Resolution of Appreciation: Celebrating the Importance of Teachers

Thank You TeachersDear Colleagues:

Board resolutions are not unusual at School Board meetings, but the resolution our Board unanimously approved at our April 28 work session was anything but ordinary.

It gave us a public opportunity to celebrate the importance of our teachers. This is a topic that frequently comes up at our meetings because we cannot discuss the quality of our programs or services or the achievements of our students without recognizing the catalytic role of our teachers. Continue reading

Board Approves Revised 2014-15 School Year Calendar

Calendar UpdateAt their regularly scheduled meeting on May 8, 2014, the School Board approved a revised calendar for the 2014-15 school year. The revised calendar designates five days during the school year as inclement weather make-up days, as follows: January 20, February 16, April 3, and June 8 and 9. This decision considered the views of community members who responded to a recent online survey, as well as the many email messages sent to the Board over the last month. View the approved 2014-15 School Year Calendar.

Letter from School Board Chairman Ned Gallaway

Ned GallawayDear Colleagues:

From the perspectives of a former teacher, a parent of children in our school division, and as the School Board chair, I can talk about the value of our teachers from several vantage points. They all lead to the same conclusion—the contribution of our teachers to the quality of our public educational system in Albemarle County is something to celebrate every single week. Continue reading

Next Year’s School Calendar

Ned GallawayDear Members of Our School Community:

This year the Albemarle County School Board extended the school year to June 12th to compensate for lost instructional time when schools were closed due to adverse weather conditions. This extension allowed us to meet state requirements and was consistent with the policy we announced when the school year began back in August. Continue reading

Public Comment Period Extended for Proposed 2014-15 Make-up Days

2014-15 Make-up DaysAt its meeting on April 10, 2014, the Albemarle County School Board decided to extend the period of time for public comment on the proposed make-up days for the 2014-15 school calendar. This follows an earlier decision by the Board to consider building in several scheduled inclement weather make-up days in next year’s calendar. Continue reading

School Board Urges General Assembly to Support Balanced Student Assessments

Performance TaskIn its annual meeting with state legislators who represent Albemarle County in 2012, the School Board briefed legislators on the need for more balanced and relevant student assessments beyond the Standards of Learning (SOL) tests now in use across the state. As a result of the meeting, legislation was filed in the General Assembly that would eventually give school divisions the option of employing performance-based assessments to measure and align student learning with college and workforce readiness. Continue reading