School Board Goals

Marshall Trammell Jr.
Chair

Chesterfield County Public Schools has a long history of providing high quality instruction in a safe, supportive and nurturing learning environment. We are proud of our record as a leader in public education within Virginia. Our school division is a major reason why people move to Chesterfield County and why this county is one of only a handful of three-time winners of the prestigious America’s Promise – Alliance for Youth awards.

It is this board’s intention to continue a commitment focused on high standards and high quality. Though we face challenging times ahead, we remain committed to focusing on and increasing achievement levels for all students.

That said, I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the current budget issues that confront us: a $52 million funding gap for the FY2010 operating budget. The Superintendent has said that every staff member and every student will be negatively impacted in some way.

Protecting the integrity of the classroom to the fullest extent possible is a top priority for this Board and Superintendent. Mindful that we are facing unprecedented cuts, we recognize that there is no silver bullet that will erase the $52 million with one swift cut. We expect these cuts to be wide reaching. However, we also expect we will continue to persevere. Our students will continue to learn and achieve, and our community will continue to benefit from our production of high-quality citizens who can contribute immediately to society.

Aside from the daunting task of balancing the FY2010 budget, the Board has other goals it is focused on as well. They include:

· Implement identified targets in the division’s six-year strategic plan that accomplishes the School Board’s vision for a thriving, dynamic and inspiring educational environment that produces self-directed learners with 21st-century skills.

· All schools will be fully accredited by the Virginia Standards of Learning.

· The school division will meet “Adequate Yearly Progress” under No Child Left Behind.

· The school division will narrow achievement gaps in student performance and enroll more students in rigorous courses.

· High school graduation rate will exceed state average.

We know that these goals might seem secondary right now to solving our budget crisis. However, teaching and learning is our core business. We must remain focused on that. To succeed, we need the continued support of our public – both our internal and external stakeholders. We are committed to these partnerships with families and the community. Please join us in our efforts – become informed and advocate for your child or community school, become involved as a volunteer or mentor, or contribute to the Chesterfield Public Education Foundation. These are just a few ways to partner with us; visit our web site to learn more. Working together as a team, we can continue to provide the high-quality educational services that our community has come to expect.