[SchoolMatters] Improving how we use our resources

[Brian Wheeler]

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
This message is not an official communication of the Albemarle County School
Board. It is a private, e-mail-only newsletter written by Brian Wheeler,
At-Large Member of the Albemarle County School Board. 
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

[Want to share some public comments on this message?  See the weblog version
here: http://schoolmatters.typepad.com/my_weblog/2007/12/resources.html ]
 
In June, the Albemarle County School Board retained the Commonwealth
Educational Policy Institute (CEPI) at VCU to conduct a "resource management
review" of our school operations.  At our business meeting last week, the
School Board received our first presentation about the findings and we have
scheduled an in-depth work session to review the Institute's recommendations
for this Thursday.
 
I can tell you that during the presentation by Dr. William Bosher, I was
squirming in my seat frequently.  It appears they have identified a number
of key areas where we can make improvements in our school operations.  He
also had plenty of accolades for things Albemarle is doing really well.
That's exactly what I was hoping for with this review, but it can be
difficult to hear it all at once.  Some things we have held sacred may need
adjustments.  The end result should be a better operating school division
that makes the most efficient use of your tax dollars in pursuit of our
community's goal for a world class school division.
 
I am still reviewing the final report, but I am making both the slides and
the report available on my website for your review.  
 
Presentation slides:
http://www.wheeleronboard.com/docs/20071206-ResManagement.pdf
Full report:
http://www.wheeleronboard.com/docs/20071206-ResManagement-report.pdf
 
The report includes 176 findings and observations, and 117 recommendations
in eight focus areas.  Here is a list of the chapters to give you some sense
of the scope of the project:
 
   1. Part One: Fiscal Planning, Budgeting and Related Services
   2. Part Two: Facilities and Student Population Planning
   3. Part Three: Curriculum, Instruction and Student Services
   4. Part Four: Technology Planning, Systems, and Utilization
(Instructional & Administrative)
   5. Part Five: Human Resources
   6. Part Six: Policy Development, Communications and Community Relations
   7. Part Seven: Support Operations: Building, Food Services and
Transportation
   8. Part Eight: Organizational Development, Leadership, Central
Administration
 
The school division has also created a website home for this study and here
you will be able to track our next steps as well as the short-term and
long-term decisions we make to address these findings.
See:
http://schoolcenter.k12albemarle.org/education/components/docmgr/default.php
?sectiondetailid=63502
<http://schoolcenter.k12albemarle.org/education/components/docmgr/default.ph
p?sectiondetailid=63502&sc_id=1197329428> &sc_id=1197329428
 
Please let me know what you think about the report's conclusions.  Now back
to my reading...
 
Brian Wheeler
 
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Brian Wheeler
 <mailto:bwheeler at albemarlematters.com> bwheeler at albemarlematters.com
 <http://www.wheeleronboard.com/> http://www.wheeleronboard.com

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Brian Wheeler, At-Large Member
 <http://www.k12albemarle.org/>  <http://www.k12albemarle.org/> Albemarle
County School Board
89 Langford Place
Charlottesville, VA 22903
 <mailto:bwheeler at k12albemarle.org> bwheeler at k12albemarle.org
tel: 434-984-2233
 <http://www.wheeleronboard.com/> www.wheeleronboard.com
 <http://schoolmatters.typepad.com/> Click here to visit my blog and comment
on the latest school news 

 
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