[HenleyMatters] Henley News

[Hashisaki]

February 6, 2008

	Public Hearing on County Budget
	Bus Transportation
	School of Engineering and Applied Science Engineering Open House	
	Parent Guide to Personal Safety for Youth
	Parent Training for Student Transitions
	Golden Apple Award
	Cloth Grocery Bags
	School Directory
	
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Public Hearing on County Budget

The Albemarle County Board of Supervisors is holding a public hearing  
on the County's FY2009 budget and real estate property tax rate on  
Wednesday, February 20 at 6:00 PM in the Lane Auditorium at the  
County Office Building. This hearing has been scheduled to occur  
immediately before the Board needs to give direction as to what  
specific tax rate should be advertised in legal notices. Once that  
rate is advertised, it cannot be increased beyond that point, only  
lowered, as was done by the Board in 2007.  Additional public  
hearings will be held as part of the Board of Supervisors' budget  
process, but this is the first opportunity to provide feedback.
Bus Transportation

BACKGROUND:

The Albemarle County Transportation Services Department (http:// 
schoolcenter.k12albemarle.org/education/dept/dept.php?sectionid=1147)  
employs approximately 250 people and operates with an annual budget  
of approximately $10 million. The Department consists of five  
different divisions to include student transportation, vehicular  
maintenance, bus routing, training and administrative services.

Our buses travel over 11,000 miles per day over 750 square miles. The  
area we cover includes rural, suburban and urban terrain, thus making  
the routing of buses a challenge. We are responsible for the repair  
and maintenance not only of the buses but also all local government  
and school division vehicles.

In the upcoming months, our department will begin to look at how we  
create bus routes and take a serious look at how we can be customer- 
focused, i.e. meeting student/parent needs, but also be more  
efficient with our resources.  Currently, the criteria for bus routes  
are the following:

1. Routes should be no longer than ninety minutes in length.

2. Buses are routed starting at the furthest point in the route and  
work themselves in toward the school.

3. Buses are routed to be efficient, i.e. to pick up as many children  
as can safely ride on a bus. Our criteria for this are no more than 3  
children to a seat for elementary schools and no more than 2 students  
to a seat for middle and high schools.

4. We generally reverse the routes taken in the morning where  
feasible based on geography and use that route in the evening.

5. Routes are designed according to where the students live, not by a  
specific community.

DISCUSSION POINTS:

1. Do you agree with the current routing criteria of no more than  
ninety minutes in length for bus rides? If not, what would you  
suggest should be our target? (Note that if we shorten routes, we  
will need more buses and drivers.)

2. Do you agree with the current process of starting from the  
furthest point of the route and working in toward a school? If not,  
what would you suggest?

3. When a bus has a fairly lengthy route, do you think that the route  
should be flipped so that students who ride the longest in the  
morning can ride the shortest distance in the afternoons if possible?

4. What other comments do you have that you would like to be  
considered as we begin the routing process for the 2008-2009 school  
year?

5. What other questions or suggestions do you have for Transportation  
Services?

As always, we welcome your suggestions and you can email me at  
hastings at k12albemarle.org with any comments or questions.

School of Engineering and Applied Science Engineering Open House

Saturday February 23, 2008 9am to 3pm. You are invited to attend the  
UVA. School of Engineering and Applied Science Open House. This is an  
annual, free event open to the public that provides an opportunity  
for visitors to meet faculty and staff, interact with current  
students, take tours of state of the art facilities, and attend  
interesting exhibits, presentations and demonstrations. Bring  
friends, family members and others who have always wanted to know the  
answer to the question: What do Engineers do?

This year, there will be several special presentations: former  
astronaut and Associate Dean for Graduate Programs Kathy Thornton  
will describe the Sights and Sounds of Space Flight, UVa. Dean of  
Admissions John Blackburn and Engineering School Associate Dean for  
Undergraduate Programs Paxton Marshall will discuss admissions and  
curriculum matters and Professor Larry Richards will highlight some  
Engineering Greats.  http://www.seas.virginia.edu/openhouse/

Parent Guide to Personal Safety for Youth

Due to the popularity of the KidSafe Virginia parent guides, GOSAP  
(Governor's Office for Substance Abuse Prevention) recently revised  
and combined the parent guides. The purpose of the Parent Guide to  
Personal Safety for Youth is to educate parents on some of the safety  
threats our children face and assist parents in communicating with  
their children about personal safety. The topics covered in this  
guide include: fire safety, internet safety, driving safety,  
bullying, gangs, inhalant abuse prevention and underage drinking.

Beginning December 15, 2007, parent guides will be available at fire  
and rescue stations throughout the Commonwealth or at your local DMV  
office.

GOSAP extends special thanks to the Department of Motor Vehicles  
(DMV) and the Department of Fire Programs (DFP) for assisting with  
the distribution of the parent guides, and to the Department of  
Criminal Justice Services for technical support.

To get copies of the Parent Guide:

go to your nearest DMV office,
Go to a participating fire and/or rescue department, or
Download a copy.

Parent Training for Student Transitions
Is your teen ready?  Are you?
FREE PARENT TRAINING
Students Welcome!
Saturday, March 8, 2008
Session 1:    9:30 am – 11:00 am
Session 2:    11:30 am – 1:00 pm
Session 1

Understanding Transition and IDEA
The IDEA 2004 legislation requires greater involvement by families  
and self advocates to ensure the transition years (14 – 22) address  
both academic and functional achievement—all this while a student’s  
strengths, interests and needs are considered. This workshop will  
outline how IDEA and the transition amendments work to ensure  
positive student transition outcomes.

Session 2

CSI: Transition (Clues for a Self Investigation)
This interactive session will walk participants through a “clues”  
workbook and help parents better understand how they can foster self- 
advocacy skills in students with disabilities.

PREP/Parent Resource Center, 225 Lambs Lane, Charlottesville
For more information and to register:
Sarah Blech, Coordinator, PREP/Parent Resource Center
(434) 975-9400 ext. 2342 or sblech at k12albemarle.org
You may register for one or both sessions!
(This program is mainly for 8th graders with IEPs but anyone is  
welcome to attend.)


Golden Apple Award

The Golden Apple Award is a means of selecting and honoring some of  
our outstanding teachers. Teachers are most important in nurturing  
our children’s inquisitive minds and preparing them for the  
challenges of the future.

Nominate a teacher and show your appreciation and support!

Nomination forms are available from the local schools
or online at www.k12albemarle.org

Cloth Grocery Bags

Cloth grocery bags, with the words in green, "Neither, thank you."  
and then a little word "Green" with a picture of the Henley Hornet,  
are still available.  They have an 8" deep base to hold lots of  
groceries.  You can stop and get these in the library, with cash or  
checks made out to J.T. Henley Middle School, with "Recycling" in the  
Memo.  The cost is $5.00.


School Directory

School Directories are available in the office.  The cost is $1.


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Mark Your Calendar

	February 9, Saturday - 3 PM - All District Choruses Perform,  
Monticello High School

	February 15, Friday 9:30 - 10:30 AM - Principal's Coffee, Library

	February 15, Friday - 4:00 - 6:30 PM - Valentine Dance

	February 16, Saturday - District Jazz Festival, Albemarle High School
	
	February 18, Monday - SCHOOL DAY (Snow Make Up Day #1)

	February 20, Wednesday - 6:00 PM - Public Hearing on County Budget,  
County Office Building, Lane Auditorium

	February 21, Thursday 4:30 - 8:15 PM - Parent Conferences
	
	March 1, Saturday - District Band Festival, CHS

	March 3, Monday - PATSO Meeting

	March 5, Wednesday - Board of Supervisors Public Hearing
	
Links

Dr. McLaughlin's blog at: http://henleyhornets.blogspot.com/

The Henley website at: http://www.k12albemarle.org/Henley/

The School Division website at: http://www.k12albemarle.org/

The ACPS Parent Council has a new website http://acpsparentcouncil.org/
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