PSA: Fairfax County Proposed Budget CANCELS Middle School After School Programs

[Anonymous]

Mathcounts is parent volunteer led, not teacher led.

I think the big question is if this means cutting the after school busses. Clubs like D&D, Magic the Gathering, and the like could be parent led. That model though leads to the same issues we have in ES where some scholls have lots of PTA sponsored programs and others have little to nothing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mathcounts is parent volunteer led, not teacher led.

I think the big question is if this means cutting the after school busses. Clubs like D&D, Magic the Gathering, and the like could be parent led. That model though leads to the same issues we have in ES where some scholls have lots of PTA sponsored programs and others have little to nothing.

Interesting--at which school is it parent led? I've led it at two different ones over the years (as a teacher).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mathcounts is parent volunteer led, not teacher led.

I think the big question is if this means cutting the after school busses. Clubs like D&D, Magic the Gathering, and the like could be parent led. That model though leads to the same issues we have in ES where some scholls have lots of PTA sponsored programs and others have little to nothing.

Are there a lot of parent volunteers who want to run D&D club every week at 2:15? There are not where I work.

And the reality is if there are a surplus of afternoon parent volunteers willing to commit weekly for 2 hours for a year, then that is a school that probably doesn't need the after school program, these kids aren't going back to empty homes and running around unsupervised for 3+ hours until adults get home (which is what the program was aimed at preventing). The schools that really, desperately need this kind of programming are the ones where the kids don't have adults at home in the afternoons/evenings, so there wouldn't be parent volunteers.

I would be okay with scaling it back--if the school population make up doesn't support the need for free programming, then don't do it. If Larlo is going to gymnastics/swimming/hockey/scouts after school anyway, then he probably doesn't need open gym at school. But if a kid doesn't get to do ECs due to money/logistics, then after school basketball in the gym is pretty awesome and it would be sad to lose it. The stats overwhelmingly show students use it at my school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you write to tell them not to cut this, be sure to identify $4 million in other cuts you do support. The county has identified $60 million in cuts (FCPS has identified zero cuts). They have to make some cuts so let then know what cuts you support.

I read they are giving some type of UBI in certain areas so I vote to cut that.

Is UBI the $2 million in universal income given out to the 180 families?

https://wtop.com/fairfax-county/2024/10/a-fairfax-co-pilot-program-is-giving-families-hundreds-of-dollars-every-month-how-are-they-spending-it/

[Anonymous]

Bumping: please write to your SB members and principals about saving the MSAS program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can the middle schools do what elementary PTAs do, and offer after school activities from outside organizations?

Or perhaps fcps can keep the activities but ditch the late busses. Parents who want the activities can pick up their own kids.

I know you mean well PP, but both suggestions revreal an extremely privileged lens. Please take a step back and remember that public schools are meant to provide opportunity and access to all students they serve.

Even when we were dirt poor, and our cars broken, my parents found a way to get us where we needed to be when we needed to be there.

What is privileged is unilaterally deciding that if one kid cannot have nice things, then no kids will have nice things.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mathcounts is parent volunteer led, not teacher led.

I think the big question is if this means cutting the after school busses. Clubs like D&D, Magic the Gathering, and the like could be parent led. That model though leads to the same issues we have in ES where some scholls have lots of PTA sponsored programs and others have little to nothing.

Interesting--at which school is it parent led? I've led it at two different ones over the years (as a teacher).

Carson, there is a Teacher that is officially attached but the people teaching are parent volunteers. At some point in time, I was told that Mathcounts was specifically meant to be volunteer run, but I didn't see anything on the Mathcounts website that states that.

A good number of the clubs really require an adult to be in the room and make sure that the kids are not doing anything problematic. Our ES clubs were all parent run/supervised and there was no problem finding people to run them. We were at a low FARMs school with a good number of SAHP. The PTA led model at ES leads to far fewer activities on offer at poorer ES and more offerings as income at the schools increased. You would run into the same issue at MS if they were to revert to the PTA sponsored method.

DH volunteered to run a club at our ES, he works from home, and we knew a good number of others who did the same. Yes, there was coverage at home but the advantage of a club is socialization and sharing common interests with other kids. They also allow kids to explore new interests. There are SAHP and WFHP are willing to make time for that, even if it is not an option at every school.

[Anonymous]

I'm honestly shocked that fairfax is giving out free money to people. That's not a county govt function.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm honestly shocked that fairfax is giving out free money to people. That's not a county govt function.

Details are hard to find, but it looks like this was funded as a project using federal funds and the pilot ends in March. I'm not seeing any mention of it in the new budget documents. But it doesn't look like they spell out exactly what they are spending $ on in the budget - only what they are reducing. Happy to be proven wrong by someone who has gone through with a fine tooth comb. I didn't see $ for this in there or for the COVID memorial.

[Anonymous]

Previous poster mentioned identifying places to cut before you email or talk to your supervisor. I agree, but I also agree that FCPS needs to identify some areas to cut as well. It's my understanding that FCPS gives their budget ask to the BOS and then FCPS adjusts based on what the BOS adopts - and there's alot of public comment along the way. It's a strange way to do things, but nothing is set in stone. My school board member is aware of the MSAS situation and says they are planning on talking to the BOS. If people raise enough hell, it will be heard. I just think that it's egregious to do this along with the boundary changes while federal workers are being strung through the wringer, losing jobs along with housing equity. For pete's sake please give us a break!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:County also cutting the affordable (and few are now even at rec centers) middle school VIP 5 week summer camp, which has been at 5 middle schools- so not even reducing to 1 school, but cutting all. By report numbers, will “save” exactly the cost of the artist fee for the memorial=$200,000.

This is $200K in addition to the costs associated with the Middle School After School program, as VIP is technically an FCPS camp.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, Fairfax County is NOT proposing to cut all after school programs at middle schools. They're proposing to cut after school programs designed specifically for at-risk youth.

https://www.fcps.edu/activities/middle-school-student-activities

Check your facts. The budget proposal states that this program would be eliminated precisely because schools are offering more alternatives. Jesus, this entire thread is disinformation.

This reduction eliminates the Middle School AfterSchool (MSAS) program at middle schools throughout the County. MSAS program is designed to meet student needs for a safe, supervised learning environment after the regular school day. The program is funded by NCS and administered by the Fairfax County Public Schools. Programming is provided five days week and runs from the end of day school bell until 4:30pm. Late bus transportation is provided by FCPS four days per week. FCPS has been expanding its offering of after-school programs, including clubs, activities and school sports, outside of MSAS program that could offer viable alternatives for teens to participate in structured and safe activities. This reduction also includes eliminating the funding provided for expanded parent liaison hours as well as funding supporting the MentorWorks initiative. FCPS will need to identify resources if they wish to continue the MSAS program or these other initiatives in the current form.

Literally the only after school program that is not part of this is Cross-country and starting this fall, Track & Field. Athletics are new to middle school, but after school clubs and after school club sports will be cut. This includes the basketball that I mentioned earlier, drama, speech, study hall, etc....

This is correct. The MSAS Specialist is the administrator to all after school programs at their middle school, everything comes out of their budget (except sports), which is on the chopping block. This was an odd partnership where the MSAS was jointly funded by FCPS and the County (the county was the major funder). The county is cutting their portion which would eliminate the program (to include full-time positions) unless FCPS steps in to fund the program outright. Everything outside of middle school athletics, is under the MSAS banner. For all kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree that these programs or after school busses could be cut in favor of having funds for other priorities like teacher raises

- or maintaining FCPS’ costly DEI office and its 60+ full time staff.

[Anonymous]

This has to be, at least in part, because they're pushing middle school start times back, right? I am trying to follow the thread and people keep saying not to conflate these two separate issues, but if middle school ends at 4:30 (or whatever later time they land on), won't that really reduce the time for such after school activities? Which would be a huge shame, of course, but middle schoolers probably have homework and other commitments later in the afternoon and evening, right? I am an elementary school parent so I'm not in this phase yet, just trying to understand.

[Anonymous]

I'm sure this gave them the idea that parents would prefer later start times to the more expensive after school programs. Middle school is the only years with after-school bases. I have no idea why those parents of middle schoolers fighting for later start times kept thinking they were being ripped off compared to other grades when in fact it's the most funded after school program of all 13 years.