects further out. Sometimes people feel that the costs and projects we have in the further our planning stage should be firm and get upset when they change. A good plan that goes out that far is always being adjusted and change is to be expected.

We have good experience now with buildings and know much better what to expect than we did a decade ago. We know we need to include a 7% escalator for costs because costs go up every year. We also include a 5% contingency fund for each project because there are always surprises in major construction, as I suspect every homeowner who has renovated their home knows all too well. We know we need a construction manager for every project. And we know we need to hire good construction firms to do the work.

My biggest concern going forward is that we now have large projects and are beginning to involve the County in these projects. County involvement is important and can be very helpful, but County processes are very long and cumbersome. We are working on developing a process by which we can work together. This is our 3rd attempt to do so. I am hopeful, but worried that the County is used to taking a lot more time than we do, and this costs money. The County also does not have written down, as we do, guidelines for our buildings and clear statements of our processes to design those buildings. The County is working on that for this process and, again, I am hopeful this can work to make the process more clear and efficient. We on the school side are very aware that "time is money" and that our children are growing fast -- if we take too much time thinking about a project, a whole generation of children has moved through the school. The County side is much more used to working with developers, so it is not taxpayer money that is at stake. And they are not used to firm and fast deadlines as we are. When school starts, we have to have a building for all our students. A library or community center simply does not have the same time and deadline issues.

I know there is much discussion about not having enough money for capital projects. I firmly believe Arlington has enough money to do all the projects we need to do. We do not have enough money to do all the projects we want to do. I believe we need a good public discussion of all the projects we have in order to determine a priority order that makes sense for this county. In other words, there are not County projects and Schools projects, there are just Arlington projects. Whatever gets done first is most important, second is second important etc. etc. Whether those projects are schools or curbs and gutters or fire stations needs to be determined by what is needed the most.

Question 3. Most of you have on your web site, in one form or another, concerns with the "achievement gap" between whites and minorities in the schools. Please consider the achievement gap in terms of a budgeting priority. Of the money that the school board controls (i.e., not "entitlement" monies from the state or federal government that must go toward specific programs), which program would you defend as having the highest priority in a shrinking budget and why?

Our budget is not shrinking at the moment. Neither is the County's. The School Board has said that its highest priority is attracting and retaining top teaching staff. Student educational achievement is most affected by the quality of teaching. We need to stay focussed on student achievement and make sure we do not get pulled off that focus by other interests and concerns. Maintaining our focus on student achievement over the past decade is why our school system has made good progress and is now nationally recognized as being among the top in the nation.

Question 4: Democrats will endorse only two of you on May 1 and 3. If you are one of the four not endorsed, will you stay in the race? If so, what is your strategy beyond that date, given the strength conferred with the endorsement to the two winners?

I will not stay in the race. I, and all the other candidates running for the endorsement, have pledged not to oppose the Democratic endorsee in the fall. I intend to keep my pledge so this question is moot for me.

Therefore, I need everyone's vote if I am to continue to serve. I very much want to provide the continuity I think we need on our School Board to keep our schools strong. Come January, I will have 12 years of experience on the School Board, and the other 4 members will have 6 years combined. This is a crucial election. It will determine the direction our schools will take for the future. I hope I will have the support of the Buckingham neighborhood and ask for everyone's vote on May 1 or May 3.

Again, thank you for informing your neighborhood about this important election.

Labels: aps, election, garvey, school board, schools

// posted by Steve Thurston @ 9:20 AM 0 comments

Question 1: Little was changed after last year's process to alleviate overcrowding in a few north Arlington elementary schools. Many parents were angry that county-wide programs at Arlington Traditional School and Drew Model School were removed from the charge that the Elementary Crowding and Capacity Committee considered when looking for solutions to overcrowding. The school board has pledged to continue the process of looking at capacity issues.
Will the school board have to consider admissions priorities or moving/relocating ATS and Drew while looking at overcrowding issues in the coming year or two, why or why not?

On the one hand we need to be mindful that moving countywide programs moves just as many students as boundary changes do. This can be as disruptive as changing neighborhood school boundaries. Still, our community processes should enhance the entire community and everyone should expect to be involved. Unfortunately, Arlington Schools’ citizen decision-making processes have historically divided neighborhoods and schools into winners and losers. This doesn’t have to happen. As a professional strategic planner, I create processes that result in successful outcomes for multiple stakeholders functioning in similar dynamic and chaotic environments.

There are numerous other options. APS [Arlington Public Schools] failed to consider capacity trends prior to the 2006-07 ECCC process, despite the School Board directive in the previous round. As a result, very significant enrollment trends have been ignored. I’m thinking here of Barrett’s remarkable success attracting a strong base of families with a very attractive program; Campbell has had similar success. Both schools have brought families back to schools that had significant enrollment declines. Through their commitment and resources, they have created thriving school communities. These are examples that could be replicated elsewhere in the county—enhanced programs championed by School Board members and community leaders that attract families to under-advertised schools.

Question 2: What specific initiatives would you develop or enhance to ensure capital projects stay on time and at--or under--budget?

First, we need to tell the community the truth about what can be accomplished with the resources we have. We cannot promise what we know we cannot deliver. Second, we need to stop dividing neighborhoods into winners and losers. We should make a plan for all the needs, not hold a bi-annual scramble for who goes next, which is what seems to happen every two years when the capital plan is revised.

Controlling budget growth is a matter of strategic planning, followed by diligent oversight. We need to plan years in advance. For example, the new W-L [Washington-Lee High School] building could have gone right on Washington Boulevard and been constructed for less cost, and with less impact on the neighborhood. But the School Board had already moved forward with renovation of the football stadium on that spot.

Once the plan is set, make sure the original budget is realistic—we have seen many that were not—then require a justification for every change. Finally we should take time for lessons learned - to inform peer review of designs and specifications so we can make better choices of what works, without budget growth.

Question 3: Most of you have on your web site, in one form or another, concerns with the "achievement gap" between whites and minorities in the schools. Please consider the achievement gap in terms of a budgeting priority. Of the money that the school board controls (i.e., not "entitlement" monies from the state or federal government that must go toward specific programs), which program would you defend as having the highest priority in a shrinking budget and why?

The highest priority should be to ensure that every child has access to pre-K. For students who are already in school, the priority should be high expectations, beginning with effective English language skills. As [school board candidate] James Lander pointed out, the first step toward equal achievement is language achievement. Studies from other parts of the country have shown more than one generation remaining in poverty—a failure of the American Dream. We must also strengthen our network of teachers and community volunteers to consistently convey the high expectations the Arlington community has for all its students.

Question 4: Democrats will endorse only two of you on May 1 and 3. If you are one of the four not endorsed, will you stay in the race? If so, what is your strategy beyond that date, given the strength conferred with the endorsement to the two winners?

When we filed as candidates in the Democratic Party endorsement process, we pledged to not oppose the two winners of the May endorsement during the general election in November. If I’m endorsed on May 3, I will embrace the best ideas of the other candidates in this contest and reach out to them for their continued participation. This year’s six candidates represent an unprecedented slate of talent and experience. If I don’t succeed, I’ll be spending years paying my debt of gratitude to my long-suffering family and generous supporters. Help me avoid Payback Hell! Please vote for me on May 1 or May 3!

Labels: aps, election, goldstein, school board, schools

// posted by Steve Thurston @ 9:07 AM 0 comments

Half the students in Todd Easley’s fourth-grade class hold flashlights a foot above their desks. The bulbs make small circles of light on the graph paper beneath. The rest of the children, partners to the first half, trace the outlines of each light spill, trying not to block the light with their hands as they draw.

Then the light-wielders angle the flashlights, still a foot from the desks, and the spill is an oval that their partners trace. They count the number of graph squares contained within the shapes.

Mr. Easley is teaching the seasons.

“Has the flashlight changed?” Mr. Easley asks the class, which he calls “Fourth Grade” when he wants their attention. The light has not changed. And he asks them if the flashlight’s distance from the paper has changed. Again, it has not. But the angle has changed.

The light that shines perpendicularly is more concentrated than the light that hits at an angle, Mr. Easley explains to his class on the second floor of K.W. Barrett Elementary School. When light is concentrated, when it is hitting perpendicular to the surface, as the sun’s light does at the equator, it produces more heat in that area.

The idea to use the flashlights and graph paper came from a conference Mr. Easley attended at Yellowstone National Park this winter. NASA paid for Mr. Easley’s trip, as part of the NASA Explorer School program, aimed to help schools teach math and science. This school year, Barrett finishes its three-year stint in the program.

As part of the program, NASA grants schools $17,500 over three years to purchase technology. That money is appreciated, but what educators said they will really miss are the conferences.

Five teachers each year to go to conferences, paid in full by NASA. Barrett’s only cost for those conferences over three years has been the cost per day, about $100, they have had to pay for the substitute teachers, said Principal Terry Bratt.

“I think what’s been great is the faculty development,” said Laurie Sullivan, a teaching specialist with Project Discovery, a special county-funded program that supports science instruction at the school.

Under the budget rules for Arlington Public Schools, elementary schools are awarded $9.15 per projected student to be used for faculty professional development. The projected number is determined in March of the previous school year, according to APS. The number is not adjusted once the system tallies the actual student count.

“Our projections are typically within 1.5 percent of total so it does not result in a significant change for schools in terms of budgeted amounts,” wrote Frank Bellavia in an email. He is a public relations specialist with APS.

Barrett was projected to have 405 students in March 2007. At the $9.15 level, the professional development funding is $3705.75. However, this school year Barrett has 445 students, nearly a 10 percent, or $366, difference for Barrett’s professional development budget. In an email, the Assistant Superintendent of Instruction Mark Johnston gave a number of reasons any school might have a large difference between the projected and actual number of students, including an unexpected influx of families, or a change in neighborhood housing. As well, schools such as Barrett that are below 95 percent capacity can receive a high number of transfer students, Mr. Johnston wrote.

Mrs. Bratt said, “That [the $366] could be two registrations at a conference, for example.”

“When you get down to it, $3,000 is hardly any money at all," she said.

With the cost of conference fees, airfare and hotel, one teacher might use $1,000 for a single conference. That would mean only three of Barrett’s 60 teachers would be able to take advantage of that money in a given year.

For fall 2008, Barrett is projected at 471 students, according to the 2009 budget approved by the school board last week.

"This generates approximately $4,300,” Mr. Johnston wrote. “In addition, Barrett receives a little over $3800 in exemplary project funds."

Money for exemplary projects, such as Barrett's "Project Interaction” (part of the communications arts curriculum), can be put toward faculty development, according to APS materials.

So Barrett teachers look to local conferences, and “We buy books,” professional books, to supplement professional development, Mrs. Bratt said. That is where some of the exemplary project money goes, she said.

As well, Barrett Elementary has teamed with other schools to bring in a speaker to conduct an in-house conference. One cooperative effort brought three schools and about 50 or 60 teachers together in 2001, she said. Although she called it a “worthwhile experience,” cooperation like that is difficult because the needs at each school can be a little different.

In the past Barrett has brought in noted authors Ralph Fletcher and Margaret McKeown. Fees for top-flight speakers, if they even have room in their schedules, can run $3,000 a day, Mrs. Bratt said.

“They all cost bucks,” she said. “Nobody’s cheap.”

For all those reasons, the money that NASA provided for conferences was significant. And it was not easy to get.

Ms. Sullivan and Mrs. Bratt were part of the team that wrote the proposal to become a NASA school.

“I wrote that on my own time, at home,” Ms. Sullivan said.

And there is no real system in place to help the teachers write the grants, both she and Mrs. Bratt said.

The money is not easy to keep, either. NASA requires quite a bit of paper work such as receipts, surveys, and efolios from conference participants.

“They’re like one of our model schools. They’ve taken advantage of all we’ve had to offer,” said Rudo Kashiri. She is NASA’s Explorer School coordinator for the Langley region which includes Virginia.

Ms. Kashiri said that staff at Barrett has turned paperwork and surveys in on time, and that they have been actively searching for other money now that the NASA grant is ending.

Barrett still has thousands of dollars left to spend from the NASA Explorer School grant, but that money goes toward technological equipment, not professional development. They received $10,000 in the first year, $5,000 the second and are expecting another $2,500. Of that, the fiscal 2009 budget shows that they spent $6,581 during the 2006-07 school year. Neither Mrs. Bratt nor Ms. Sullivan was sure what if any more money has been spent.

“We’re going to have a chunk of change to decide where we want to go,” Ms. Sullivan said.

They are looking to purchase a smartboard and three document cameras. Smartboards are an interactive projection screens that can operate a connected computer by touching the screen. Document cameras are high-tech, overhead projectors that can project anything on the desktop onto a screen at the front of the class. The style being considered look a little bit like clip-on lights.

Still, it is the money for conferences that they say they will miss.

In an interview, Mr. Easley admitted that he would not have applied for the conference at Yellowstone, limited to 24 teachers in fourth- to ninth-grades, if it had not been for Ms. Sullivan’s insistence. In only his second year at the school (he used to teach in Colorado), Mr. Easley said he saw why Ms. Sullivan was Virginia state teacher of the year in 2004. “She’s motivated,” he said.

None of the Barrett teachers who applied for last year’s openings made it in, Ms. Sullivan said.

In the past two years, Ms. Sullivan, who was county teacher of the year in 2003, has won two grants from Toyota, one for the student-produced podcasting program “Discovery Through a Scientific Lens,” and another to study whooping cranes.

The Virginia Science Museum visited Barrett in February thanks to a $1,300 grant they awarded to the school. The remaining $200 was spent from Project Discovery’s budget, Ms. Sullivan said.

She views her job as that of helping the teachers get what they need to teach science, and admitted that she has only a little flexible time to pursue various grants. She said other teachers do not have the time, either.

“We all have ideas, but it takes time to write them.”