My name is Sherrie Alexander and I am commenting for both myself and my husband, Dr. Daniel Alexander. We live in Gainesboro district. We are so dismayed and disgusted by the 4 members of the Board of Supervisors who want to hold desperately needed schools funds hostage for a petty power struggle.
We want to impress upon you all how difficult it already is to recruit new physicians and nurses to this area. It takes a special kind of physician to look at this area and one of the first things a physician recruit asks is about the school system and if we are happy with the schools. We have always been able to enthusiastically say yes. Physicians looking to move to this area and live and work here want good schools for their children- we did, which is why we chose this area in 2016. This kind of drastic budget cut guts our recruitment abilities to bring talented and capable physicians who want to live and work here. This is not just about the schools- it is how the entire region is able to attract and retain talented people.
As a long-time member of the Gainesboro district, a product of Frederick County Schools, as well as a loyal, long-time employee (22 years), I was astounded to hear the news that the Board is supporting cutting millions of dollars from an already underfunded school system. I am imploring you to make the board's main focus investment in our children's and grandchildren's education. We have exercised our Civic responsibility today at my school where the scholars have marched and rallied in support of their future and the necessary funding. I implore you to consider their efforts and their needs to keep Frederick County as desirable as the Board would like to deem it to be. Thank you.
My name is Stephanie Mangino, and I live in the Shawnee District.
I am writing to support the Frederick County School Board’s FY23 budget request, as it was advertised at a public hearing on March 23, and to oppose the withholding of $22 million of the schools' budget request as proposed by some supervisors.
The budget proposed by the school board is not extravagant. It builds on a process filled with accountability, including yearly external audits. The school system has even received awards for the quality of its budgets. This budget request came to you from a school board that is not composed of spendthrifts, either.
The School Board asked for $4.6 million more from the BOS for the schools' operating fund for the 2022-23 fiscal year. That’s it. It didn’t ask the BOS for an additional $22 million. The $4.6 million in additional funds would help pay for some of the funding needed for new positions, the county’s portion of a modest compensation increase for staff, and a couple of school buses. Again, that’s it.
Our school system is doing good work for our students, but how can that last if educators’ salaries have to be cut by 16 percent if you withhold $22 million from the budget? Would you stay in a job that cut your salary by 16 percent?
If you’re truly concerned about the schools, you can visit them and see how the county's money is being spent responsibly on the awesome work of both staff and students. Be willing to be a student yourself and to learn about how the schools operate on a daily basis.
The county schools are an open book, but it’s a book you have to choose to read and think about to understand. Please fund the schools’ request this year and take this as an opportunity to begin meeting on a monthly basis with the school system so that our community does not experience this turmoil again next year.
My name is Marnix Hollebrandse, and I am a resident of Stonewall District, attending Mount Vista Governor's School through James Wood High School.
My family immigrated here for opportunity, and they choose Frederick County for it's education. I am grateful for what I have had access to, and what I could accomplish. It was difficult and rewarding to become class rank 1, intern at Winchester City Hall through the school, and earn an associates degree in computer science before graduating highschool. Which is why it worries me greatly to see these opportunities become threatened for future generations.
Through my teachers and schools, I became interested in the political process, so much so that I researched and made a YouTube video on the mask mandate debate a few months ago at my school board. So when I heard of what was being proposed here, I decided to spend a few hours looking into it. At the last meeting on this subject, Mr. Graber asked how it was possible that our county spends more per student than Fairfax or other NOVA counties. The answer to this can be found within the same source Mr. Graber cited, the amount of students who are economically disadvantaged in Frederick County, ranges from twice to ten times more than for those students in NOVA counties. Their average per capita income is nearly twice that of ours, and the median income of these counties approaches or is in the six figures. It should come as no surprise then, that students whose families have to worry about putting food on the table, or any other financial worry, will perform worse in school. I will never deny that my families eventual financial recovery from the recession has led me to where I am today.
In the end, the only thing I can guarantee is that slashing the school budget will not alleviate the struggles our students face. This cut will ruin my fellow students opportunities and future, all in the service of petty grudges and politics.
My name is Joel Cosner, and I reside in the Opequon District.
I have to express my disheartened disappointment in the recent decision to propose a funding scenario for FY23 that would cut $22M from the proposed FCPS budget. As a teacher within FCPS, I regularly put in 50-60 hour work weeks, and occasionally 70 hour work weeks for our students. I personally do this because up to now, I’ve truly believed in our future in Frederick County, that all of us work for the betterment of our local students and citizens, and that we have a positive long-term vision in mind for our community.
However, when I'm not sure if I'm going to have resources, adequate staff, or even my own current position next year, it simply makes me think that my future is elsewhere. At some points of the year, my student-to-teacher-ratio is 130 : 1; what more do you want me to do? My fiance is also a teacher within FCPS, and we are both seriously questioning whether Frederick County will be the place to raise a future family. It pains me to think that I may have to move again just to get away from this situation. I want to be proud to invest in and live in Frederick County, but situations like this make that future incredibly difficult to see.
With regard to budget information, I can truly understand and appreciate what you have requested, and I think it has logic and validity. However, when my personal, vocational, and family well being are on the line in this situation, I am incredibly discouraged at the way some of you are going about accomplishing it. If this this is the way you are going to choose to lead our locality, I will have to say that I personally will no longer see a future, or long term vision, for myself and my future family, in Frederick County. Additionally, you can be sure that many other valuable individuals will leave by choice, not by being cut.
Please fund our school system and the school board's proposed FY23 budget as presented. Thank you, for your time and attention.
My name is Dana Watson- Opequon district. My family has lived in Frederick County since 2003. We moved here because of the school system and the overall quality of life that the county had to offer us. I have been an employee of Frederick County Public Schools since that time. My son is a 2014 graduate of Sherando and my daughter is a current senior at SHS. As an employee of FCPS, I never comment on the budget. I feel that it may come off as self-serving to many. But I can no longer sit silently as the animosity between the school system and the Board of Superivsors is jeopardizing the education of our children and the livelihoods of so many. This "battle" came to a head with the building of the new Frederick County Middle School. The BOS felt that the school board wasted money on unnecessary items. Ever since then, the BOS has time and time again slapped the hands of the school board. The building of the new Aylor Middle School took the brunt of those hits. The school board had to redo the plans (square footage) several times coming in much smaller than the anticipated student needs might be. But there is no problem approving all of these housing developments that will bring more students into our schools. How in good conscience can you justify cutting the budget when you know we are already overcrowded? We, as a school system, have already dealt with unprecedented situations over the past 2 years. We have had to quickly adjust to new learning environments that the general public has no understanding of. We have done so. All we ask is that our elected officials support our school system, its teachers and staff, and, most of all, our students. I understand that the BOS may not want to give additional funding, but to cut funding is vindictive and, as my grandmother would say, cutting off your nose to spite your face. Please remove personal feelings from this and do what you were voted to do which is to represent your constituents and not personal agendas.
Board members,
I am a resident of the Opequon District and I have two children who attend FCPS. I am opposed to the budget that cuts $22 million from the School Operating Fund compared to the budget that was presented at the March 23 meeting. I would support a budget that includes all the funds requested by the school system this year.
If you are concerned that the county can't afford the budget that was considered on March 23, I think it would be better to raise taxes than to cut funding from the schools. To rephrase what other commenters have pointed out, funding education is an investment in our community. Frederick County will be better off in many ways if more money is directed toward the public school system.
Gainesboro District, I am opposed and appalled that our Board of Supervisors would even consider cutting the school budget by such a devestating amount. I hope that you all are prepared for the repercussions of those actions. Never once have I heard a genuine sentiment from the board of what is best for the students of Frederick County schools. I have been attending and watching these meetings for awhile and I realize this isn’t about anything except a vendetta against Dr. David Sovine. And shame on you the Board for allowing this to go this far and that you are willing to sacrifice the kids, the teachers and the future of the education of children that will be limited to a school system that will be providing a basic education of Reading, Writing and Arithmetic. The ability to get into college will be non existent because the school system won’t be able to afford advanced classes and students will be passed over for students with a much broader education. So the repercussions of your actions go far beyond this petty vendetta against our very capable and professional Superintendent Dr. Sovine. Remember be careful what you ask for you just might get it.
My three adult children graduated from Frederick Co Schools and all went to college. One has a master degree in Library Science, one is a supervisor in the Federal Government, and one has 2 masters in education and getting his doctorate . Their education has all do do with their impressive lives. How you could justify taking 1/4 of Frederick Counties budget is beyond me! The children and teachers have already been through enough with the past two years with Covid. The classrooms are already overcrowded and there will be no new schools in our future. Seems we should concentrate on putting a stop the rising growth in our County! We should have enough tax monies to pay for our schools. So many lives will change and some will be destroyed by 22 million dollar cut. I'm sure others as well as myself want to know what the 22 million will be spent on if not education. Several of the members of the board of supervisors have no children in our school system. Should they be allowed to vote on this topic? Just remember CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE!!!!!!!!
We are Crystal & Reco Ford from the Red Bud District and we own an operate a STL also in the Red Bud District. We have owned the home for 22 years, lived in it, and started our family there. We once had it as a long term rental and it really didn't go well with damage being done to our home. Over 3 years ago we decided to make it a short term rental and the experience has been wonderful. Our neighbors next door love it and prefer it as a short term as well. We have hosted numerous families visiting loved one's, attending graduations, weddings, and most recently the last 2 yrs‐ several essential workers from healthcare workers to electricians. It's been a pleasure having them and giving them the comfort of a home while they are here. Our guests seem to love it and our reviews show it. Since there isn't an ordinance, we have a lodging account and are paying the monthly tax due every month. We just wanted to say that we appreciate you taking the time to allow STL because they are very important to the community by giving renters an option other than a hotel room and giving families more affordable options so that they may spend their money on things Fred County/Winchester has to offer. We also operate a home in the city of Winchester in MR district and was granted a permit voted 8-0 but the process was grueling with meetings and a large expense to advertise for a conditional use permit. The proposal you have outlined seems very reasonable and will bring more revenue to Frederick county. It has been a very easy process to go online and pay the tax each month. Thank you for your time on this matter.
My wife is the Literacy Coach at Indian Hollow and my son is a kindergarten student. When the budget was presented to the School Board, we watched with great concern that cuts would be made that would impact the kid's education, but the school board did the right thing and passed the budget. The Board of Supervisors is now trying to dig deep into the proposed budget and do the same work that the school board has already done. There are a few problems with this.
The Board of Supervisors is not qualified to determine what areas of the school's budget should be cut. I'm sure the Board is full of intelligent and well educated people, but the inner workings of schools is beyond your area of expertise. After 10 years of marriage to a teacher, there are still new things she tells me about regarding the best methods for educating kids and the various roles needed to make that happen.
I have the Frederick County Organizational Chart in front of me. Both the School Board and the Board of Supervisors answer directly to the public. I point that out for two reasons. First, the public has made it clear that they oppose cutting the budget. The School Board recognized this and passed the budget accordingly. The Board of Supervisors is obligated to do the same. Second, the School Board does not answer to the Board of Supervisors. They answer to the public. For the Board of Supervisors to manage the work of the School Board in any capacity is a breach in the chain of command.
There are many more points I would like to make and many other facts that I would like to point out, but I will wrap it up by saying this... cutting the budget will result in the loss of many jobs and important roles required to provide the kids with a proper education. My wife would most likely lose her job. We would also be forced to uproot my son and enroll him in a school that does have adequate resources for a proper education. Please put the petty politics aside and do what is right for the children.
As a newly hired teacher to Frederick County Public Schools, I am writing to express my and others strong opposition to the proposed budget cuts. From the data we have read, it seems that this proposal is not based in logic, but rather in an absurd need to privatize your excellent public schools. It appears that the county has the funds and capabilities to fully support your growing schools- so what is the hold up?
We are in a teacher shortage. It is an employees’ market, not an employer’s. These cuts will not only damage your county’s reputation and performance, but will greatly hinder the massive growth and attraction Frederick County has been garnering over the past few years. This, in turn, will hurt the economy, infrastructure, and the tax base. All things considered, it appears that this decision and all its consequences was not thought out thoroughly.
I urge of you to make the right choice, to mark your name on the right side of history, to do what is best for teachers, students, and schools. Put an end to this nonsense at the April 13th meeting, or I fear a much bigger storm is coming than a “too large” budget.
I am writing in strong opposition to the politics that are threatening to derail our children’s education. The Board of Supervisors needs to stop playing politics with their futures.
Cutting $22 million from the schools’ budgets will have a huge impact in terms of class sizes, honors classes, quality of overall academic offerings, and sports and arts opportunities for our students. These opportunities are critical to future success post high school graduation.
By choosing to gut the schools you are setting the county up for an economic disaster. People with children currently enrolled in the schools will look to move to Winchester and Clarke, where educators are compensated more fairly and treated with respect for the knowledge they bring to the classroom. Businesses will look elsewhere as well. Who wants to invest in a county that clearly doesn’t value or respect the education of its citizens?
I urge you to take a courageous stand and stop this nonsense at your meeting on Wednesday. You have the opportunity to do the right thing and restore full funding to the school budget. My children deserve better. Their classmates deserve better. Their teachers and schools deserve better. And the future of Frederick County deserves better.
Opequan District
To Whom it may concern:
Board of Supervisors Meeting April 13th, 2022
My name is Denise Reed My husband and I own a home at 1000 Salem Church Rd Stephens City Va. Since 2003 Our home is parallel to the very narrow private shared driveway Named Wayne’s Lane of which we own a portion of the easement.
There are many areas of concerns about a short term lodging using this private shared Driveway to access
1. On numerous occasions total Strangers have pulled into my house to find Wayne’s Lane
2. There is a tremendous amount of dust that comes with the use of this unpaved lane and I have never been able to open my windows on the back side of my house or hang laundry out to dry
3. There is a continual issue of vehicles pulling into my yard to allow another vehicle to pass, not knowing the rule is to back up to the corner in order to let a person pass. This has caused tremendous wear and tear in my property.
4. I have in the past been robbed and this private drive was used for that purpose to get to the back side of my property in order to not be noticed.
5. The maintenance of this lane is the responsibility of the Homeowners that use the driveway. Additional vehicles on this private driveway will cause additional maintenance and expenses.
6. My husband travels for work and I am alone and this makes me feel uncomfortable to have strangers that I do not know and can’t vet accessing this driveway all hours of the day and night.
7. Short term lodging especially in the summer months will only incur a much bigger problem for the homeowners.
In conclusion I support the Planning Commission’s recommendation in requiring the Owners / Operators of short term lodging’s to obtain written consent of use of shared driveways from sharing parties
My name is Sherrie Alexander and I am commenting for both myself and my husband, Dr. Daniel Alexander. We live in Gainesboro district. We are so dismayed and disgusted by the 4 members of the Board of Supervisors who want to hold desperately needed schools funds hostage for a petty power struggle.
We want to impress upon you all how difficult it already is to recruit new physicians and nurses to this area. It takes a special kind of physician to look at this area and one of the first things a physician recruit asks is about the school system and if we are happy with the schools. We have always been able to enthusiastically say yes. Physicians looking to move to this area and live and work here want good schools for their children- we did, which is why we chose this area in 2016. This kind of drastic budget cut guts our recruitment abilities to bring talented and capable physicians who want to live and work here. This is not just about the schools- it is how the entire region is able to attract and retain talented people.
As a long-time member of the Gainesboro district, a product of Frederick County Schools, as well as a loyal, long-time employee (22 years), I was astounded to hear the news that the Board is supporting cutting millions of dollars from an already underfunded school system. I am imploring you to make the board's main focus investment in our children's and grandchildren's education. We have exercised our Civic responsibility today at my school where the scholars have marched and rallied in support of their future and the necessary funding. I implore you to consider their efforts and their needs to keep Frederick County as desirable as the Board would like to deem it to be. Thank you.
My name is Stephanie Mangino, and I live in the Shawnee District.
I am writing to support the Frederick County School Board’s FY23 budget request, as it was advertised at a public hearing on March 23, and to oppose the withholding of $22 million of the schools' budget request as proposed by some supervisors.
The budget proposed by the school board is not extravagant. It builds on a process filled with accountability, including yearly external audits. The school system has even received awards for the quality of its budgets. This budget request came to you from a school board that is not composed of spendthrifts, either.
The School Board asked for $4.6 million more from the BOS for the schools' operating fund for the 2022-23 fiscal year. That’s it. It didn’t ask the BOS for an additional $22 million. The $4.6 million in additional funds would help pay for some of the funding needed for new positions, the county’s portion of a modest compensation increase for staff, and a couple of school buses. Again, that’s it.
Our school system is doing good work for our students, but how can that last if educators’ salaries have to be cut by 16 percent if you withhold $22 million from the budget? Would you stay in a job that cut your salary by 16 percent?
If you’re truly concerned about the schools, you can visit them and see how the county's money is being spent responsibly on the awesome work of both staff and students. Be willing to be a student yourself and to learn about how the schools operate on a daily basis.
The county schools are an open book, but it’s a book you have to choose to read and think about to understand. Please fund the schools’ request this year and take this as an opportunity to begin meeting on a monthly basis with the school system so that our community does not experience this turmoil again next year.
My name is Marnix Hollebrandse, and I am a resident of Stonewall District, attending Mount Vista Governor's School through James Wood High School.
My family immigrated here for opportunity, and they choose Frederick County for it's education. I am grateful for what I have had access to, and what I could accomplish. It was difficult and rewarding to become class rank 1, intern at Winchester City Hall through the school, and earn an associates degree in computer science before graduating highschool. Which is why it worries me greatly to see these opportunities become threatened for future generations.
Through my teachers and schools, I became interested in the political process, so much so that I researched and made a YouTube video on the mask mandate debate a few months ago at my school board. So when I heard of what was being proposed here, I decided to spend a few hours looking into it. At the last meeting on this subject, Mr. Graber asked how it was possible that our county spends more per student than Fairfax or other NOVA counties. The answer to this can be found within the same source Mr. Graber cited, the amount of students who are economically disadvantaged in Frederick County, ranges from twice to ten times more than for those students in NOVA counties. Their average per capita income is nearly twice that of ours, and the median income of these counties approaches or is in the six figures. It should come as no surprise then, that students whose families have to worry about putting food on the table, or any other financial worry, will perform worse in school. I will never deny that my families eventual financial recovery from the recession has led me to where I am today.
In the end, the only thing I can guarantee is that slashing the school budget will not alleviate the struggles our students face. This cut will ruin my fellow students opportunities and future, all in the service of petty grudges and politics.
My name is Joel Cosner, and I reside in the Opequon District.
I have to express my disheartened disappointment in the recent decision to propose a funding scenario for FY23 that would cut $22M from the proposed FCPS budget. As a teacher within FCPS, I regularly put in 50-60 hour work weeks, and occasionally 70 hour work weeks for our students. I personally do this because up to now, I’ve truly believed in our future in Frederick County, that all of us work for the betterment of our local students and citizens, and that we have a positive long-term vision in mind for our community.
However, when I'm not sure if I'm going to have resources, adequate staff, or even my own current position next year, it simply makes me think that my future is elsewhere. At some points of the year, my student-to-teacher-ratio is 130 : 1; what more do you want me to do? My fiance is also a teacher within FCPS, and we are both seriously questioning whether Frederick County will be the place to raise a future family. It pains me to think that I may have to move again just to get away from this situation. I want to be proud to invest in and live in Frederick County, but situations like this make that future incredibly difficult to see.
With regard to budget information, I can truly understand and appreciate what you have requested, and I think it has logic and validity. However, when my personal, vocational, and family well being are on the line in this situation, I am incredibly discouraged at the way some of you are going about accomplishing it. If this this is the way you are going to choose to lead our locality, I will have to say that I personally will no longer see a future, or long term vision, for myself and my future family, in Frederick County. Additionally, you can be sure that many other valuable individuals will leave by choice, not by being cut.
Please fund our school system and the school board's proposed FY23 budget as presented. Thank you, for your time and attention.
My name is Dana Watson- Opequon district. My family has lived in Frederick County since 2003. We moved here because of the school system and the overall quality of life that the county had to offer us. I have been an employee of Frederick County Public Schools since that time. My son is a 2014 graduate of Sherando and my daughter is a current senior at SHS. As an employee of FCPS, I never comment on the budget. I feel that it may come off as self-serving to many. But I can no longer sit silently as the animosity between the school system and the Board of Superivsors is jeopardizing the education of our children and the livelihoods of so many. This "battle" came to a head with the building of the new Frederick County Middle School. The BOS felt that the school board wasted money on unnecessary items. Ever since then, the BOS has time and time again slapped the hands of the school board. The building of the new Aylor Middle School took the brunt of those hits. The school board had to redo the plans (square footage) several times coming in much smaller than the anticipated student needs might be. But there is no problem approving all of these housing developments that will bring more students into our schools. How in good conscience can you justify cutting the budget when you know we are already overcrowded? We, as a school system, have already dealt with unprecedented situations over the past 2 years. We have had to quickly adjust to new learning environments that the general public has no understanding of. We have done so. All we ask is that our elected officials support our school system, its teachers and staff, and, most of all, our students. I understand that the BOS may not want to give additional funding, but to cut funding is vindictive and, as my grandmother would say, cutting off your nose to spite your face. Please remove personal feelings from this and do what you were voted to do which is to represent your constituents and not personal agendas.
Board members,
I am a resident of the Opequon District and I have two children who attend FCPS. I am opposed to the budget that cuts $22 million from the School Operating Fund compared to the budget that was presented at the March 23 meeting. I would support a budget that includes all the funds requested by the school system this year.
If you are concerned that the county can't afford the budget that was considered on March 23, I think it would be better to raise taxes than to cut funding from the schools. To rephrase what other commenters have pointed out, funding education is an investment in our community. Frederick County will be better off in many ways if more money is directed toward the public school system.
Gainesboro District, I am opposed and appalled that our Board of Supervisors would even consider cutting the school budget by such a devestating amount. I hope that you all are prepared for the repercussions of those actions. Never once have I heard a genuine sentiment from the board of what is best for the students of Frederick County schools. I have been attending and watching these meetings for awhile and I realize this isn’t about anything except a vendetta against Dr. David Sovine. And shame on you the Board for allowing this to go this far and that you are willing to sacrifice the kids, the teachers and the future of the education of children that will be limited to a school system that will be providing a basic education of Reading, Writing and Arithmetic. The ability to get into college will be non existent because the school system won’t be able to afford advanced classes and students will be passed over for students with a much broader education. So the repercussions of your actions go far beyond this petty vendetta against our very capable and professional Superintendent Dr. Sovine. Remember be careful what you ask for you just might get it.
My three adult children graduated from Frederick Co Schools and all went to college. One has a master degree in Library Science, one is a supervisor in the Federal Government, and one has 2 masters in education and getting his doctorate . Their education has all do do with their impressive lives. How you could justify taking 1/4 of Frederick Counties budget is beyond me! The children and teachers have already been through enough with the past two years with Covid. The classrooms are already overcrowded and there will be no new schools in our future. Seems we should concentrate on putting a stop the rising growth in our County! We should have enough tax monies to pay for our schools. So many lives will change and some will be destroyed by 22 million dollar cut. I'm sure others as well as myself want to know what the 22 million will be spent on if not education. Several of the members of the board of supervisors have no children in our school system. Should they be allowed to vote on this topic? Just remember CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE!!!!!!!!
In reference to agenda item 13B
Hello board members,
We are Crystal & Reco Ford from the Red Bud District and we own an operate a STL also in the Red Bud District. We have owned the home for 22 years, lived in it, and started our family there. We once had it as a long term rental and it really didn't go well with damage being done to our home. Over 3 years ago we decided to make it a short term rental and the experience has been wonderful. Our neighbors next door love it and prefer it as a short term as well. We have hosted numerous families visiting loved one's, attending graduations, weddings, and most recently the last 2 yrs‐ several essential workers from healthcare workers to electricians. It's been a pleasure having them and giving them the comfort of a home while they are here. Our guests seem to love it and our reviews show it. Since there isn't an ordinance, we have a lodging account and are paying the monthly tax due every month. We just wanted to say that we appreciate you taking the time to allow STL because they are very important to the community by giving renters an option other than a hotel room and giving families more affordable options so that they may spend their money on things Fred County/Winchester has to offer. We also operate a home in the city of Winchester in MR district and was granted a permit voted 8-0 but the process was grueling with meetings and a large expense to advertise for a conditional use permit. The proposal you have outlined seems very reasonable and will bring more revenue to Frederick county. It has been a very easy process to go online and pay the tax each month. Thank you for your time on this matter.
My wife is the Literacy Coach at Indian Hollow and my son is a kindergarten student. When the budget was presented to the School Board, we watched with great concern that cuts would be made that would impact the kid's education, but the school board did the right thing and passed the budget. The Board of Supervisors is now trying to dig deep into the proposed budget and do the same work that the school board has already done. There are a few problems with this.
The Board of Supervisors is not qualified to determine what areas of the school's budget should be cut. I'm sure the Board is full of intelligent and well educated people, but the inner workings of schools is beyond your area of expertise. After 10 years of marriage to a teacher, there are still new things she tells me about regarding the best methods for educating kids and the various roles needed to make that happen.
I have the Frederick County Organizational Chart in front of me. Both the School Board and the Board of Supervisors answer directly to the public. I point that out for two reasons. First, the public has made it clear that they oppose cutting the budget. The School Board recognized this and passed the budget accordingly. The Board of Supervisors is obligated to do the same. Second, the School Board does not answer to the Board of Supervisors. They answer to the public. For the Board of Supervisors to manage the work of the School Board in any capacity is a breach in the chain of command.
There are many more points I would like to make and many other facts that I would like to point out, but I will wrap it up by saying this... cutting the budget will result in the loss of many jobs and important roles required to provide the kids with a proper education. My wife would most likely lose her job. We would also be forced to uproot my son and enroll him in a school that does have adequate resources for a proper education. Please put the petty politics aside and do what is right for the children.
As a newly hired teacher to Frederick County Public Schools, I am writing to express my and others strong opposition to the proposed budget cuts. From the data we have read, it seems that this proposal is not based in logic, but rather in an absurd need to privatize your excellent public schools. It appears that the county has the funds and capabilities to fully support your growing schools- so what is the hold up?
We are in a teacher shortage. It is an employees’ market, not an employer’s. These cuts will not only damage your county’s reputation and performance, but will greatly hinder the massive growth and attraction Frederick County has been garnering over the past few years. This, in turn, will hurt the economy, infrastructure, and the tax base. All things considered, it appears that this decision and all its consequences was not thought out thoroughly.
I urge of you to make the right choice, to mark your name on the right side of history, to do what is best for teachers, students, and schools. Put an end to this nonsense at the April 13th meeting, or I fear a much bigger storm is coming than a “too large” budget.
I am writing in strong opposition to the politics that are threatening to derail our children’s education. The Board of Supervisors needs to stop playing politics with their futures.
Cutting $22 million from the schools’ budgets will have a huge impact in terms of class sizes, honors classes, quality of overall academic offerings, and sports and arts opportunities for our students. These opportunities are critical to future success post high school graduation.
By choosing to gut the schools you are setting the county up for an economic disaster. People with children currently enrolled in the schools will look to move to Winchester and Clarke, where educators are compensated more fairly and treated with respect for the knowledge they bring to the classroom. Businesses will look elsewhere as well. Who wants to invest in a county that clearly doesn’t value or respect the education of its citizens?
I urge you to take a courageous stand and stop this nonsense at your meeting on Wednesday. You have the opportunity to do the right thing and restore full funding to the school budget. My children deserve better. Their classmates deserve better. Their teachers and schools deserve better. And the future of Frederick County deserves better.
Opequan District
To Whom it may concern:
Board of Supervisors Meeting April 13th, 2022
My name is Denise Reed My husband and I own a home at 1000 Salem Church Rd Stephens City Va. Since 2003 Our home is parallel to the very narrow private shared driveway Named Wayne’s Lane of which we own a portion of the easement.
There are many areas of concerns about a short term lodging using this private shared Driveway to access
1. On numerous occasions total Strangers have pulled into my house to find Wayne’s Lane
2. There is a tremendous amount of dust that comes with the use of this unpaved lane and I have never been able to open my windows on the back side of my house or hang laundry out to dry
3. There is a continual issue of vehicles pulling into my yard to allow another vehicle to pass, not knowing the rule is to back up to the corner in order to let a person pass. This has caused tremendous wear and tear in my property.
4. I have in the past been robbed and this private drive was used for that purpose to get to the back side of my property in order to not be noticed.
5. The maintenance of this lane is the responsibility of the Homeowners that use the driveway. Additional vehicles on this private driveway will cause additional maintenance and expenses.
6. My husband travels for work and I am alone and this makes me feel uncomfortable to have strangers that I do not know and can’t vet accessing this driveway all hours of the day and night.
7. Short term lodging especially in the summer months will only incur a much bigger problem for the homeowners.
In conclusion I support the Planning Commission’s recommendation in requiring the Owners / Operators of short term lodging’s to obtain written consent of use of shared driveways from sharing parties
Denise Reed