Full-day Kindergarten in Fairfax County

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, bringing kids is encouraged to the rally!

ok, I will pencil it in fro tuesday, then. I might just come to the rally, though - don't think I can stay for the meeting.

[Anonymous]

Just had our K orientation today and our school is FDK. I'm so glad and I'll keep my fingers crossed that others get it as well. I couldn't believe in the video they played they even said that HDK was a challenge because the curriculum was the same, but they had to get it all done in 1/2 the time! Crazy!!

[Anonymous]

Am I the only one who feels like I am in some game of reverse Monopoly? Do not pass go, and please give me the extra $300/month for your kid to have the same school schedule as the kids in the district next door?

Seriously, it blows.

[Anonymous]

Join Education Rally at Fairfax County Budget Hearing
Tuesday, March 29th 5:30 p.m. onwards
12000 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax
Wear WHITE to cheer for Full Day Kindergarten or simply attend to support funding for schools

Why?
Fairfax County has seen severe cuts in education funding
10,000 more students means we are doing more with less. Class sizes have gone up. We are in the third consecutive year of declining per-pupil spending. Teachers pay has been frozen for 2 years. Fees have been added. FCPS has made more than $465 million in reductions and cost avoidances & eliminated over 1,400 positions. Programs we value have been cut. Early childhood education matters: 5 year old Americans are our future!

[Anonymous]

Full day kindergarten so mommy can drive her SUV to the nail salon and have lunch
at the country club? Baloney! Babysitting for illegal aliens? Baloney!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Full day kindergarten so mommy can drive her SUV to the nail salon and have lunch
at the country club? Baloney! Babysitting for illegal aliens? Baloney!

you really think most of the people who want full-day K are either illegal or wannabe women of leisure who drive an escalade and get regular manicures while the kids are in school? Way to live under a rock.

[Anonymous]

Funny it is the Escalade driving mommies in my neighborhood who support 1/2 day kindergarten - citing that full day would be too much for little Johnny.

[Anonymous]

Check out www.RedAppleMom.wordpress.com for more information about the FDC issue and other issues of concern in the Fairfax County Public Schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just had our K orientation today and our school is FDK. I'm so glad and I'll keep my fingers crossed that others get it as well. I couldn't believe in the video they played they even said that HDK was a challenge because the curriculum was the same, but they had to get it all done in 1/2 the time! Crazy!!

Which is exactly why the teachers are in favor of full day kindergarten!

[Anonymous]

Great showing tonight for the rally! Wish I could have stayed, but the kiddo was getting tired. We had to leave before any of the FDK speakers started. The testimony went until almost 11, though - I watched what I could on tv.

[Anonymous]

S/O - Which channel shows BoS meetings?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:S/O - Which channel shows BoS meetings?

Channel 16 or it is streamed on the web:

http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/cable/channel16/vod.htm

[Anonymous]

So based on the memo from the county budget markup (and the email I received from the Fairfax For FUll-Day K folks), it sounds like the County Board is directing the School Board to fully implement full-day K in the fall. Please, please, please let this be true!

Crossing every finger and toe that the School Board does what they have been directed to do.

[Anonymous]

Is this really for EVERY school in the county? I hear the schools are ranked and the implementation will be done over the next 3-4 yrs.

[Anonymous]

From CXhairman Bulova's Statement on the Budget:
The School Transfer is maintained at the FY 2011 level with the following exception:
? Consistent with widespread community input the Board strongly supports the School Board’s implementation of the full phase in of Full Day Kindergarten and provides the following assistance toward making that happen:
o Savings of $500,000 in the SACC program that would be realized from implementation of FDK will be added to the School Transfer.
o Additional cable funding of $641,904 has been identified for the School’s use that can be used for FDK.
o More flexibility is identified in the $1.9 million in funding for the School Nurse Health Program. This funding would otherwise be sent by the Schools to the County’s Health Department for this purpose but is returned to the School with the flexibility for using it for FDK.
o The School Board has been advised that additional flexibility is allowed in the potential re-prioritization of Cable programming funds.

From the press release:
The total county transfer to support School Operating and Debt Service is $1.77 billion or 52.5 percent of total county disbursements. In its guidance on the budget, the board supports the School Board's efforts to fully implement full-day kindergarten (FDK) within existing school resources in FY 2012. To assist the School Board with funding and reprioritizing its resources to accomplish FDK countywide, the Board of Supervisors will provide $500,000 in savings from the elimination of kindergarten SACC, which is no longer necessary with FDK; additional cable funding in the amount of $641,904; and the added flexibility of $1.9 million that would have reverted to the county for existing budget requirements. In addition, the board has provided additional flexibility in the use of cable programming dollars that would need to be reprioritized.


From the Full Day K Email:
Chairman Bulova makes FDK happen! You made democracy do its magic! Please write a quick note to thank our Chairman! As always sample language included below for your ease.
At the budget mark-up meeting today, Supervisors Hyland thanked Supervisor Foust for his efforts on FDK. He noted that both boards have found a way to work together and that this experience sets an example for the future. Supervisor Foust said that he believed this board has met the school board halfway and we are positioned to address equity in education and expand FDK to all Fairfax County Schools. Please see Channel 16 video (April 12) for precise words.

***All we need now is for the School Board to take us to the FDK finish line by funding the other half of FDK implementation in “all” schools. There is every reason to believe that FDK will be a reality for all schools this year!***

Chairman Bulova provides the following roadmap for implementation in “all” Fairfax County schools this year! This plan not only provides additional funding for FDK, it clearly specifies a roadmap for FDK funding for all schools this year.