Early start to summer for CCPS

By Rhonda Simmons

Published: May 13, 2008

Culpeper County Public School students will get an early start to their summer vacation next month.

The Culpeper County School Board voted unanimously in favor of adjusting the 2007-08 school calendar during its Monday meeting, establishing June 10 as the last day of school instead of June 13.

Graduation is still scheduled for June 14.

Superintendent David Cox pointed out Monday’s school closure before the vote, which caused members to revise this year’s calendar.

The cancellation came after the region received a couple of inches of rain that caused flooded roads and downed trees throughout the county.

Before that, students missed three days of school due to inclement weather.

The vote also adjusts CCPSs existing 185-day calendar to the Code of Virginia’s required 180 days.

The board also voted 6-1 in favor of approving a $3.1 million increase to its existing operating budget.

Member Rusty Jenkins dissented.

The increase includes $1.8 million in new revenue from the county, thanks to action taken last month the Board of Supervisors approving a 5-cent real estate hike.

The supervisors also approved a one-time $636,477 allowance from the county’s general fund to help open the county’s two new schools this fall.

The BOS is scheduled to vote on appropriations this morning.

The new $72.1 million school operating budget excludes the self-sufficient food service department. With that, the overall budget totals $75.2 million.

State and other funding resources added to the overall increase.

Monday’s budget approval also came with some changes.

Vice chair Bob Beard suggested hiring an elementary school teacher estimated at $52,000, additional participation in the employee assistance program at $15,000, the purchase or lease of a board documents program at $15,000, an increase to student parking fees to $100 and approval of the teacher salary scale beginning at $37,620 into next year’s operating budget.

Chairman George Dasher explained that Beard’s recommendations wouldn’t increase the budget’s bottom line.

Meanwhile, member Leanne Jenkins questioned where the board would obtain the funding.

Dasher said the CCPS staff and administrators had already looked over the adjustments before Monday’s meeting.

He also credited last month’s surprise Virginia Retirement System contribution rate for assisting with some unexpected profits.

Beard agreed.

“There’s no hidden money here,” he said pointing to the additional VRS reductions netting the school system about $106,000 in savings.

Rhonda Simmons can be reached at 825-0771 ext. 125 or .