If you were in charge of FCPS, what budget cuts would you make?

[Anonymous]

AAP centers need to go. Get back to neighborhood schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know this will be inflammatory -- but the core/essential purpose of schools is the academic part. So, keep PE b/c everybody needs a break and they do learn about health.... but get rid of sports teams. Those are just not part of the core mission... sorry.

If I have to choose between counselors and a football team, I'm choosing counselors who might keep my kid from being bullied or might help someone with anorexia or abuse.

Then I'd reduce the number of instructional assistants -- I was shocked to look on my kids' elementary school website and see about 25 instructional assistants listed. That seems like a whole lot. Maybe we still need a lot of them for the special needs, but if they are not being used for special needs or kindergarten, I think they probably have to go.

Band/strings -- I'd hate to see it go, and I could argue that it is an academic pursuit b/c you can get a degree in music/fine arts. But, it could become a fee-based program.

I'm willing to pay more taxes for all of the above and to avoid any other cuts.

It would be inflammatory but for the fact that it will be ignored...sorry.

[Anonymous]

I think all middle and high school sports teams should be axed-what would the cost savings be? If the school system can't afford to teach without insane class sizes or not increasing teacher pay, than fun "extras" like sports teams and their coaches and expenses do need to go. Kids can play sports in private leagues or pick up in their neighborhood.

Foreign language in elementary is a waste of time and money at just once per week, they aren't going to learn the language with an hour a week, so cut.

Increase class sizes for ESL students and set up afterschool clubs with volunteers for extra help.

All administrators at gatehouse substitute teach or fill in at the schools in whatever capacity is needed 2-3 x a month as part of their regular job duties.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think all middle and high school sports teams should be axed-what would the cost savings be? If the school system can't afford to teach without insane class sizes or not increasing teacher pay, than fun "extras" like sports teams and their coaches and expenses do need to go. Kids can play sports in private leagues or pick up in their neighborhood.

Foreign language in elementary is a waste of time and money at just once per week, they aren't going to learn the language with an hour a week, so cut.

Increase class sizes for ESL students and set up afterschool clubs with volunteers for extra help.

All administrators at gatehouse substitute teach or fill in at the schools in whatever capacity is needed 2-3 x a month as part of their regular job duties.

I can't see HS sports getting cut, but maybe reduced. No girls volleyball when there's fall field hockey and boys only play football. No more lacrosse for either gender, or winter track.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think all middle and high school sports teams should be axed-what would the cost savings be? If the school system can't afford to teach without insane class sizes or not increasing teacher pay, than fun "extras" like sports teams and their coaches and expenses do need to go. Kids can play sports in private leagues or pick up in their neighborhood.

Foreign language in elementary is a waste of time and money at just once per week, they aren't going to learn the language with an hour a week, so cut.

Increase class sizes for ESL students and set up afterschool clubs with volunteers for extra help.

All administrators at gatehouse substitute teach or fill in at the schools in whatever capacity is needed 2-3 x a month as part of their regular job duties.

There are no Middle School sports teams, those were cut decades ago.

[Anonymous]

I'd ask families to pay fees for some of the music (orchestra/band - not general music), sports and foreign language programs and any after-school programs. Even if it was on a sliding scale, it would bring in money for what some people consider to be "extras"

[Anonymous]

How about cutting the number of trainings held during the school day? For example, when elementary lead teachers are out a sub has to be hired. Seems like various teachers are out fairly often.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know this will be inflammatory -- but the core/essential purpose of schools is the academic part. So, keep PE b/c everybody needs a break and they do learn about health.... but get rid of sports teams. Those are just not part of the core mission... sorry.

If I have to choose between counselors and a football team, I'm choosing counselors who might keep my kid from being bullied or might help someone with anorexia or abuse.

Then I'd reduce the number of instructional assistants -- I was shocked to look on my kids' elementary school website and see about 25 instructional assistants listed. That seems like a whole lot. Maybe we still need a lot of them for the special needs, but if they are not being used for special needs or kindergarten, I think they probably have to go.

Band/strings -- I'd hate to see it go, and I could argue that it is an academic pursuit b/c you can get a degree in music/fine arts. But, it could become a fee-based program.

I'm willing to pay more taxes for all of the above and to avoid any other cuts.

Counselers don't do anything , in fact they sit around waiting in their offices most of the day. Everyone can now afford their own mental health counseling , no need to have that at school.

Sports and extra activities should be self pay to weed out the ones who are serious.

Many of the mental health and development issues should be self pay.

The school needs to prioritize teaching and the classroom. If they eliminated evening else or made it self pay there would be less administrators and executives needed to manage these superfluous activities.

[Anonymous]

FLES is twice a week, not once a week. Just wanted to make that clarification.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd ask families to pay fees for some of the music (orchestra/band - not general music), sports and foreign language programs and any after-school programs. Even if it was on a sliding scale, it would bring in money for what some people consider to be "extras"

Orchestra and band meet as classes. It is not like sports that meet after school. There have to be teachers teaching some sort of other class if they eliminate music &arts- so I don't see where the money will be saved. There are a minimum number of hours/days a year the state requires and we are already bumping up against those minimums as it is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Counselers don't do anything , in fact they sit around waiting in their offices most of the day. Everyone can now afford their own mental health counseling , no need to have that at school.

Sports and extra activities should be self pay to weed out the ones who are serious.

Many of the mental health and development issues should be self pay.

The school needs to prioritize teaching and the classroom. If they eliminated evening else or made it self pay there would be less administrators and executives needed to manage these superfluous activities.

You seem to be confusing counselors with the school psychiatrists. At our HS, the counselors spent a lot of time helping students with course selection, working through academic issues with teachers, and assisting with college applications. We had kids at two FCPS high schools and the counselors there were just great. They certainly weren't sitting around their offices doing as little as you suggest.

The notion that everything would be perfect if we just hired more teachers and let them do what they do best is fanciful. Some of the teachers are great, and some suck. The counselors are often the only ones at the school who recognize that.

Now if we're talking about getting rid of some of the useless APs who virtually never interact with either kids or parents, and mostly just create paperwork for teachers, you might have a point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Counselers don't do anything , in fact they sit around waiting in their offices most of the day. Everyone can now afford their own mental health counseling , no need to have that at school.

Sports and extra activities should be self pay to weed out the ones who are serious.

Many of the mental health and development issues should be self pay.

The school needs to prioritize teaching and the classroom. If they eliminated evening else or made it self pay there would be less administrators and executives needed to manage these superfluous activities.

You seem to be confusing counselors with the school psychiatrists. At our HS, the counselors spent a lot of time helping students with course selection, working through academic issues with teachers, and assisting with college applications. We had kids at two FCPS high schools and the counselors there were just great. They certainly weren't sitting around their offices doing as little as you suggest.

The notion that everything would be perfect if we just hired more teachers and let them do what they do best is fanciful. Some of the teachers are great, and some suck. The counselors are often the only ones at the school who recognize that.

Now if we're talking about getting rid of some of the useless APs who virtually never interact with either kids or parents, and mostly just create paperwork for teachers, you might have a point.

sounds like mom or dad should be doing that job not the counselors.

[Anonymous]

When I went to school I never used the counselors, because that's what parents are supposed to do

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When I went to school I never used the counselors, because that's what parents are supposed to do

Maybe if you'd sought their help you'd be able to write a sentence now.

[Anonymous]

We've used the elementary school counselor a couple times for school related anxieties. She was great! It wasn't enough to merit an outside counselor and she knows how the school works, so she could help DD with a few specific things.