Superintendent's Blog

In 2012, we envision that every Chesterfield school will be a thriving, dynamic and inspiring educational environment that produces self-directed learners and stimulates citizens of all ages to trust in, invest in and benefit from public education. One of my responsibilities is to communicate the School Board’s vision, mission and core values.

To that end, I have established this “Superintendent’s Blog” as one resource and outlet to keep parents, employees and interested citizens informed of our activities to meet the Board’s expectations.

2007-08 Blog Entries

July 3, 2008
Transportation Department Excels at Road-eo

Bus drivers from Chesterfield County Public Schools earned the top awards at the recent regional Bus Road-eo.

The regional Bus Road-eo is a competition of bus driving knowledge and skill between drivers from Chesterfield, Richmond, Henrico and Hanover. Contestants are scored on their bus handling skills as they perform challenging maneuvers like parallel parking and turning in a small area. Drivers also have to take a written knowledge exam.

Chesterfield County bus drivers earned the Director’s Plaque for the highest overall combined score at the regional competition. Individually, Leslie Alderman received first place and Tina Smith received third place in the conventional bus driving competition. Marion Trent received first place and Michelle Davis received third place in the transit bus driving competition.

July 2, 2008
Adult GED celebrates graduation

More than 70 Chesterfield County residents recently took part in the annual Adult GED graduation exercise. The graduation ceremony was held early last month at Carver Middle School and was sponsored by the school division’s Adult Continuing Education Office. 

These 70 graduates represented a small portion of the more than 600 county residents who have earned a GED during the past year.

State statistics indicate that earning a GED can help a person make between $7,000 and $12,000 more per year than an adult without a high school diploma. Not only is a GED a potential moneymaker, it is a career enhancer as well. A GED is accepted by 95 percent of U.S. employers and helps adults seek full-time employment or advance existing careers.

Chesterfield County Public Schools offers GED test preparation classes and practice tests as well as testing sessions for county residents. For more information, call 768-6140.

July 1, 2008
Celebrating change and success at Harrowgate

Last month, the faculty at Harrowgate Elementary School celebrated being one of only six schools in the county to earn the Panasonic National School Change Award.

The award recognizes schools that have achieved significant positive change, measuring them in 16 stringent criteria. Harrowgate was selected after submitting a detailed application that outlined the school’s progress from underperforming to outstanding achievement.

During the past five years, Harrowgate has implemented many programs that helped students achieve success. SOL test scores at Harrowgate, where 56 percent of the students receive free or reduced price lunches, have climbed steadily in all subject areas since 2002.

This is the second year in a row that a Chesterfield County school has won a National School Change Award! Chalkley Elementary won in 2007, and Bensley Elementary won in 2002.

We will bring the staff of Harrowgate Elementary before the board in the fall for a more official recognition of their efforts.

June 30, 2008
Winter a teacher for all seasons

Earlier this month I had the opportunity to recognize a Chesterfield County Public Schools teacher described as a humble leader and an effective teammate.

Nicole Winter recently was named the 2009 Teacher of the Year for Chesterfield County Public Schools. A National Board Certified Teacher, Mrs. Winter teaches history at Cosby High School, where she also founded and sponsors the Beta Club.

In noting that all of her students pass their history SOL tests, nominators said of Mrs. Winter: “She demonstrates strength of character and a genuine love of teaching.”

Mrs. Winter has taught at Cosby High since the school opened in September 2006. She taught at Manchester High from 1992 to 2006.

Congratulations to a wonderful role model for students and teachers!

June 27, 2008
SAT Readiness Academy

Chesterfield County Public Schools is a high-achieving, forward-thinking school division focused on equipping students with the 21st century skills they will need to achieve success after high school.

All schools are accredited and our Standards of Learning results exceed state averages in nearly every category. However, we have areas in need of improvement: our 2006-07 SAT scores trailed state averages in math, critical reading and writing.

With an eye on continuous improvement, Instructional Division leaders have developed an SAT Readiness Academy that will be held July 14-Aug. 7 at Clover Hill High School. Through this program, students will learn more about the SAT so that there are no surprises on test day.

Why are SAT scores important?

• SAT scores can tell college admissions staff members how well prepared a student is for college-level academics.
• The scores also allow colleges to compare a student’s college readiness with other students in a standardized way.

The two-part SAT Readiness Academy is spread over three weeks: lessons in week one and week two are identical, while week three is reserved for additional, more intensive preparation. By the end of the program, it is expected that students will understand their individual strengths and weaknesses identified by their PSAT results, know what to expect on SAT test day, review practice questions and learn valuable test-taking strategies. 

June 26
Superintendent’s Summer Policy Institute

This week I joined many of my colleagues for the 2008 Superintendent’s Summer Policy Institute held at the University of Virginia Curry School of Education and Darden Business School. The session began with a presentation on drop-out rates and special education legislation by Dr. Billy Cannaday, Virginia State Superintendent for Public Instruction. Attorney Craig Wood of McGuire Woods led a discussion on legal issues facing public education.

Teachers and school-based administrators joined us on Wednesday for a session entitled, Performance Incentives: A Growing Impact on K12 American Education. Presenters included Dr. Lois Adams-Rogers, Deputy Executive Director for the Council of Chief State Officers; Dr. Grover Whitehurst, U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Services, and Dr. Linda Cavalluzzo, Senior Researcher for CAN Education.

These presenters prompted rigorous debate about the merits, benefits and challenges associated with teacher compensation reform. Dr. Lyle Evans and several members of our Human Resources Department as well as several CCPS educators attended this session.

As a result of this session, I have asked Dr. Evans to work with his team to draft recommendations for differentiated compensation for “hard to fill” positions to be consider for funding in FY 2011.

May 19
Principals earn well-deserved recognition

Carver Middle School Principal Don Ashburn is the Virginia Association of Secondary School Principals’ 2008 Outstanding Middle School Principal of Virginia. According to the association, Ashburn is the first principal from our school division to receive this middle school principal award. He is now eligible to compete for the National Middle School Principal of the Year.

Accomplishments at Carver Middle under Mr. Ashburn’s leadership include developing a regionally recognized remediation model (Carver Activities Remediation and Enrichment program) for struggling students and creating a walk-through observation strategy that is now being used as a model in other schools.

Manchester High School Principal Peter Koste recently was selected as Chesterfield County’s 2008 recepient of the R.E.B. Awards for Distinguished Educational Leadership by the R.E.B. Foundation and The Community Foundation. One principal from each of the four major school districts in the metro Richmond area (Chesterfield, Hanover, Henrico and Richmond) was awarded grants totaling $15,000 each.

One of Mr. Koste’s favorite success stories is the SUCCESS program, which
provides assistance in the transition from middle to high school as well as mentors to ninth graders identified as at risk for academic, attendance and behavior problems.  The failure rate of freshmen participating in the program dropped from 11 to 3 percent during the past six years.

Congratulations to both of these outstanding leaders!

May 16
Sweet sound of success

Chesterfield County Public Schools’ music teachers can toot their own horns: their efforts to provide students with a high-quality education have been recognized nationally. The NAMM Foundation announced recently that for the second consecutive year Chesterfield County is one of the nation’s Best Communities for Music Education. 

The recognition was presented to 110 school divisions that “exemplify community commitment to music education as part of a quality education for children.” Winners were identified through a survey about funding, enrollment, pupil-teacher ratios, music class participation, instruction time and support for the music program.

Research reveals strong correlations between quality music education in school and academic achievement. Students actively involved with music programs develop skills needed by the 21st century workforce, including critical thinking, creative problem solving, effective communication and teamwork.

Congratulations to our staff and students for this honor. Together, they are making beautiful music!

May 1
Tough choices made; tougher times ahead

I appreciate the School Board’s support during a difficult budget deliberation time. It’s never easy to cut budgets when there are identified areas of need. Faced with the task of cutting $8.5 million from the FY2009 operating budget, staff members worked diligently to propose cuts that had minimal impact on student learning.

I am pleased that the board was able to maintain its commitment to fully fund the third year of the 2006 compensation study. One of our core beliefs is that effective teaching is the most essential factor in student learning. As a result of the board’s action, our teachers’ salaries are now among the most competitive in the local market. To balance the operating budget, 37 new positions related to safety, instruction and maintenance were eliminated; debt service was reduced; vehicle and furniture replacement funds were cut; and operating and Capital Improvement Plan reserve funds are smaller.

Meeting our needs with limited resources made for a difficult FY2009 budget. Creating an effective FY2010 operating budget that provides students with a high-quality education promises to be even harder.  To fund projected student enrollment growth and operate in an effective and efficient manner, the School Board likely will have to make tough decisions about salary increases, pupil-teacher ratios and instructional programs. 

A high-quality educational system is critical to the vitality of Chesterfield County.  Our students cannot be successful workers and productive citizens by learning only reading, writing and arithmetic.  The needs of a global economy are changing daily, and we must equip our students with skills required to achieve success.  To do otherwise would put our community at risk.  Public education must continue to be a top funding priority of elected representatives at the local and state level.

May 2
Model students for model county government

I see and hear about many good things occurring daily within Chesterfield County Public Schools. But once in a while there is a moment that makes me pause and reflect about how close we are to becoming a great school division. One such “ah-ha moment” occurred recently when approximately 80 Chesterfield students participate in Model County Government Day. Actually a three-day event, these high school government students attended a School Board meeting, a Board of Supervisors meeting and shadowed a government/schools representative.

The learners who participated in the School Board public engagement session were particularly enlightening. The board’s public engagement sessions have been a great addition. We’ve tried to bring stakeholders to the table to ensure that everyone in the community has a voice in public education. However, the one voice that we’ve not been great at attracting is students – the people who are impacted most by what we do. The Model County Government engagement session provided us a firsthand glimpse of what students are doing, what they are thinking and what changes we need to make to do a better job of preparing all students for success in the 21st century.

During the course of the meeting, I asked the students at my table if they felt like they were representative of the rest of the students with whom they attended school. The answer was no. But they presented some good thoughts and potential solutions to help get more students involved in and excited about education. When I left the board meeting, it was the end of a 15-hour workday.  However, I felt so invigorated that I wanted to go right back to the office to digest some of their ideas about education. Kids may say the funniest things, but they often have insightful thoughts that we must not ignore.

April 16, 2008
United as Hokies

I didn’t attend college at Virginia Tech.  I didn’t have any family connection there either – until April 16, 2007.  That day, I joined the Hokie Nation.

My calendar shows that I was scheduled for school visits that morning.  I had several meetings sprinkled on the agenda as well.  I don’t remember much about where I was, though.  I just remember hearing the constant updates regarding what was unfolding in Blacksburg – and praying that the news wouldn’t get any worse.

A year has passed, but that snowy April day remains fresh in our memories.  The thoughts of those associated with Chesterfield County Public Schools continue to go out to those directly affected.  Our prayers especially embrace the Gwaltney family, whose son, Matthew (a Thomas Dale High graduate), was killed that day.

Virginia Tech, its students, its faculty and its community are an example for all of us.  Not for the things that did not go right, but for the resiliency with which they fight on.  I won’t soon forget Nikki Giovanni’s impassioned speech that rallied Tech students: 

“We are sad today, and we will be sad for quite a while. We are not moving on, we are embracing our mourning. We are Virginia Tech.
“We are strong enough to stand tall tearlessly, we are brave enough to bend to cry, and we are sad enough to know that we must laugh again. We are Virginia Tech.”

While we take time for remembrances today, I will pay my respects.  I will also remember that this university has shown us that combined strength can prevail. 
Once again, we are all Hokies.