tubby Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> No way, dude, I couldn't get by on Jack Dale's
> salary, let alone what a rank and file FCPS
> employee makes.
>
> And my last kid graduated in '85....I couldn't
> even name my school board member.
>
> The big question is: Why don't some of YOU
> unhappy motherfuckers run for the School Board?
>
> Oh wait, I already the answer....non-stop bitching
> is easier than getting off your dead asses and
> doing something to "fix" FCPS.

If your last kid graduated in 1985, you are way too old to be using the word "dude" on this message board. It's a slippery slope, and you have to stop now before you hurt yourself.

Dude Patrol Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> tubby Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > No way, dude, I couldn't get by on Jack Dale's
> > salary, let alone what a rank and file FCPS
> > employee makes.
> >
> > And my last kid graduated in '85....I couldn't
> > even name my school board member.
> >
> > The big question is: Why don't some of YOU
> > unhappy motherfuckers run for the School Board?
> >
> > Oh wait, I already the answer....non-stop
> bitching
> > is easier than getting off your dead asses and
> > doing something to "fix" FCPS.
>
> If your last kid graduated in 1985, you are way
> too old to be using the word "dude" on this
> message board. It's a slippery slope, and you
> have to stop now before you hurt yourself.


Wow man*, you're right...Thanks! I've been hanging around here too long!

* "man" goes way back before I was around.

Dude Patrol Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> tubby Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > No way, dude, I couldn't get by on Jack Dale's
> > salary, let alone what a rank and file FCPS
> > employee makes.
> >
> > And my last kid graduated in '85....I couldn't
> > even name my school board member.
> >
> > The big question is: Why don't some of YOU
> > unhappy motherfuckers run for the School Board?
> >
> > Oh wait, I already the answer....non-stop
> bitching
> > is easier than getting off your dead asses and
> > doing something to "fix" FCPS.
>
> If your last kid graduated in 1985, you are way
> too old to be using the word "dude" on this
> message board. It's a slippery slope, and you
> have to stop now before you hurt yourself.


Tubby, time to go to sleep.

Once again, FCPS fails to do the right thing for our students. Even though the research shows that our grading scale is hurting our students in college admissions, and college scholarships, Dr.Dale is recommending that it not be changed. Since our school board works for Dale and staff, they will support this no change policy.

Read Fairgrades excellent response here, the fist pdf file:
[www.fairgrade.org]

Please remember this when the school board begs you to lobby the board of supervisors to increase your taxes so that they can have more money to waste, more money to spend against your best interests. Refusing to change the grading scale just took money out of the pocket of every parent who hopes to send their child to college. They don't care about the students or the parents yet they will expect you to want to pay more in taxes so that they can have more money for their big, fancy, second, staff office building, and millions more for their ever expanding, useless, bureaucracy. They need a raise in pay, but you don't need to save money on college tuition. Just another thumb to the eye from FCPS.

The Fairgrade problem was so easy to fix. All Dale needed to do was change the scale so that our students are competitive with the rest of the State and the rest of the country. Was that too much to ask of Dale? He needs to help students, not hurt students.

One big ass hole that needs to go.

Lee Dad Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The Fairgrade problem was so easy to fix. All Dale
> needed to do was change the scale so that our
> students are competitive with the rest of the
> State and the rest of the country. Was that too
> much to ask of Dale? He needs to help students,
> not hurt students.
>
> One big ass hole that needs to go.

Just received news from Fairfax CAPS that FAIRGRADE gave Dale an "F" for not throughouly analyzing the data the FCPS 120 pages came up with and he not supporting the 10 point grading scale. Way to go, Dale. He really needs to go.

Did they use a 10 point or a 6 point grading scale? See my post in FCPS - school board on notice thread.

I just want the grading system to be fair. I want the 10 point system.

The one that the rest of the country is moving to...

Lets say you have two students,

Identical twins separated at birth (Long story)

Frank from Fairfax and Peter from Prince William.

Both are taught by teachers who happen to be identical twins and got thier certifications from identical universities

Both Frank and Peter take a Math class and take a exam of 100 questions.

Both get 93 questions correct. That pretty good!!

Now they both take thier SAT and they both get 1350 on it (Math/Verbal). (Now this is due to the fact that they where taught by teachers with identical skills/certifications).

So now they both apply for scholarships at the university.

But wait, Frank went to school in fairfax. His GPA is a 3.5 for getting 93 questions correct. Peter went to school in Prince William his GPA is 4.0

Soooo.....

Peter gets a full scholarship because his GPA is 4.0 with a 1350 SAT score.

Peter is now a Engineer

Frank, well he got nothing. The scholarship cutoff was 3.6, he still lives in his mothers basement.

He now is a fry cook at the local burger joint.

Thank you Fairfax County.

The problem is most schools for merit/honor scholarships have strict guidelines that do not take into consideration "Unique" grading systems.

Fairfax county grading system even puts your child at a disadvantage when applying for corporate scholarships.

Its not fair, but it is reality.

And no. Most universities do NOT convert. They don't have time to.

Why would anyone believe that a university, with thousands of applicants, takes the time to redo every GPA before they make their first cut? Of course they don't.

Please wake up folks, Dale and the school board are costing you thousands of dollars in scholarship money by refusing to do this very simple thing, change the grading scale so that our kids have the same deal as every other student in the state and nation. Why is doing the right thing so very difficult for FCPS?

space Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I just want the grading system to be fair. I want
> the 10 point system.
>
> The one that the rest of the country is moving
> to...
>
> Lets say you have two students,
>
> Identical twins separated at birth (Long story)
>
> Frank from Fairfax and Peter from Prince William.
>
> Both are taught by teachers who happen to be
> identical twins and got thier certifications from
> identical universities
>
> Both Frank and Peter take a Math class and take a
> exam of 100 questions.
>
> Both get 93 questions correct. That pretty good!!
>
> Now they both take thier SAT and they both get
> 1350 on it (Math/Verbal). (Now this is due to the
> fact that they where taught by teachers with
> identical skills/certifications).
>
> So now they both apply for scholarships at the
> university.
>
> But wait, Frank went to school in fairfax. His GPA
> is a 3.5 for getting 93 questions correct. Peter
> went to school in Prince William his GPA is 4.0
>
> Soooo.....
>
> Peter gets a full scholarship because his GPA is
> 4.0 with a 1350 SAT score.
>
> Peter is now a Engineer
>
> Frank, well he got nothing. The scholarship cutoff
> was 3.6, he still lives in his mothers basement.
>
> He now is a fry cook at the local burger joint.
>
> Thank you Fairfax County.
>
> The problem is most schools for merit/honor
> scholarships have strict guidelines that do not
> take into consideration "Unique" grading systems.
>
> Fairfax county grading system even puts your child
> at a disadvantage when applying for corporate
> scholarships.
>
> Its not fair, but it is reality.
>
> And no. Most universities do NOT convert. They
> don't have time to.

You used the wrong system in your analogy. Prince William uses the same scale FCPS does. So do Alexandria City, Loudon and Fauquier. In terms of NoVA, Arlington uses the 10 point I believe. And of course in MD MoCo is the one Fairgrade uses the most for comparisons. (my sisters have kids in both PW and Fauquier so I know about their grading scales, and Fairgrade and the WashPost have addressed that Loudon does).

"Identical twins separated at birth (Long story)

Frank from Fairfax and Peter from *Montgomery. "

there you go.

space Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> "Identical twins separated at birth (Long story)
>
> Frank from Fairfax and Peter from *Montgomery. "
>
> there you go.

I still find it interesting that no one mentions the nearby districts that do use the FCPS scale. When folks claim "most in the nation" use the 10 point, and focus on nearby districts that use the 10 point while ignoring the local ones that use the 6 point it somewhat makes their point moot.

In addition, FCPS has used this system for about 30 years. Why now? What about those districts that also use the 6 point (or perhaps 7 point) scale?

Do colleges understand only MoCo and Arlington and not understand FCPS, Alexandria City, Prince William, Loudoun, and Fauquier? As well as other districts, public and private that use the 6 point scale across the nation?

After the huge turn out by the FAIRGRADE folks last night, Dale better go back to his office in Gatehouse I.

Lee Dad Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The Fairgrade problem was so easy to fix. All Dale
> needed to do was change the scale so that our
> students are competitive with the rest of the
> State and the rest of the country. Was that too
> much to ask of Dale? He needs to help students,
> not hurt students.
>
> One big ass hole that needs to go.

Can he take the school board with him? Without removing them too, they'll just hire another Dale.

Dale spoke with school board members before this report and recommendation came out. He's just doing what the board wants him to do. They don't want to change the grading scale, so staff made sure to reflect that in their recommendations.

Yes, it would have such an easy thing to do help FC students, and their parents. Heaven forbid our school board EVER do anything to help students or anything that saves parents some money.

Neen Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Lee Dad Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > The Fairgrade problem was so easy to fix. All
> Dale
> > needed to do was change the scale so that our
> > students are competitive with the rest of the
> > State and the rest of the country. Was that too
> > much to ask of Dale? He needs to help students,
> > not hurt students.
> >
> > One big ass hole that needs to go.
>
> Can he take the school board with him? Without
> removing them too, they'll just hire another Dale.
>
>
> Dale spoke with school board members before this
> report and recommendation came out. He's just
> doing what the board wants him to do. They don't
> want to change the grading scale, so staff made
> sure to reflect that in their recommendations.
>
> Yes, it would have such an easy thing to do help
> FC students, and their parents. Heaven forbid our
> school board EVER do anything to help students or
> anything that saves parents some money.

We need to get rid of Dale and the entire school board. We need new people who are honest,have new ideas and who care about the students.

Lee dad Wrote:


> We need to get rid of Dale and the entire school
> board. We need new people who are honest,have new
> ideas and who care about the students.

Amen Lee dad!!!!

Fairfax Board Leans Toward New Grading Scale

By Michael Alison Chandler
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, January 13, 2009; B08



A majority of Fairfax County School Board members yesterday indicated their desire to ease the county's tough grading scale, a sign that thousands of parents who seek change might win a victory.

"There appears to be consensus that we need to change the grading scale," said board member Kathy L. Smith (Sully). But members disagreed on what the new scale should look like. They plan to ask Superintendent Jack D. Dale to research alternatives and push for a change by next school year.

The 12-member board plans to vote on the grading policy Jan. 22.

A groundswell of parents have urged the school system, which requires a 94 for an A and a 64 to pass, to adopt the more broadly used practice of giving an A for 90 or better and setting 60 as the passing score. They also have argued that Fairfax should add extra points to the grade-point averages of those who take honors courses or college-level classes. They maintain that the current policy puts students at a disadvantage when they apply to colleges and for scholarships.

On Jan. 2, Dale recommended changing how the school system calculates GPAs but not the grading scale.

In a work session yesterday, board members listed advantages of changing the scale and advantages of keeping it. The list of reasons offered for change was twice as long. For example, members said a change would align Fairfax with other school systems and lessen parents' confusion. But an advantage to keeping the scale, some said, would be that students would work harder for better grades.

Some parents applauded yesterday's development.

"The School Board understands that parents have lost confidence in the grading policy," said Catherine Lorenze, a spokeswoman for Fairgrade, a group advocating change.

I say let them sleep 'til noon and give them all A's.

Would that make you sumbitches happy?

Now that you ask, a scholarship would be nice too.

This is what I think, Dale was a DICK, Is a DICK and will always be a DICK.

He needs to change the six point grading system that FCPS has to a ten point system in order to make things even for our students.

Does anyone know what Dale is going to do with a three hundread million dollar short fall with the 09/10 budget?

I dont know about Jack Dale but the teachers and admin at Ravensworth Elementary School are lying about reading evaluations in the first grade. They are claiming 3 students in particular are only reading at DRA2 10 (translated that means beginning of first grade level) when 2 of the three were evaluated last Spring by another school as DRA2 28- 34 (translated that means end of second grade middle of third grade).

So we try to get extra instruction for them because they are bored as hell and all we get is stall nonsense. Anyone else have the joy of being lied to at this or another school?

Have you considered moving? Ravensworth is not one of the better schools in the county. Not that any of them care about GT kids. They don't. They like their parents even less. Sad, but true.

Dale and the SB need to wake up and smell the coffee.


The question to be asked by Dale and the SB is why are there so many parents in such vigorous revolt. Parents everywhere have always loved their children and looked out for their interests. But I doubt that any school system has ever seen such ongoing broadly supported revolt against its leadership as we have had in Fairfax in the last several years. Why is that, do you suppose?

Is it because of parental concern about school leadership making hard, necessary corrections to a failing system.


No, the problem is that Dale an our elected school board in Fairfax is composed of members who believe it is their job to impose their wisdom upon constituents, rather than respond to our wishes. Other school boards realize their job is to do what voters want. Dale and our school board openly taunts parents with its ability (so far) to do what it wants, in direct opposition to parents' wishes.

At the same time Dale helps this SB make wrong decisions regarding our children.

Oh, so FCPS is a "failing" system?

I wish you assholes could see a "failing" school system. Truly horrible ores that have been taken over by the State.

Meanwhile, it is absolutely IMPOSSIBLE for FCPS to please every neurotic parent that walks through the door....so they wisely don't try.

tubby Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Oh, so FCPS is a "failing" system?
>
> I wish you assholes could see a "failing" school
> system. Truly horrible ores that have been taken
> over by the State.
>
> Meanwhile, it is absolutely IMPOSSIBLE for FCPS to
> please every neurotic parent that walks through
> the door....so they wisely don't try.


Tubby it is time for you to go to sleep.

If parents are so upset with the school board members, why have they been voted back in year after year?

If so many people are upset with their performance, vote them out. That simple. Maybe one of these parents from either SLEEP, FAIRGRADE, REDISTRICTING, etc. should run for a board position and do a better job.

Most of the county voters are democrats and will vote for anyone the party tells them to vote for. That's how we all got stuck with these idiots on the school board. All they need is their name on the democrat sample ballot and they get elected and re-elected. Dumb voters, that keeps them in office and keeps them hiring people Dale to run their show.

Democrats are dumb Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Most of the county voters are democrats and will
> vote for anyone the party tells them to vote for.
> That's how we all got stuck with these idiots on
> the school board. All they need is their name on
> the democrat sample ballot and they get elected
> and re-elected. Dumb voters, that keeps them in
> office and keeps them hiring people Dale to run
> their show.


And Republican voters don't do the same thing?

All the ones I know do...

Dear Avenger, I am assuming from your post that you are unaware of the legal process in the United States....
It's interesting how an accusation is equated with factual information and thus makes a person an immediate "criminal".
For the record... I am one of the so called "criminals" you addressed in your post.
As far as getting us "criminals" out of the school system, I was sent home the following morning, placed on leave without pay, without as much as an opportunity to explain or defend myself. I have discovered that "innocent til proven guilty" is merely lip service.
I have paid for a crime I did not commit every day for the last eight months- lost my job, my home, my car, was dismissed from another job when they heard of the charges against me, and the list goes on...
The story printed in the newspaper is far from what really happened the night of May 8th. The account of the events was written in a way to protect the identity of a drug dealer who was working with the cops to set me up in order to earn his own freedom and give fcpd an attention grabbing news release.
Unfortunately, the outcome of the case did not receive much attention and still left out important information but here is the link:
http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=324402&paper=62&cat=104
My email is listed; feel free to contact me with any questions, concerns, comments.
Oh, and for the record, I am not a criminal. I am someone who was called out of bed to give a "friend" a ride ... wrong place, wrong time....
As the old adage states, "No good deed goes unpunished"...

Avenger Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Criminals in FCPS Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > When is Dale going to get the criminals out of
> > FCPS?
> >
> > Such as:
> > .....

> > Oh and let's not forget the Chanilly teacher
> who
> > was busted last week trying to buy meth.
> >
> >
> > Did he give all of the above pay raises?
>
> When Dale is fired from FCPS, I hope he gets
> another job and takes all of the criminals in the
> FCPS system with him.
>
>

I wonder if Dale knows what FCPS at each level that perform very poorly.

The bigger question is, what is he doing about it?

Has anyone seen Barbara Hollingsworth article in the DC Examiner?

[www.dcexaminer.com]

Let your voices be heard in the comment section below the article.

I find it totally unacceptable for the FCSB to say they are cutting cost...and "oh by the way," class size will be increased and important programs will be slashed.

But don't touch our little pot of $$$$ because we have so many administrators we have to have a new building. Get real. When people are losing their homes, their jobs, their cars, their health insurance and this Board wants a new administration building? Where are their ethics and moral judgments?

Rachael Smith Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Dear Avenger, I am assuming from your post that
> you are unaware of the legal process in the United
> States....
> It's interesting how an accusation is equated with
> factual information and thus makes a person an
> immediate "criminal".
> For the record... I am one of the so called
> "criminals" you addressed in your post.
> As far as getting us "criminals" out of the school
> system, I was sent home the following morning,
> placed on leave without pay, without as much as an
> opportunity to explain or defend myself. I have
> discovered that "innocent til proven guilty" is
> merely lip service.
> I have paid for a crime I did not commit every day
> for the last eight months- lost my job, my home,
> my car, was dismissed from another job when they
> heard of the charges against me, and the list goes
> on...
> The story printed in the newspaper is far from
> what really happened the night of May 8th. The
> account of the events was written in a way to
> protect the identity of a drug dealer who was
> working with the cops to set me up in order to
> earn his own freedom and give fcpd an attention
> grabbing news release.
> Unfortunately, the outcome of the case did not
> receive much attention and still left out
> important information but here is the link:
> http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?ar
> ticle=324402&paper=62&cat=104
> My email is listed; feel free to contact me with
> any questions, concerns, comments.
> Oh, and for the record, I am not a criminal. I am
> someone who was called out of bed to give a
> "friend" a ride ... wrong place, wrong time....
> As the old adage states, "No good deed goes
> unpunished"...
>

> The whole 'wrong place/wrong time' excuse sounds highly suspect to me. I mean, first off, why would you plead guilty to misdemeanor a paraphernalia charge if you are completely inncocent? Answer: Because you're guilty. You had the Paraph. and other bags of a 'crystal like' substance in your bag. Fortunately, the state and the lab fucked up on the results and couldn't prove it was Crystal; All they had you on was the misd. paraph. charge, which you gladly pled guilty to, rather than risk a felony poss. trial and possible conviction by jury. The only reason you said no to smoking it is probably because you only snort the shit, or you realized it was a cop and tried to back out of the deal. I forgive you; Everyone fucks up. Just don't lie about it, admit your shit, and stop blaming it on your junkie snitch boyfriend. Haven't you ever heard of the old adage, 'Birds of feather'?

BTW, If you don't think you look like a meth head in this pic...you are crazy!
http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/0508/518416.html

My bad...you didn't have baggies in your purse. You had a makeup container in it with a substance they were unable to prove ( and present in court) was methamphetamine; Hence the paraph. charge. Or as your lawyer eloquently put it, 'a container that could have been used to store drugs' LOL!!!!


Get real!!!

"Dale needs to go. The School Board needs to go. How can they justify Gatehouse II with a $300 million budget deficit? It's a wonder our school system even functions at all."

Too bad it doesn't function very well for students. It's great for the administrators!

"At the same time Dale and the School Board are packing kids into schools like sardines, they want to provide the Club Med experience for themselves and their administrative staff. It is time to stop this craziness. NO TO GATEHOUSE II! If we are going to be packing 35 kids into a classroom, it is time to start doubling up on cubicles in TAJ MAHAL I."

Once again Dale is on the wrong side of an issue. Fairgrade wins and he has to cave in to half of the parents in fairfax county.
What a shit head he is.

This school board and Jack Dale are way out of control during a time when the rule should be fiscal restraint. We must say no to this TAJ MAHAL and say yes to more teachers, yes to decreased class room size and yes to less portable trailers.

I suggest the budget cuts should start with whatever money the taxpayers are wasting on Dr. Dale's salary. He's clearly shown he's not up to the task of responsibly managing the taxpayers' money for the betterment of our school system. Rather, he blindly administers the ridiculous policies of our illustrious school board, whose members arrogantly believe they have no accountability to anyone. Let's put them all on notice that we're paying attention to their decisions and discussions, and their elitist attitudes, underhanded tactics and lack of true concern for improving the educational environment will no longer be tolerated by the voters of this county.

Budget Cuts Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Rather, he blindly administers the ridiculous
> policies of our illustrious school board, whose
> members arrogantly believe they have no
> accountability to anyone.


That's his job!

The Superintendant serves at the pleasure of the School Board!

Dale was hired by, and will eventually be fired by the School Board. But his replacement will also "blindly administer the ridiculous policies" of the School Board....IT'S WHAT THE JOB IS!!!

Your only solution is to run for a seat on the School Board. Unfortuneately, that's takes considerably more effort than whining on some internet forum...

tubby Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Budget Cuts Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Rather, he blindly administers the ridiculous
> > policies of our illustrious school board, whose
> > members arrogantly believe they have no
> > accountability to anyone.
>
>
> That's his job!
>
> The Superintendant serves at the pleasure of the
> School Board!
>
> Dale was hired by, and will eventually be fired by
> the School Board. But his replacement will also
> "blindly administer the ridiculous policies" of
> the School Board....IT'S WHAT THE JOB IS!!!
>
> Your only solution is to run for a seat on the
> School Board. Unfortuneately, that's takes
> considerably more effort than whining on some
> internet forum...

Tubby you are the biggest cry baby on this site. All bullshit.

Lee Dad Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Tubby you are the biggest cry baby on this site.
> All bullshit.

No Lee Dad, you are the biggest cry baby on this site. You seem to have a personal vendetta against Jack Dale. What's the story?

NotTubby Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Lee Dad Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Tubby you are the biggest cry baby on this site.
>
> > All bullshit.
>
> No Lee Dad, you are the biggest cry baby on this
> site. You seem to have a personal vendetta
> against Jack Dale. What's the story?

Here is one reason:

FCPS has become the haves and the have nots. Our schools are imbalanced racially and economically due to a lack of interest by Dale and The SB.

The statistics are startling. The racial breakdown among FCPS students is as follows:

White 50.2%
Asian 17.40%
Black 10.80%
Latino 16.00%
Other 4.90%

Our top 1/3 of our high schools (8 schools), have the following average percentages; 66% White, 4.76% Black, and 7% Hispanic.

Half the county proportion of Black students. Less than half the proportion of Latinos.

Why do we have segregated schools? Who allowed this to happen?

Jack Dale. Change is coming.

Lee Dad Wrote:
> Why do we have segregated schools? Who allowed
> this to happen?
>

Schools are populated with students who live in the area surrounding the school. Each and every neighborhood in Fairfax County is NOT racially balanced, that's the way life is. So, how can the school be? Any particular school only reflects the people who live in that boundary. Do you suggest busing in order to balance each school perfectly?

NotTubby Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Lee Dad Wrote:
> > Why do we have segregated schools? Who allowed
> > this to happen?
> >
>
> Schools are populated with students who live in
> the area surrounding the school. Each and every
> neighborhood in Fairfax County is NOT racially
> balanced, that's the way life is. So, how can the
> school be? Any particular school only reflects
> the people who live in that boundary. Do you
> suggest busing in order to balance each school
> perfectly?



Let's see...who determines the boundaries??? Oh yea, the SCHOOL BOARD!!!!!!!

Look at some of the borders-they are absurd. It looks like a blind person drew them-no offense to the blind.

Why does Fairfax Station (the island) go to Woodson and not Robinson???

Are you listening Tessie?????????? I thought we were eliminating "islands".

OUr bottom tier schools SUCK. Unfortunately they are filled with inert parents who don't complain. So the resources and the better teachers are sent to Langley, McLean, Woodson, etc.

This gap will continue to grow because this school board and this superintendent are MORONS. Plain and simple.

I'm sorry, I still do not see how this is all Jack Dale's fault or the school board's for that matter. People with children buy houses in neighborhoods with schools they wish their children to attend, for whatever reason. The only time the school board screws up is when they try to manufacture racial balance, economic balance, intelligence balance, special ed balance, etc. Instead of trying to make everyone "the same" in each school, the board should focus on why a particular school is underperforming, instead of lowering the standards of higher performing schools by screwing with the "balance".

NotTubby Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'm sorry, I still do not see how this is all Jack
> Dale's fault or the school board's for that
> matter. People with children buy houses in
> neighborhoods with schools they wish their
> children to attend, for whatever reason. The only
> time the school board screws up is when they try
> to manufacture racial balance, economic balance,
> intelligence balance, special ed balance, etc.
> Instead of trying to make everyone "the same" in
> each school, the board should focus on why a
> particular school is underperforming, instead of
> lowering the standards of higher performing
> schools by screwing with the "balance".


You say it is not Jack Dale or the School Board's fault that many of our schools suck? It is not their fault that we are not educating Blacks and Hispanics as well as Whites? Whose fault is it then?

Silly me. I thought since FCPS shelled out over $13k per student that these kids would get a pretty good education. I am miffed why 1400 kids dropped out of our high schools last year if they are getting such a "great education".

When I hear Jack Dale brag to the school board (exact quote) "We should be dancing in the streets at our test scores"; yet in some of our schools we have 50% failure rates on some SOLs. What exactly are we celebrating?

Who is accountable for the 1400 students who drop out?

I guess I come from the business world, I don't have one of these fancy PHDs in Education. I am trying to imagine what Steve Jobs at Apple would do if the Macs and Ipods coming off the assemby line were defective at a rate of 50%. I wonder if he would be high-fiving the managers at the plant telling them what a great job they were doing.

Poor people are not prone to stupidity. Neither are Blacks or Latinos. Our Latinos often outperform our Black students on many Reading SOL scores-so spare me the "they don't speak english excuse".

FCPS FAILS way too many students and to brag about test scores when a lot of kids are being in fact "Left Behind" is grounds for dismissal in my book. Dale is either delusional or incompetent and he needs to be shown the door.

So, if I understand correctly...the problems with all the children who are failing are the fault of Jack Dale and the school board.

Do the parents take any responsibility? Do the students take any responsibility? Do the teachers take any responsibility? Does the community take any responsibility?

Why is the county so quick to blame the people they voted into office and never take any personal responsibility for anything?

I know, its always someone else's fault....my kid didn't pass (it's the teacher's fault), my kid got drunk (it was his friend's fault), my kid got suspended (it was the principal's fault).... and on and on and on.... that's all anyone knows in this county.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20090128/us_time/08599187426600

Are you dumbasses happy now?

Seems to me that, if your precious snowflake was smart enough, there shouldn't be a problem with them passing.

Otherwise, congratulations! Keep lowering the standards for your kids, and they'll start to expect the world to accommodate their soft, pathetic little needs instead of working harder.

It is a waste of one's time to engage in an intellectual discussion about public education when the posters are angry childless males who haven't a clue.

You would think as taxpayers they would be outraged that the school district just spent $12k per year on a kid only to have them drop out of school in the tenth grade.

Clearly someone didn't do their job in the schools. And yet we never hear them taking responsibility for these failures. Why is that? Why does FCPS only talk about their successes?

It seems that an organization is destined for failure if they never address their shortcomings.

If anybody is failing the kids, it's their parents. The parents are responsible for the kid doing their homework, getting tutors, et cetera. Most importantly, they have the responsibility to instill the discipline necessary to make it in a cold and unforgiving world.

Instead, these lazy little pricks are going to grow up with a sense of entitlement, believing the world is fair.

*******************************SPOILER ALERT********************************


















It isn't.

First of all, don't assume anything about me. I am not male and I do have 3 children currently in FCPS (not one of the "elite" neighborhood schools, just two of the regular good schools that the county has - middle and high school - that we like just fine thank you). My children do well (even with the current grade scale), participate in some extracurricular activities and each have a good group of friends (of varying races by the way).

Don't preach to me about how it's the school board's job to make sure everybody passes.... guess what, it's the parent's job to raise their kids to be good productive citizens, it's the student's job to be prepared for class, study and do their homework, and it's the community's job to elect leaders who will listen and respond appropriately

Dale selected Bill Curran as the head AD for all FCPS. Just another major mistake by Dale.

Why is Bill Curran cutting indoor track and gymnastics only in FCPS sports? Is he bias against girl sports? No cuts for football, baseball and other sports. Why?

If he is going to cut sports, he needs to make the cuts across all sports, not just track and gymnastics. Once again he plays favorites and shows no leadership.

I suggest to the groups that he is cutting, they need to take legal action against him and Dale.

Does anyone know when Dale's contract is up for renewal?

Please tell me he is getting canned.

please say it is close Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Does anyone know when Dale's contract is up for
> renewal?
>
> Please tell me he is getting canned.

Not soon enough for me.

Track is one of the only high school sports left where poor kids can participate . All you need is a pair of running shoes, a jersey and shorts. It's also impossible to play politics. I guess -- doh-- that's the point.

W is for WESTFIELDS! Lots of Pregnant TEENS! K is for KOMPRESSOR I LIKE TO MAKE BABIES!

KOMPRESSOR Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> W is for WESTFIELDS! Lots of Pregnant TEENS! K
> is for KOMPRESSOR I LIKE TO MAKE BABIES!


Kompressor=Ferfux=troll

WTF is for WHAT THE FUCK! It is PRO-FAN-ITY! K is for KOMPRESSOR! I do it all for ME!

This prick makes almost $400,000 with his total pay package from FCPS.

At the same time teachers are taking pay cuts and being layed off.He need to take a 20 percent pay cut or he needs to go.

What is our School Board doing? They are short this budget year $250 million dollars, They are cutting programs, No pay raises for teachers, Teachers are being laid off, No money for unsafe schools, No summer school and the list goes on an on.

But look what they are doing for Jack Dale? He is making as much as the President of the United States. The only thing Dale does not have now is a private jet and a full time driver for his car.

Please read below:

The School Board hired Superintendent Dale in May 2004. The Board amended his employment contract on December 21, 2005. This second contract expires on June 30, 2010, unless Dale or the School Board terminate it before then.

Dale’s total annual compensation includes an annual salary that is approaching $300,000 (the exact amount for 2009 is not specified in the contract), $46,000 per year for a tax-deferred annuity account, $16,000 per year for a deferred compensation plan, 26 days of paid vacation, 14 paid sick days, free life insurance, free long-term disability insurance, free health insurance, a car for business and personal use, civil liability coverage to cover damages and other expenses incurred by Dale, plus professional membership fees.

What a waste of money.

Dale please tell us what you are going to do with these 32 administrative centers?

Who owns them? How much staff at each location? What is the maintenance costs for each building? How many will be closed? What will be done with the buildings that are closed?

Lots of questions, with few answers from Dale and the FCPS system.


1
ACE Learning Lab
map | special programs
416 Elden Street
Herndon, VA 20170
703-707-9230


2
Adult and Community Education (ACE)
map | special programs
6815 Edsall Rd
Springfield, VA 22151



3
Brown Building
map | special programs
9735 Main Street
Fairfax, VA 22031
703-277-2626


4
Centreville Adult Center
map | special programs
5775 Spindle Ct
Centreville, VA 20121
703-227-2340


5
City Square Building
map | special programs
10640 Page Ave
Suite 300
Fairfax, VA 22030
703-246-6906


6
Devonshire Center - Admin Center
map | special programs
2831 Graham Rd
Falls Church, VA 22042
703-876-5254


7
Dunn Loring Center
map | special programs
2334 Gallows Rd
Dunn Loring, VA 22027
703-204-3800


8
Edison Support Center
map | special programs
5805 Franconia Road
Alexandria, VA 22310



9
Energy Zone Center
map | special programs
6840 Industrial Rd
Springfield, VA 22151
703-813-4800


10
Forbes Center
map | special programs
8001 Forbes Place
Springfield, VA 22151
703-426-3900


11
Forte Support Center
map | special programs
6800B Industrial Rd
Springfield, VA 22151
703-658-3602


12
Gatehouse Administration Center I
map | directory | special programs
8115 Gatehouse Road
Falls Church, VA 22042
571-423-1000


13
Herndon Support Center
map | special programs
397 Herndon Parkway
Herndon, VA 20170
703-467-5200


14
Human Resources Center
map | special programs
8115 Gatehouse Rd
Falls Church, VA 22042
571-423-3000


15
IPSC - Instructional Program Support Center
map | special programs
6732 Industrial Rd
Springfield, VA 22151
703-916-6960


16
ISD Springfield Annex
map | special programs
6732 Industrial Rd
Springfield, VA 22151
703-916-6960


17
Lacey Center
map | special programs
3705 Crest Dr
Annandale, VA 22003
703-846-8600


18
Leis Center
map | special programs
7423 Camp Alger Ave
Falls Church, VA 22042
703-208-7700


19
Lorton Center
map | special programs
8101 Lorton Rd
Lorton, VA 22079
703-446-2000


20
Massey Building Annex
map | special programs
4080 Chain Bridge Road
Fairfax, VA 22030
703-246-2139


21
Old Centreville Crossing Center
map | special programs
13890 Braddock Road
Centreville, VA 20121
703-227-8440


22
Plum Center for Lifelong Learning
map | special programs
6815 Edsall Rd
Springfield, VA 22151



23
Providence Hill Center
map | special programs
10301 Democracy Lane
Fairfax, VA 22030
703-219-2424


24
School Board Room at Jackson Middle
map | special programs
3020 Gallows Rd
Falls Church, VA 22042



25
Sideburn Support Center
map | special programs
5025 Sideburn Rd
Fairfax, VA 22032
703-764-2405


26
Sprague Technology Center
map | special programs
4414 Holborn Ave
Annandale, VA 22003
703-503-7400


27
Stonecroft Transportation Center
map | special programs
4641 Stonecroft Blvd
Chantilly, VA 20151



28
Virginia Hills Center
map | special programs
6520 Diana Ln
Alexandria, VA 22310
703-329-2500


29
Wilton Woods Center
map | special programs
3701 Franconia Rd
Alexandria, VA 22310
703-329-7400


30
Woodson Annex
map | special programs
4107 Whitacre Rd
Fairfax, VA 22032
703-764-2468


31
Woodson House
map | special programs
9517 Main St
Fairfax, VA 22031
703-503-2500


32
Woodson Support Center
map | special programs
9515 Main Street
Fairfax, VA 22031

32 properties-I thought Gatehouse II was to consolidate offices. We still have 32 after Gatehouse I.

What happened to Burkeholder?

Why does FCPS pick up the tab for adult education? This should be NOVA CC's job. FCPS should not be paying for that. Close that Edsall Road facility.

Montgomery County is cutting 75 administrative position-Fairfax is cutting only 30. How come?

We need answers.

27
Stonecroft Transportation Center
map | special programs
4641 Stonecroft Blvd
Chantilly, VA 20151


This one is easy, it is the bus yard across from Westfield HS

All it is is a big parking lot and diesel fuel pumps. There are some trailers that house half of FCPS Transportation.

If your kid's bus doesn't show up and you call in to find out why, you are talking to somebody in those trailers.

It is not posh by any stretch of the imagination.


25
Sideburn Support Center
map | special programs
5025 Sideburn Rd
Fairfax, VA 22032
703-764-2405

This is the trades shop (carpentry, etc), where the dark green school repair trucks come from.

Once again Dale screws the teachers in the FCPS system.


Class sizes at the elementary, middle, and high school levels will be larger and programs and services will be cut.

High school students will have fewer course offerings from which to choose.

The budget also freezes all employee cost of living allowances and step increases.

Everyone will be hit by this budget crisis.

Everyone but Dale will be hit by his budget cuts. He will bank his almost $500,000 pay.

A couple more off your list:

School Board Room at Jackson Middle
map | special programs
3020 Gallows Rd
Falls Church, VA 22042

This is the big room at Jackson Middle School where the School Board has its public meetings.

Energy Zone Center
map | special programs
6840 Industrial Rd
Springfield, VA 22151
703-813-4800

This is a warehouse in an industrial park. I think it's where all the school food comes from. Yum.

No cuts for Dale Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Once again Dale screws the teachers in the FCPS
> system.
>
>
> Class sizes at the elementary, middle, and high
> school levels will be larger and programs and
> services will be cut.
>
> High school students will have fewer course
> offerings from which to choose.
>
> The budget also freezes all employee cost of
> living allowances and step increases.
>
> Everyone will be hit by this budget crisis.
>
> Everyone but Dale will be hit by his budget cuts.
> He will bank his almost $500,000 pay.

Since Jack Dale is the captain of the FCPS ship and it is going down like the titanic, he needs to go down with it.

In no way am I a Dale apologist, but this has a lot more to do with the structure of the funding our schools receive than any decision Dale has made. Look around the country, it is rare for such a large district to have to rely so heavily on local funding.

Instead of keeping the tax rate steady and building up a rainy day fund for the schools, etc. they kept lowering it with the pie in the sky mentality that property values would keep shooting through the roof. The requisite downturn occurred (obviously bigger than expected) and left the county with a huge deficit. Dale clearly has very little control over that.

Teacher Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> In no way am I a Dale apologist, but this has a
> lot more to do with the structure of the funding
> our schools receive than any decision Dale has
> made. Look around the country, it is rare for such
> a large district to have to rely so heavily on
> local funding.
>
> Instead of keeping the tax rate steady and
> building up a rainy day fund for the schools, etc.
> they kept lowering it with the pie in the sky
> mentality that property values would keep shooting
> through the roof. The requisite downturn occurred
> (obviously bigger than expected) and left the
> county with a huge deficit. Dale clearly has very
> little control over that.

But he has control over his bulging staff, he has control over closing schools that are under capacity, he has control over the eight IB schools that produce very little for what is spent on them, therefore he should cut four of them and make them AP schools.

He has lots of control, but does very little.

We are ready for change in FCPS.

Why not two IB schools, two real magnets, at each end of the county? IB at Mount Vernon and South Lakes or Marshall, schools for students who are serious about getting the IB diploma. Make the other schools the cheaper, and more popular, AP program.

Cut half the administrators in the instruction office. I have no doubt that anyone in the county will suffer with 'only' 200 curriculum specialists. I have no doubt that anyone will even notice their absence, but it will save millions.

Use only reading and math programs that have been proven to work, that will cut the number of students who will later need special ed. Again, saving millions.

Stop the silly foreign language in elementary schools and put the money into tutoring kids across the county who aren't reading at grade level. Which is more important, learning Italian, or learning to read and write English?

Dump the silly "Everyday Math" for REAL math, so that all students are prepared for Algebra by 7th or 8th grade.

Cut one assistant principal and one guidance director at every high school. That will save millions, and no one will notice the difference.

Let every administrator teach two days a month, eliminating the need to pay any substitute teachers. They all have teaching degrees, there's no reason they can't teach occasionally.

There are SO many places to make cuts in the budget that do not involve increasing class sizes or cutting classroom teachers.

Neen-

Some good points above. The foreign language immersion crap should be an extra curricular activity that parents are charged for. We don't have money for fluff like this.

Kathy Smith is a huge cheerleader for this program-she was looking to EXPAND it at last year's budget even though they were eliminating programs for the minority kids-great that she has her priorities straight.

This battle cry that we cannot increase class sizes is just plain unrealistic. Salaries are 85% of our budget-we cannot cut $200 million and not lay off teachers-it is just impossible.

I agree with the idea of eliminating 1 asst princiopal in the high schools-particularly the smaller schools. It should be a per pupil staffing formula not an assumed one principal for each grade level.

We also should look at the millions we spend in the student discipline area. The hearings office is out of control. Principals recommend that about 100 kids be expelled each year from our schools (many for relatively minor infractions). The school board only acts on like 250 cases-which meand over 750 kids are being recommended for expulsion stay in schools. Those hearings are a serious drain on resources. The system is run by Nazis anyways-they uphold EVERY resommendation regardless of how frivolous it is. Let's eliminate the "kangaroo court" and deal with only serious offenses. The principals need to do better job dealing with in house discipline.

Principals recommend that
> about 100 kids be expelled each year from our
> schools (many for relatively minor infractions).
>

Sorry-should be 1000.

Report card for Jack Dale. Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> This is the report card for Jack Dale.
>
>
> Dogwood Elementary
>
> 46% of Black and 44% of Latino 3rd graders failed
> the reading assessments. These numbers are
> significantly higher than the VA averages.
>
> Twice as many 3rd grade boys fail the math tests
> than their female counterparts which is
> inconsistent with Va and division numbers where
> they typically perform the same. Why are boys at
> this school failing at such a disproportionate
> rate?
>
> 63% of Black and 45% of Latino 6th graders fail
> the math SOLs compared to 17% of Whites. That is
> quite a large minority achievement gap-I would
> guess one of the worst in Va.
>
> McNair Elementary
>
> 40% of Black and (you better sit down) 76% of
> Latino 3rd graders fail the reading SOLs. The
> White students failed at a rate of 21% so the
> Latino students are failing at a rate of 3.5 times
> their White counterparts. Again, I would guess one
> of the largest gaps in Va.
>
> Over 1 in 3 Black and Latino 3rd graders fail the
> math assessments-double the failure rate of Va
> school averages.
>
> In 6th grade, 39% of Black students failed the
> reading tests which nearly double what it was the
> year before. This school is going in the wrong
> direction.
>
> 35% of 6th grade Latino students failed the
> reading tests which is three times as many as the
> year before.
>
> 65% of Latinos and 50% of Blacks failed the 6th
> grade math assessments. Are these kids ready for
> middle school with this type of educational
> foundation?
>
> I think not. These schools are a disgrace and for
> you to continue to pontificate about what a great
> education these kids are getting is positively
> criminal.
>
> STOP LYING TO FAIRFAX COUNTY RESIDENTS AND
> PARENTS ABOUT THE GREAT JOB YOU ARE DOING.
well as to your point about the boys being at a lower rate the girls in the classrooms, its clearly shown in studies that girls develope mentally and physically at a much faster rate then boys. And as for the numbers, This is the best school system in the united states (public ofcoarse). I skimmed through school and graduated without any troubles, i didnt try, i didnt apply myself, etc. This just goes to show you, that if this is the best school system in the country, what does the worst look like?

asshat Wrote:


> well as to your point about the boys being at a
> lower rate the girls in the classrooms, its
> clearly shown in studies that girls develope
> mentally and physically at a much faster rate then
> boys. And as for the numbers, This is the best
> school system in the united states (public
> ofcoarse). I skimmed through school and graduated
> without any troubles, i didnt try, i didnt apply
> myself, etc. This just goes to show you, that if
> this is the best school system in the country,
> what does the worst look like?

That may be true, but WHEN did you graduate? I went through these schools as well. Piece of cake. But now the schools are requiring a lot more work and not just the knowledge that you know the material and will probably be fine out of high school. Now they demand more than 'skating by' with good test scores and little else. Students have to produce a certain level of work in order to pass, even if they ace every test.

the scores cited above are sickening. A few year's back this same School Board wanted to opt out of NCLB mandates and not test these ESL kids. They claimed that these kids were traumatized by taking these tests and failing. What a copout!!

These kids are traumatized when they are not learning anything!

These kids are traumatized when they drop out of school by 9th grade because they continue to fail!

Jesus Christ- does anyone give a damn about these kids?

If I was this SB member (Gibson?), I would have a face-to face with this principal and staff and say PUT UP OR GET OUT!

Graham Road figured it out. Do we need to clone those people and send them to these schools?

This is not rocket science folks. Dale needs to shine the spotlight on these failing schools and demand results.

Everyone ignores the elephant in the room. I guess the School Board doesn't want to "offend" anyone. Imagine, a job, with no accountability. High pay, fantastic benefits and lifelong pension provided by the taxpayers, 190 working days and NO ONE judges your performance.

I will quote a SB member a few years back; "Maybe these kids are predisposed for failure". Nice. What a great attitude from the stewards of our school district. With that kind of talk, these kids don't have a fighting chance.

FYI

Virginia, Standards Are Long Overdue

This letter to the editor by Secretary Spellings appeared in the Washington Post on February 4, 2007.

English language learners make up the nation's fastest-growing student population. By 2025, one in four students is expected to be limited-English-proficient (LEP). If we want them to learn with their peers and achieve the American dream, we have to pick up the pace.

Instead, Virginia is dragging its feet.

Recently, Fairfax County and two other school districts passed resolutions to exempt LEP students from reading assessments. One Fairfax school board member said they were "predisposed to fail." Meanwhile, the commonwealth insists on testing LEP students with an exam that did not pass independent peer review.

At issue is Virginia's use of the Stanford English Language Proficiency test (SELP) to assess reading achievement. The test does not measure grade-level proficiency, creating an incomplete picture of academic progress. In December, the commonwealth stated that it would forgo the SELP in favor of a more comprehensive exam tailored to the needs of LEP students. Last month, however, Virginia reversed itself and asked for an extension for the SELP -- making it the only state requesting not to use a standards-based exam to assess reading.

To help students achieve, we must first know how they're doing. The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act calls for schools to help limited-English-proficient children "meet the same challenging state academic content and student academic achievement standards as all children are expected to meet."

Call it the Standards Clause. It's a key tool in our effort to combat the "soft bigotry of low expectations." And it's working.

Nationally, reading scores for LEP fourth-graders increased by 20 points from 2000 to 2005, more than three times better than their peers. Fourth- and eighth-graders achieved higher math scores than in any previous year. Among Hispanic students, who make up about 70 percent of LEP students, achievement gaps for 9-year-olds in reading and math have shrunk to record lows.

These positive results are dispelling several negative myths. One is that LEP students are at a disadvantage because most are recent arrivals to the country. In fact, about 80 percent have resided here at least five years. Another is that test-takers are not allowed reasonable accommodations. Not true -- under NCLB, they may receive accommodations such as additional time, oral translation or the use of a bilingual dictionary.

The Education Department has been more than accommodating to Virginia. We permitted the use of the SELP test until it could be peer-reviewed. We allowed LEP students to be exempted if they had attended U.S. schools for less than 12 months. And since 2001, we've provided Virginia with $42 million in federal funds to develop quality assessments.

I speak not just as a policy wonk but as a mom whose daughter attended a Fairfax County school. So I am strongly committed to working with the commonwealth and its schools to help them fairly measure English language learners.

It's time to remember that yes, Virginia, there is a Standards Clause.

By Margaret Spellings
The writer is the U.S. secretary of education.

WHY THE HELL DID THEY CUT THURSDAY LATE BUSES?

YOU REALIZE HOW MANY OPPORTUNITIES ARE GONE NOW? (not everyone has a car like Mr. Dale's children/grandchildren, who could probably afford numerous benzs and beemers individually)

Once again Dale proves that he only cares about himself, not the students in FCPS.

Schools are falling apart, schools need to be built and what does he want? He wants another TAJ MAHAL.

Some schools are so unsafe that Dale should be arrested for neglect and malfeasance by a public official.


Gatehouse II is Back!


Dale and the School Board Want to Rush Approval of New Administrative Building Without Public Input

Superintendent Dale and the School Board are back asking the Board of Supervisors to approve borrowing $100 million to buy a new administrative office building. They want final approval by February 23 with no meaningful opportunity for public input. To date, almost all discussions of this proposal by the School Board and the Board of Supervisors have been held in closed sessions and there have been no public hearings. The Board of Supervisors can vote to hold a public hearing before a final vote to give citizens a real opportunity to provide input.

The Purchase Would Divert Financing Resources that Could be Used to Build or Renovate Schools

Dr. Dale and the School Board continue to claim that no money will be taken away from schools or students as a result of this proposal, but the fact is, the resources that would be used to finance the purchase of this building could be used to renovate and construct schools. The Economic Development Authority (EDA) bonds that would be used for this purchase would be counted against the county's borrowing limit and, accordingly, would reduce the available financing capacity for building or renovating schools. Further, these same EDA bonds could be used for school construction or renovation instead of an administrative office building. Given the thousands of students attending class in trailers throughout Fairfax County and the critical need for renovations in many of our schools, utilizing our financing resources to purchase an administrative building is absolutely the wrong priority and does not serve the interests of our students.

The Purchase Relies on the Same Type of Fiscally Irresponsible Behavior that has Caused the Current Economic Crisis

Dr. Dale and the School Board claim that actual cash savings from the initial three years can be used to address the current budget challenges, but they fail to mention that these "actual cash savings" disappear beginning in FY 2013 when the payments on the debt commence. Payments on the EDA bonds will come out of the school operating budget and, accordingly, will divert money from our schools and students. Moreover, the proposal is based substantially on assumed cost savings over a 30-year period that may not be actually realized--for instance, a substantial majority of the promised savings from the Gatehouse I office building the School Board purchased 5 years ago never materialized. In essence, Dr. Dale and the School Board propose to borrow $100 million (and to incur tens of millions in additional interest expense) in exchange for anticipated short term savings that, even if they materialize, will disappear once payments on the debt kick in. This is exactly the type of fiscally irresponsible behavior that has helped caused the current financial and economic crisis.

They Have Not Looked at Alternatives for Consolidating Administrative Office Space

Consolidating administrative space is a worthy goal, but FCPS has only looked at buy vs. build. They have not done an analysis of consolidation opportunities through leasing (in a market that would be very favorable) or through reconfiguring or renovating existing space to be utilized more efficiently. These alternatives could provide opportunities for consolidation that would be more fiscally responsible than borrowing $100 million.


Please contact your Supervisor and urge them to OPPOSE THIS PROPOSAL or, at a minimum, VOTE TO HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING before a final vote. For information about how to contact your Supervisor, you can go to www.fairfaxcounty.gov/government/board/

Please go to www.fairfaxcaps.org for more information.

> Here is one reason:
>
> FCPS has become the haves and the have nots. Our
> schools are imbalanced racially and economically
> due to a lack of interest by Dale and The SB.
>
> The statistics are startling. The racial
> breakdown among FCPS students is as follows:
>
> White 50.2%
> Asian 17.40%
> Black 10.80%
> Latino 16.00%
> Other 4.90%
>
> Our top 1/3 of our high schools (8 schools), have
> the following average percentages; 66% White,
> 4.76% Black, and 7% Hispanic.
>
> Half the county proportion of Black students.
> Less than half the proportion of Latinos.
>
> Why do we have segregated schools? Who allowed
> this to happen?
>
> Jack Dale. Change is coming.

Yeah! Jack Dale should make all those rich people in McLean move to poor areas and force poor Blacks into their houses in McLean! If Dale REALLY cared about poor kids, Blacks and Latinos, he would make that happen so that Langley and those other McLean schools would be more integrated!

Go drive around McLean. Most of the homes that feed into that school are not the McMansions that feed into many of the other high schools. As a matter of fact, the surrounding neighborhoods are very middle class. Get over you McLean obsession.
(I am assuming that the last post was facetious. This is for the other McLean bashers.)

WSHS parent Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Once again Dale proves that he only cares about
> himself, not the students in FCPS.
>
> Schools are falling apart, schools need to be
> built and what does he want? He wants another TAJ
> MAHAL.
>
> Some schools are so unsafe that Dale should be
> arrested for neglect and malfeasance by a public
> official.
>
>
> Gatehouse II is Back!
>
>
> Dale and the School Board Want to Rush Approval of
> New Administrative Building Without Public Input
>
> Superintendent Dale and the School Board are back
> asking the Board of Supervisors to approve
> borrowing $100 million to buy a new administrative
> office building. They want final approval by
> February 23 with no meaningful opportunity for
> public input. To date, almost all discussions of
> this proposal by the School Board and the Board of
> Supervisors have been held in closed sessions and
> there have been no public hearings. The Board of
> Supervisors can vote to hold a public hearing
> before a final vote to give citizens a real
> opportunity to provide input.
>
> The Purchase Would Divert Financing Resources that
> Could be Used to Build or Renovate Schools
>
> Dr. Dale and the School Board continue to claim
> that no money will be taken away from schools or
> students as a result of this proposal, but the
> fact is, the resources that would be used to
> finance the purchase of this building could be
> used to renovate and construct schools. The
> Economic Development Authority (EDA) bonds that
> would be used for this purchase would be counted
> against the county's borrowing limit and,
> accordingly, would reduce the available financing
> capacity for building or renovating schools.
> Further, these same EDA bonds could be used for
> school construction or renovation instead of an
> administrative office building. Given the
> thousands of students attending class in trailers
> throughout Fairfax County and the critical need
> for renovations in many of our schools, utilizing
> our financing resources to purchase an
> administrative building is absolutely the wrong
> priority and does not serve the interests of our
> students.
>
> The Purchase Relies on the Same Type of Fiscally
> Irresponsible Behavior that has Caused the Current
> Economic Crisis
>
> Dr. Dale and the School Board claim that actual
> cash savings from the initial three years can be
> used to address the current budget challenges, but
> they fail to mention that these "actual cash
> savings" disappear beginning in FY 2013 when the
> payments on the debt commence. Payments on the
> EDA bonds will come out of the school operating
> budget and, accordingly, will divert money from
> our schools and students. Moreover, the proposal
> is based substantially on assumed cost savings
> over a 30-year period that may not be actually
> realized--for instance, a substantial majority of
> the promised savings from the Gatehouse I office
> building the School Board purchased 5 years ago
> never materialized. In essence, Dr. Dale and the
> School Board propose to borrow $100 million (and
> to incur tens of millions in additional interest
> expense) in exchange for anticipated short term
> savings that, even if they materialize, will
> disappear once payments on the debt kick in. This
> is exactly the type of fiscally irresponsible
> behavior that has helped caused the current
> financial and economic crisis.
>
> They Have Not Looked at Alternatives for
> Consolidating Administrative Office Space
>
> Consolidating administrative space is a worthy
> goal, but FCPS has only looked at buy vs. build.
> They have not done an analysis of consolidation
> opportunities through leasing (in a market that
> would be very favorable) or through reconfiguring
> or renovating existing space to be utilized more
> efficiently. These alternatives could provide
> opportunities for consolidation that would be more
> fiscally responsible than borrowing $100 million.
>
>
>
> Please contact your Supervisor and urge them to
> OPPOSE THIS PROPOSAL or, at a minimum, VOTE TO
> HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING before a final vote. For
> information about how to contact your Supervisor,
> you can go to
> www.fairfaxcounty.gov/government/board/
>
> Please go to www.fairfaxcaps.org for more
> information.

How many more things can this man screw up?

Here is another reason why Dale needs to go. He wants to spend millions on a building that is almost 40 years old, when he could lease a building in FFC for a very lot lease rate. He would then save the taxpayers over $250 million dollars over thirty years.

NO TO GATEHOUSE II, NO TO ANOTHER TAJ MAHAL.


U.S. Office Vacancy Rate to Climb to 16.7%, Reis Says (Update2)


By Hui-yong Yu

Feb. 18 (Bloomberg) -- The vacancy rate at U.S. office buildings will rise to 16.7 percent this year and could reach an 18-year high next year as tenants cut jobs and try to sublet space, property research firm Reis Inc. said.

The net amount of space leased will fall by 47.8 million square feet this year, one of the steepest drops in occupied space on record, excluding the loss of space from the 2001 destruction of New York’s World Trade Center, said Reis in its quarterly outlook. Asking rents will fall 5.4 percent and actual rents will fall 7.4 percent this year, Reis said.

Demand for commercial real estate of all types -- office, retail, apartment and industrial -- is weakening as companies slash payrolls and consumers cut spending in the recession. The Bloomberg Office REIT index has dropped 54 percent in the past 12 months on concern landlords will see income decline as tenants abandon space. Office building owners Maguire Properties Inc. tumbled 91 percent and SL Green Realty Corp. dropped 85 percent.

“The dramatic deterioration in the fundamentals of the space market, especially over the last three quarters, has been especially swift and severe,” said Lloyd Lynford, chief executive officer of Reis. “Commercial real estate as an asset class has become significantly more volatile in the first decade of this century than it had been in the previous twenty years.”

Vacancy Record

Next year, the vacancy rate for U.S. office properties could rise to 17.6 percent, the highest since 18.7 percent in 1992 during the last major slump in commercial real estate following the savings and loan crisis, Reis said. At the end of last year, it was 14.5 percent.

Because U.S. economic expansions aren’t lasting as long, “many more individual properties have not had the opportunity to build strong rent rolls characterized by a favorable spread between their average in-place rent and current market rents; as a result, new leases tend to be more dilutive to net operating income than was historically the case,” Lynford said on a conference call.

Cities such as New York that depend on the financial services industry are seeing larger vacancies and rent declines, said Reis research director Victor Calanog.

“Sublease space flooding those metropolitan markets will act as a virtual supply glut, holding back rent growth even as jobs are added,” Calanog said on the call.

From 1999 to 2003, the office sector added 101.5 million square feet of new space per year. From 2004 to 2008 less than half that amount came online at 45.5 million square feet per year, said Calanog.

Boston Properties Inc., the biggest U.S. office landlord, plans to suspend construction on a $980 million midtown Manhattan skyscraper after law firm Proskauer Rose LLP abandoned plans to lease space there.

Commercial real estate lending has also dried up as financial companies have taken more than $1 trillion of writedowns and credit-market losses stemming from the collapse of the subprime mortgage market.

To contact the reporter on this story: Hui-yong Yu in Seattle at hyu@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: February 18, 2009 16:55 EST

The following is a bunch of reasons why Dale needs to go.


Dale is a disaster. The less time he is around to influence policy the better off we will all be.

I love how Dan Storck is quoted in this articled saying"We did not hire Jack Dale to punch a clock".

Oh, really, Dan,

Do tell us what you did hire him for?

His track record at Frederick County Schools is questionable. Exactly what superior qualities does Jack Dale have?

Most people I speak to in the schools have unflattering things to say about him. What great leadership is there? Murphy? puhleasse. Monuisko? I don't think so. Eileen Graatan? She is a tyrant and a bully.

Have dropouts gone down? Nope.

How about the Morality Report issued last year showing 3rd grade minorities are immoral because they don't do their homework? That was a work of genuis.

Jack Dale took on the Dept of Education and said he wouldn't test the ESOL kids. I guess that did not work out to well, after Spelling gave him the smackdown and threatened to withold federal funds.

How about test scores for minorities? well, most of them don't even take the SATs, so that figure is meaningless.

How's the budget looking? How much do we have in the rainy day fund? The big zippo-we spent that last year.

What is the status of the school buildings? We have a $2 billion backlog on renovations and it will be over 50 years before some schools are renovated.

But he is pressing real hard for a plush $100 million office building for staff.

You are correct, Mr. Storck, we are truly blessed with your find. he is worth every penny.

Take the day off, Jack. You deserve it!

Status of our schools. The trailers are a disgrace. Schools are unsafe. The CIP is in dire need of a significant increase in funding. We are severely limited by our borrowing limits- any debt that we incur should go to schools-not to fancy office buildings and not to bus depots.

All of the above is why he has to go.

Interesting attempt to spin it, but I don't buy the talk that McLean is 'middle class.' The prices certainly are not standard for the middle class pocketbook, and many of the inhabitants behave as though they are the aristocrats of the country.

Like my husband says, as long as they stay there in that area and don't move, we know what area to avoid.

Like all big bureaucracies, TCPS administration is concerned about themselves, their jobs and their offices. They aren't concerned about the students or the taxpayers. They care about keeping their raises coming and getting into fancier offices. It's not about the kids. They have NO incentive to care about the students. It's all about keeping staff happy. Staff looks our for themselves.

All Dale does is lie and lie.


Last month, Superintendent Dale presented his school budget for FY 2010 and stated that any further cuts in the budget would compromise the top-quality education provided by Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) and require decades to recover. Now, on the eve of his presentation to the Board of Supervisors of a revised proposal to purchase the Gatehouse II administrative office building, the Superintendent has announced that he has found $8 million in additional administrative savings that are unrelated to the Gatehouse II proposal and is attempting to use these savings to win support for the Gatehouse II purchase.

I am not sure how Dale sleeps at night, when he screws the students in FFC time after time.

Keeping staff happy. That's exactly what the school board wants him to do, keep the administrative staff happy. One big happy family, with fancy offices and raises for all!

Once again Dale fails.


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 23, 2009

Statement by Fairfax County School Board on Administrative Consolidation

The Fairfax County School Board will not pursue at this time the acquisition of the BPG Building, which would have completed Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) administrative consolidation.

The consolidation of the school system administration is a strategy to reduce overhead costs and redirect them to the schools. The business model, as developed by Superintendent Jack D. Dale and as independently verified, makes a strong business case. Purchasing a second administrative facility would have decreased FCPS operating expenses, freed up two facilities to be returned to use as elementary schools, relieved overcrowding at several elementary schools, and reduced central office staff.

“We understand that the volatility of the current economic climate presents very serious challenges to our community and the fiscal uncertainties continue to mount,” said Dan Storck, Fairfax County School Board chairman. “However, this was a creative solution that would have significantly reduced our administrative costs and enabled us to serve children better. This is a great disappointment to the School Board.”

###

Note: For more information, contact the FCPS Department of Communications and Community Outreach at 571-423-1200.

He sleeps fine Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Keeping staff happy. That's exactly what the
> school board wants him to do, keep the
> administrative staff happy. One big happy family,
> with fancy offices and raises for all!


You're full of shit. NO Fairfax County employee is getting a raise for the foreseeable future.

Don't get raises, school employees still do.

COUNTY employees Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Don't get raises, school employees still do.


I wish you were right. I work for FCPS and they've told us repeatedly to FORGET any merit or COLA raises.

Our pay was frozen for over 5 years the last time (early 90's).

CRY ME A RIVER Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Once again Dale fails.
>
>
> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 23, 2009
>
> Statement by Fairfax County School Board on
> Administrative Consolidation
>
> The Fairfax County School Board will not pursue at
> this time the acquisition of the BPG Building,
> which would have completed Fairfax County Public
> Schools (FCPS) administrative consolidation.
>
> The consolidation of the school system
> administration is a strategy to reduce overhead
> costs and redirect them to the schools. The
> business model, as developed by Superintendent
> Jack D. Dale and as independently verified, makes
> a strong business case. Purchasing a second
> administrative facility would have decreased FCPS
> operating expenses, freed up two facilities to be
> returned to use as elementary schools, relieved
> overcrowding at several elementary schools, and
> reduced central office staff.
>
> “We understand that the volatility of the current
> economic climate presents very serious challenges
> to our community and the fiscal uncertainties
> continue to mount,” said Dan Storck, Fairfax
> County School Board chairman. “However, this was a
> creative solution that would have significantly
> reduced our administrative costs and enabled us to
> serve children better. This is a great
> disappointment to the School Board.”
>
> ###
>
> Note: For more information, contact the FCPS
> Department of Communications and Community
> Outreach at 571-423-1200.

Even now Regnier and the FCSB just don't get it. What a bunch of maroons!

They get it, and they don't care. They think it's more important to keep staff happy.

Have you ever wondered what Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Jack Dale does to earn $400,000 and 6 weeks off every year?

Ask him. Call or e-mail the Kojo Nnamdi radio show on WAMU 88.5 FM at 12:06 p.m. (just after noon) TODAY, Thursday, February, 26.

800-433-8850 or kojo@wamu.org

JackDaleMakes400K Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Have you ever wondered what Fairfax County Public
> Schools Superintendent Jack Dale does to earn
> $400,000 and 6 weeks off every year?


He listens to loads of shit from thousands of stupid motherfuckers.

I wouldn't do it for twice his salary.

tubby Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> JackDaleMakes400K Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Have you ever wondered what Fairfax County
> Public
> > Schools Superintendent Jack Dale does to earn
> > $400,000 and 6 weeks off every year?
>
>
> He listens to loads of shit from thousands of
> stupid motherfuckers.
>
> I wouldn't do it for twice his salary.

What difference does it make, he doesnt listen to the citizens of Fairfax anyway.

Dale, these are the problems that you need to fix, not working on your second Taj Mahal.

I have to agree with Marty. Newington Forest Elementary is awful. Principal and staff members are all in little cliches. No support, and if you have a problem that you take to the school, your business will be out before you are out of the door! South County Secondary is just as bad. No support, a lot of young teachers right out of college trying to tell you about your kid when you as an adult have at least 20 years on them. The are dishonest in many ways, and do not handle situations they way that they should!

Get to work dick head.

Dale was turned down by the BOS regarding his request for Gatehouse II. Now he wants to rent Gatehouse II and spend millions of dollars in fixing up this old piece of shit building.

When will this ass hole get smart and let this issue go?

I suggest that since he has almost 1,000 trailers that he uses for students, why not use some of them for his staff next to GH I. He spent ten million dollars for a parking lot in front of GH I that is just sitting there that can be used for trailers and his staff.