Fauquier Times 02/20/19

Page 1

THEY’RE ALL NO. 1: Three local wrestlers won state titles. Sports, Page 13

February 20, 2019

Our 202nd year | Vol. 202, No. 8 | www.Fauquier.com | $1.50

Superintendent’s budget proposes raises for teachers, staff $7 million plan would boost pay 3 to 15 percent By Karen Chaffraix Times Staff Writer

Fauquier County schools Superintendent David Jeck proposed a $149.6 million fiscal year 2020 budget Tuesday that would cut make some cuts to staff and departments to fund raises aimed at making teacher salaries more competitive with neighboring counties next school year.

“Fauquier County must move toward 100-percent compensation in all steps and scales in order to attract and retain highly-qualified instructional positions in our market,” Jeck said. Citing an expected bump in education funding included in Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam’s proposed budget, Jeck said the time to focus on pay compression in the teaching ranks is now. “Equity and inclusion have been our focus for the last three years, but right now we have an emergency on our hands. This year, our focus had to deal with the [pay] compression

issue,” Jeck said. Last year, Fauquier County saw 2 percent of its teachers retire and about 10 percent leave for other jobs, mostly in better-paying neighboring school divisions. “This is not sustainable,” Jeck said. What’s more, within a decade, the county will be dealing with enrollment growth, Jeck added. Given projections, six schools will be near or at capacity: Miller, Pierce, Greenville and Ritchie elementary schools; Taylor Middle School and Liberty High School.

Jeck’s budget dedicates $7 million toward rectifying wage compression, which he would pay for by making about $2.9 million in cuts combined with expected additional revenue, about $4.9 million of which would be requested from Fauquier County. Jeck’s proposal aims to bring teacher salaries into a 93- to 100-percent range of markets competing with Fauquier, which he defined as Albemarle, Culpeper, Frederick, Loudoun, Prince William, Spotsylvania, Stafford and Warren counties. See SCHOOL BUDGET, Page 4

New plan for middle schools? Fauquier leaders propose closing Taylor Middle, renovating, expanding Warrenton, Cedar Lee By James Ivancic Times Staff Writer

Fauquier officials are discussing a new plan for the county’s aging middle schools that would expand and renovate Warrenton and Cedar Lee middle schools while closing Taylor Middle and using it as something other than a public school. The new proposal, discussed publicly for the first time Feb. 14, was hashed out in recent months by members of both the Fauquier County Board of Supervisors and School Board, according to members of both boards. The school board will hold a special meeting next week to discuss the proposal. The meeting will take place at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 27, in the school board office at 320 Hospital Drive. It could provide a lower-cost option than the school division’s original plan, which was to consolidate Warrenton and Taylor middle schools in a See MIDDLE SCHOOLS, Page 4 INSIDE Business.............................................11 Classified............................................34 Communities......................................28 Faith...................................................26

Warrenton Middle School is one of several the Fauquier County School Board is assessing for possible renovations.

History................................................19 Libraries.............................................31 Lifestyle..............................................21 Opinion.................................................8

Obituaries...........................................32 Puzzles...............................................10 Real Estate..........................................27 Sports.................................................13

540.347.0765 appletoncampbell.com

No Bones About It…

We AC FauquierTimes_StripAd.indd 1

Our Customers!

Wonder ful exp erien Amy N . (Warre ce. nton) Best Service Ever. Pete G. (Catlett)

12/27/18 11:15 AM


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.
Fauquier Times 02/20/19 by Fauquier Times (52 issues) & Prince William Times (52 issues) - Issuu