INSIDE Author Bob Deans will speak at Goochland Chamber meeting > page 3
Volume 57, Number 3 • January 21, 2010
Parents form education association Frustration with budget process cited by members By Ken Odor jodor@goochlandgazette.com
Goochland School Board members, used to hearing from individual parents on the budget process, got a surprise at the January 12 meeting. “The school board members sat up in their seats,” said John Wright, one of the nine members of the newly-formed Goochland Education Parents Association (GEPA) who addressed the board. “I think we got more of their attention.” Attention from board members and school administration is what the members, who number more than 60, and the new organization want. Although many of the same parents have been speaking all along at school board meetings and workshop sessions, individuals were feeling frustrated, said GEPA chairperson JoD Hosken. “A lot of concerned parents were speaking at every meeting,” said Hosken. “As individuals we were all sending messages,” said GEPA vice-chair Jane Christie, but it appeared the school board wasn’t listening. In addition to the outspoken criticism of many proposed budget cuts, both Hosken and Wright see GEPA > page 2
INDEX
Calendar Classifieds News Letters Education
7-9 Opinion 10-11 Sports 3 TV Listings 4-5 1-2
File Photo
Above, School Superindent Linda Underwood has propossed a budget that eliminates the Tender Tots program and at least 12 teaching positions. Below, Chairman of the School Board Raymond Miller said at last week’s public hearing,w “It’s almost impossible not to be depressed when you hear the cuts that have to be made and must be implemented.”
Schools cut $1.7 million By Amy Condra acondra@goochlandgazette.com
Although Goochland schools have cut deeply into next year’s budget, proposed reductions are still far from meeting the $2.9 million mark set by County Administrator Rebecca Dickson last fall. School officials say that slashing deeper could jeopardize the quality of education offered to students, and that they hope that
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SPORTS Goochland evens score with Flucos. > page 6
services and programs will be returned as the economy recovers. And in order to achieve the flexibility to reallocate resources, the School Board is asking the Board of Supervisors to approve their budget as a bottom line allocation rather than on a category-by-category basis. The 2010-11 budget proposed by Goochland School Superintendent Linda see Schools> page 2
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west SERVING EASTERN GOOCHLAND AND WESTERN HENRICO
New Richmond Volleyball Club facility in Henrico.