Fw: Summary of Meeting - LCPS and Board with LVHS Parents
Stinger
From: Wagner, Gregory
Sent: Sunday, June 13, 2010 9:00 AM
To: Lau...@msn.com; muckl...@aol.com; heathe...@yahoo.com; Jashw...@aol.com; Daniel....@loudoun.k12.va.us; William...@loudoun.gov; gwa...@purcellvilleva.com; Dennis...@gtsi.com; Pam
Subject: Summary of Meeting - LCPS and Board with LVHS Parents
Fellow Meeting Attendees, LVHS Parents, Teachers, Administrators and Officials -
Below is the summary of the meeting as I captured it. I also attached a pdf of the Summary. I distributed this on Friday to the elected officials for their review and comment. I have only heard back from Joan Lehr as of Sunday morning.
I wanted to get this out to those that attended and those unable to attend without any more delays as time is of vital importance. I will add (it is in the Summary) that a proposed script for the CommuicatEd was provided to LCPS and the elected officials last Thursday. The only response to supplying of the script was from Sue Ross stating that she would not be sending it out herself, keeping with her statement from Wednesday.
Please distribute this and help keep the pressure on those who can make the difference. Persistence is required where sound reasoning, compassion, and will may be in short supply.
Regards,
Greg Wagner
LVHS Parent
_______________________________________________________________________________
Summary of Parent and Administration Meeting on Western Loudoun High Schools
In a meeting held at Loudoun Valley High School on the evening of June 9, 2010, dozens of parents voiced their concerns on the perceived policy inequities between those in the Loudoun Valley and Woodgrove catchment areas. With any new high school opening there are changes and adjustments required and adjustments to be made, but with one involving the second oldest high school in the County and the entire Western Loudoun area the parents most concerned were there to ask for a more personal approach by Loudoun County Public Schools.
Primary Concerns
The primary concerns centered on several challenges –
1. There was perception of large and growing number of students requesting transfers to WHS.
2. This increase in student transfers created a need to transfer more staff and faculty.
3. LCPS policy prohibits transfers to an overenrolled high school.
4. The online system used for special permission requests for students did not allow those slated for WHS to apply to remain at LVHS.
5. LVHS’ classification as an overenrolled high school was misleading and untrue.
6. Families’ choice in selecting a high school for all their children was not clearly provided during the process. This impacted decisions to press for special permissions and impacted multi-student homes the most.
7. LCPS was either involved in or had allowed information on transferring to WHS to be sent home with Harmony students.
8. Transportation impact of transferring students to WHS further skew traffic counts and the negative impact on local road systems and maintenance.
9. LCPS has not planned for a refurbishment of vital facilities at LVHS after a decade of overcrowding nor made provisions to provide parity in facilities with WHS, creating a perception of have and have not schools.
Discussion Items and Information
After extensive discussions, lasting nearly two hours, with LCPS staff, Principal Sue Ross and School Board members Tom Reed and Priscilla Godfrey, the assembled group gained a better understanding and resolution of actions to begin to address most of the concerns.
1. Transfers – There have been 110 special permission requests to transfer from LVHS to WHS to date (August 1st cutoff) and all have been approved. Due to system and policy not allowing transfer to an “overenrolled” school, there have been no special permission requests processed for LVHS students to remain at LVHS. Additional facts provided on this topic included
a. Original projected/current projected enrollments
i. LVHS – 1476/1311 (freshmen return plus all Western Loudoun seniors)
ii. WHS – 896/1006 (no senior class)
b. Enrollment in 2011-2012 is now projected as LVHS ~ 1100 and WHS ~ 1300.
2. Faculty and Staff Transfers – As more students enroll at WHS, it does require LCPS to make adjustments. To date, 22 LVHS teachers have been destaffed to WHS and another 4 have transferred in a second round. The student/teacher ratios remain equitable with some classes projected to have fewer students and others being more crowded. The latter is understandable as WHS has no senior class, so some junior/senior enrolled classes may be “light” this year at once HS and “heavy” at the other. Depending on additional transfers, adjustments will be made by LCPS before the start of the school year.
3. Prohibition on Transfers to Overenrolled Schools – The policies cited by LCPS staff were 8-20 and 8-25 (details on their website or at LVHS) that deal with this area. Without a change in policy or classification of LVHS off the list or into a special category as was done for Stonebridge (more on that in Follow-up Actions), there is nothing the LCPS staff can do to assist families. It was noted that there is inconsistent information being provided by LCPS staff and officials on this matter and an action was taken to work on remedying those inconsistencies.
4. Online System Not Available - With overenrolled status, the online system does not allow LVHS as a choice. The workaround is to file the Special Permission Form manually. A copy is available for download from LCPS website or at LVHS. More on this form and other actions in the Follow-up Actions.
5. LVHS Classified as Overenrolled – The policy of LCPS allows in essence two sets of numbers for determining LVHS is overenrolled. The first is the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) capacity and enrollment projections (full document available on LCPS website) and the other is the recalculation in the same document of capacity based on LCPS Planning Department formulas. Stating is as simply as possible, the main section of the CIP lists LVHS capacity as 1542 students with the “temporary” trailers; capacity restated by formulas that exclude the trailers (LVHS has 10 and is believed to be the only HS to have any) is 1350. The latter figure is used for only determining over or under enrolled and some budgeting. The larger number is used for all other purposes. The request from parents was for the School Board members who set policy to change the policy and use the capacity with trailers (no firm date for removal as of yet). This would mean LVHS is no longer an overenrolled school.
6. Families’ Choice – there was general confusion on a survey sent home to LVHS families that all present perceived as just a survey not a commitment to attend a particular high school or waiving of their rights to request a transfer. It may have created a perception within LCPS that the number of those wishing to transfer was far lower.
7. Alleged “How-to” Transfer Packet - While several people spoke of the packets allegedly sent home with Harmony students several months ago, no one had a copy to share. Mr. Reed took action to ask if Harmony staff had any knowledge. They did not. Until a form is produced, there is no evidence of this action occurring.
8. Transportation Impact – The addition of 110 students from outside of the catchment area means additional trips being added and volume added to the traffic grid that already lacked accountability for anything other than the daily bus trips. This additional volume of traffic negates any perceived gains from not having a senior class that often drives to school by adding a potential of 500 or more trips per day along with trips for additional staff and faculty for several years. Bus trips remain the same and the impact of travel between Harmony and WHS shifts that traffic off of Purcellville Town maintained streets with some relief to Maple and Main, but places it on Hirst (VDOT maintained road) with its already deteriorating condition. While beyond the LCPS span of control, traffic on Alder School Road, Purcellville Road , Hirst Road and within the property along with the impact on maintenance and safety must be championed to the County Board of Supervisors by the parents of both schools and the School Board.
9. Facility Restoration at LVHS – Addressed by Ms. Ross at the onset of the meeting, the investment to date in LVHS (new bleachers, new track, science wing upgrade, new windows in cafeteria (coming), Prometheus boards, auditorium (1995)) are all part of regular lifecycle replacement planning, required by facilities standards (gym/cafeteria) or County-wide initiatives. The concern of the students and parents remaining at Valley is on the accelerated decline of these facilities due to overuse. While a comprehensive energy audit/assessment provided some recommendations for improvements, the fact remains bathrooms, showers, lockers, sports facilities (funds to softball, Fireman’s Field and to change to turf as parity with WHS), and general appearance items like walls and floors, have taken a beating well beyond the normal LCPS maintenance schedule in terms of aging. The Town of Purcellville (that offered to upgrade sidewalks and bike/pedestrian access to Valley at their own cost) along with parents have requested the Board of Supervisors and LCPS find money either in savings coming from reduced construction costs or other sources to pledge to an out of cycle refurbishment of Valley. Those present expressed a desire for LCPS to partner with parents, students and the Town to develop a facilities plan with funds coming from the County, boosters, private sources and grants. Installation of the bleachers in the past year is the only large scale investment in sports facilities in 48 years by LCPS. Having the County and LCPS work with LVHS to address these infrastructure, safety and health needs is the next step toward maintaining parity between the two schools.
Follow-up Actions
A. Review of the original survey and cover letter sent home to families by LCPS as part of their adjustment of policy. (SCHOOL BOARD)
B. Policy changes by SCHOOL BOARD.
i. Guidance on use of capacity figures for calculating overenrollment from current calculations that impact LVHS alone to one that reflects the true capacity (1542) of the facilities until such time as the trailers are removed.
ii. New language that allows “the gate to swing both ways” more easily for enrollment /transfers, but within outlined guidelines during opening of new schools. It would set timeframes and rules for those schools impacted by the change and not affect the standing LCPS policy.
iii. Language in the policy that addresses not just rising Seniors with siblings, but also rising Juniors. Often Juniors with ability to drive are part of the child care network for younger siblings. If they are at different schools, this is a hardship. Further hardships occur when parents must split their time or a single parent chose which HS program to attend or support when the family is split across high schools.
C. Draft new policy and guidance to support implementation of needed changes to address concerns and to open up “the gate” as a means to achieve parity and address individual family needs. Use the Emergency Meeting provisions for the School Board to put these changes in place to allow maximum time for families to act before the August 1st cutoff. (SCHOOL BOARD)
D. New process to follow to address review of Special Permission requests as agreed during the meeting. Note that following the process does not constitute any assurance of the request being granted. It is an improvement predicated on the policy changes that makes the application process possible for anyone wishing to remain at LVHS for hardship or other reasons included in the LCPS guidance and any policy changes. (SCHOOL BOARD, LVHS, PARENTS)
i. Parents will download or pick up a Special Permission form and fill it out asap. Using current guidelines and their individual case, complete the form as best as possible. Submit the form directly to LCPS administrative office on the website (Ms. Blue) or provide the form to Mr. Gross at LVHS.
ii. LVHS and LCPS will bundle the requests and begin processing them while the School Board deliberates and institutes enabling policies.
iii. If policies do not change in sufficient time to process the forms in a normal timeframe, LCPS may deny them and thus trigger the appeals process. Once the policy changes are in place (overturning the reasons for denial), LCPS chooses how best to complete the process and informing the families and LVHS/WHS of any changes.
iv. LVHS Administration will develop a website splash page and instructions/guidance for parents to follow under the new process. This includes informing parents through the ConnectEd system and through other traditional methods. Parents have already submitted suggested, neutral language for the ConnectEd message and recommended Dr. Hatrick record the message.
E. Form a task force or working group with the purpose of enumerating and prioritizing facility improvements and working jointly to develop ways to address and fund restoring the facilities and improving them to parity with newer facilities in the County. (ATHLETIC BOOSTERS (Lead), PTO, LVHS, TOWN, COUNTY, LCPS, Others as identified)
F. There are cost savings associated with WHS due to lower than expected construction costs. One potential source of funding, dependent on requirements of the bond issuance and County funding policy for restoration of LVHS facilities are these funds. The group requested the School Board investigate the possibility of utilizing this funding and make a request to the Board of Supervisors to allow enough funds to address the issues at LVHS. (SCHOOL BOARD)
Prepared by Greg Wagner and provided for review to Joan Lehr, Tom Reed and Priscilla Godfrey