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The next four years - ISSUES
Together the Prince William County School Board established the following priorities:
- Increase the reading ability of third grade students in part by the expansion of full-day kindergarten and technology.
- Decrease the achievement gap for students in the four NCLB (No Child Left Behind) subgroups: economically disadvantaged students, limited English proficient students, minority students, and students with disabilities. Work to increase the number of students taking SAT exams and work to increase test scores.
- Recruit and retain highly qualified teachers.
- Address transportation issues such as length of bus ride, starting times for elementary schools, and other associated issues.
- Examine the class size ratio at all levels.
- Provide reasonable, feasible, and equitable facilities renovation and new construction schedule and study our site acquisition strategies.
- Provide opportunities for meaningful parent involvement, especially for the Hispanic community and students and families of non English-speaking backgrounds.
- Examine the funding process for schools and departments.
While these are the current priorities established for the entire school division, many apply to the students in the Neabsco District. Julie will work with her fellow Board members over the next four years to accomplish these priorities, but will also specifically focus on what is needed most in our district.
In addition to the above priorities Julie will focus on:
- Funding in the classroom to include lower class sizes and adequate study materials.
- In addition to recruiting and retaining quality teachers, we must also stay competitive with teacher pay.
- Ensure equity among all schools, reduce overcrowding, and continue to focus on capital projects in our Dale City schools.
- Increase parental involvement at all levels of our schools and with our decision making process.
- Review the amount of time our students are spending taking standardized tests vs. time spent on instruction.
Over the next four years in the Neabsco District we will see many changes with regard to capital improvements that Julie helped step up and supported. Please visit Julie's record to see some of her accomplishments as your School Board Member over the past four years.
In September 2008 we will open our first new elementary school in the Neabsco District in 30 years! This new school will help reduce over crowding at Neabsco Elementary and surrounding schools. Our new school will be located at Benita Fitzgerald and Cardinal Drive. Over the next few months as your School Board Member, Julie Lucas will be meeting with the community to inform the public about this new school, help get information out about forming the School Naming Committee and the School Boundary Committee. If you are interested in serving on either of these two committees please call Julie for more information: (703) 597-3233.
Julie puts our children first! Keep Julie Lucas working hard for us! Please vote, Tuesday, November 6, 2007. For more information about how you can help Julie win re-election please contact us.
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