CCPS students could get early start to summer

By Rhonda Simmons

Published: May 12, 2008

Next month, Culpeper County Public School students could possibly get out of school for the highly anticipated summer break earlier than expected.

That’s if the School Board approves a proposal from Larry Carter, CCPS executive director of administrative services, tonight during its regular monthly meeting.

Tonight’s meeting — held at the County Administration Building, 302 N. Main St. — starts at 7.

“Considering that we have a 185-day school calendar, we request that four days be removed from the end of the existing calendar,” Carter wrote to Superintendent David Cox in a letter dated May 7.

This adjustment to the 2007-08 school calendar would establish June 9 as the last day of school instead of June 13.

Graduation is still set for June 14.

So far, CCPS has missed three days due to inclement weather this school year and, according to Carter, Feb. 16 was the date used as a makeup day.

In other action, the board will vote whether to approve the fiscal year 2009 operating budget, again.

Last month, School Board members voted to approve a $6.7 million increase to their existing $68.9 operating budget.

But when the BOS approved a 5-cent real estate increase generating nearly $2.6 in new revenue, school officials needed to readjust their figures to balance the budget.

In order to do so, the board discussed during a recent work session the possibility of limiting its contribution to health insurance, reducing new and existing staff, reducing beginning teacher pay, eliminating teacher step increase, implementing energy saving setbacks, limiting programs and limiting maintenance projects — all in an effort to cut costs.

The board will also consider approving a capital improvement plan priority list for the 2008-09 school year.

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

Want to go?

What: Regular School Board meeting

Where: County Administration Building, 302 N. Main St.

When: Tonight at 7