Survey Stays
<bt>School Board member Mychele Brickner (At large) attempted to prevent the Communities That Care survey from being administered later this year by proposing the money be spent on programs to help children needing drug and alcohol services instead. In addition, Brickner wanted the survey questions to be referred to the School Board's Family Life Education Curriculum Advisory Committee for review and recommendations. Her motion was defeated, gaining only the support of the four Republican-endorsed members. Robert Frye (At large) was absent from the meeting.
"In tight budget times there is no leeway to add funding for additional services on the school or the county side based upon results of the survey," Brickner said in making her motion.
The survey, last administered in 2001 to 10,000 students in grades 8, 10 and 12, includes questions related to drug and alcohol use, bullying, suicide and other risky behaviors. This time around, questions about sexual behavior have been added, based on questions developed by the Centers for Disease Control, which has created a controversy.
Opponents to the sex questions argue it is an invasion of the students' privacy and can give the impression such behavior is acceptable. Supporters of the questions say the information is needed in order to get a full picture of what risk behaviors the students are engaged in and in developing programs aimed at stopping such behavior. Brickner said the CDC questions regarding sex were considered by the previous schools superintendent in 1994, who "wisely decided they were inappropriate."
"Parents are doing a better job of parenting because parents aren't afraid to address the issues of our youth," said School Board member Jane Strauss (Dranesville). "The purpose of the survey is to identify problems, address them and teach our children right from wrong."
The survey is voluntary and anonymous. It is slated to be given to sixth, eighth, 10th and 12th graders later this year, with only the high-schoolers receiving surveys containing the sex questions. The questions are worded so that if the student answers no to the first two sex questions, there is no need to go any further with the remainder of the survey. The Communities That Care survey is a joint effort between the county government, the county public schools and the Fairfax Partnership for Youth, with the supervisors paying for the survey and the school system administering it.
<sh>GT Information Nights
<bt>Three gifted and talented information nights have been scheduled for parents. Fairfax County Public Schools staff will present an overview of the elementary- and middle-school programs, explain the identification process and answer questions.
The events will be held at the following locations:
* Monday, March 3, 7:30-9 p.m., at West Potomac High, 6500 Quander Road, Alexandria;
* Tuesday, March 4, 7:30-9 p.m., at Fairfax County Government Center, 12000 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax; and
* Thursday, March 6, 7:30-9 p.m., at Langley High School, 6520 Georgetown Pike, McLean.
For more information, visit the school system's Web site at www.fcps.edu/DIS/gt/.
<sh>Autism Research Findings Presented
<bt>Dr. Nancy Minshew, associate professor of Psychiatry and Neurology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, will present a training session for Fairfax County Public Schools staff and parents of autistic children, "Understanding How Autistic Students Think: Medical Research Findings," Thursday, Feb. 27, 12:30-3:30 p.m., at the Walnut Hill Administrative Center, 7423 Camp Alger Ave., Falls Church.
A second informational session will take place Thursday, Feb. 27, 7-9 p.m. at the Dunn Loring Administrative Center, 2334 Gallows Road, Dunn Loring. At this session, Minshew will describe her work for the Center for Autism Research, where she is searching for a cognitive and neurological basis for autism. The center is also recruiting families of people with autism, as well as autistic male and female participants between the ages of 8-45 for the research.
Parents and other community members can register by calling Leigh Webster, 703-246-8102, or by e-mailing, Leigh.Webster@fcps.edu and specify which session. County staff can register through the Office of Instructional Services Staff Development Web site for Leadership Academy Seminars.
<sh>Wallace-Reader's Digest Grant Renewed
<bt>Fairfax County Public Schools has received a year-two grant renewal from the Wallace-Reader's Digest Foundation to continue the Learning, Empowering, Assessing and Developing (LEAD) Fairfax project to train future education leaders. The grant is worth $1.7 million over the next 18 months and is renewable through the 2006-07 school year.
The LEAD Fairfax program, created during the first year of the grant, has offered professional development training to more than 175 people in the first phase including principals, assistant principals, administrative interns, support leaders and teacher leaders. The program focuses on site-based leadership development and emphases recruiting, developing and sustaining leaders who can not only manage a school, but also influence the educational community to produce greater achievement by students.
The program is a partnership between the school system and the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, the Center for Creative Leadership, Global Learning Association, Linkage Inc., Stand By Systems and Gallup Organization.
<sh>FCPS Events Calendar
<bt>Wednesday, Feb. 19, 7 p.m.
School Health Advisory Committee, Devonshire Center, 2831 Graham Road, Falls Church.
Wednesday, Feb. 19, 7:30 p.m.
* Gifted and Talented Advisory Committee, Lacey Center, 3705 Crest Drive, Annandale.
* Human Resources Advisory Committee, Human Resources Center, 6815 Edsall Road, Springfield.
* Adult and Community Education Advisory Committee, Pimmit Hills Center, 7510 Lisle Ave., Falls Church.
Monday, Feb. 24, 8:30 a.m.
School Board work session, facilities; facilities & policy review; human resources; instruction; strategic plan. & eval.; policy review. Burkholder Center, 10700 Page Ave., Fairfax.
Thursday, Feb. 27, 8 a.m.
Professional Technical Studies Advisory Committee, Walnut Hill Center, 7423 Camp Alger Ave., Falls Church.
Thursday, Feb. 27, 7:30 p.m.
School Board regular business meeting, boundaries. Luther Jackson, 3020 Gallows Road, Falls Church.