Correction 2 less coffees a month, 5 less meals out a year.

My apologies for the error, Ms. Palen.  Thank you for the correction.  Either way $100 isn’t going to hurt that much.  And, if you haven’t been to Starbucks lately, one could not get a Starbucks coffee for less than $5.  That means that 2 less coffees or 5 less meals out a month would make that.

CH, I can assume that your school children are not of high school age because the high school SOLs are given during exam time, the last week of school.  The final 2-3 days at the high school are used for remediation for students who have not passed the SOL and then they are given the chance to retake them.  No movies or field days or parties at the high school following SOLs.  Those 5 days would be greatly missed for necessary instructional time.

I do not understand why cutting the number of instructional days is a last resort option.  My children have recently graduated, and all they did was PLAY and watch movies after SOL testing.  So unless these days are going to be used for TRUE education, why can’t they be cut?  I understand that no one wants their pay cut or have to pay more taxes, but instead of a “bonus back” for our teachers if instructional days are cut, how about just paying them for the days they actually worked and raise taxes by 50cent per 100.  If everyone gives a little, then no one group is hurt.

@ GoochGRL:
First, Goochland County regular real estate tax assessments are based at 53 cents per hundred, not thousand.  An increase of 2 cents on $100,000 value equates to $20.  An increase in 2 cents on a half-million dollar home equates to $100.  A bit more than a Starbucks coffee per month, unless you’re seriously addicted to caffeine.  Still, a small price to pay to a quality school system, but I understand your point.

Second, it is my understanding that no school employee has “lost a job”.  There has only been the elimination of three “administration” positions, and I use that term loosely.

Third, the custodial staff who seem to be in favor of reducing school days versus outsourcing do not seem to understand that the former also affects their pay.  The reduction of instructional days is at best a last-resort option, but one that affects ALL costs associated with running the schools, to include, utilities, transportation,  fuel expenses, and custodial/maintenance.  It is also my understanding that our School Board does not want to utilize this option, and if they had to do so as a last resort, they would look at the possibility of a “bonus back” to the teachers to the net take-home pay would not be affected. 

As far as the “administration” (Central Office staff) having a reduction of 10 days., sorry, no sympathy here.  For years I have seen great teachers eliminated from our system and have only seen one eliminated from Central Office.

Lastly, the budget reductions have always landed on the backs of our children, no matter how you figure the numbers.  Now is the time for our community to realize that this is no longer acceptable.  I have full faith that our new School Board will continue to move our system forward and regain what we have lost over the recent years, but in essence, it does take a village to raise a child.

While I feel badly for custodians who would take home less with this proposal, they are definitely not the only ones making significant sacrifices. Teachers and staff have had significant pay cuts the last four years and face another this year by reducing the school year.  In addition, administrative staff members have had their pay reduced by ten days, and three admin staff have lost their jobs.

The only way to make the money needed to properly and responsibly run our schools is to raise taxes. Calculations show that an increase of 2 cents per $1000 would just about do it. Even on a half million dollar property that would mean a tax increase of only $10 a year. Are the citizens of Goochland willing to forgo two Starbucks a year to help our schools?