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Getting SchooledBy Pamela Gould
Spotsy holding H1N1 clinic Monday Nov. 20, 2009 4:02 pm
The Spotsylvania County school division will hold an H1N1 vaccination clinic for all students and their siblings on Monday from 4 to 6 p.m. at Spotsylvania Middle School.
Perma-link: http://www.fredericksburg.com/blogs/view?blogger_id=63&p=1258750966
Nov. 11, 2009 9:21 am
The Roanoke Times is reporting today that a principal in the southwestern Virginia city was fired last night over an SOL "test scandal." The principal of a Roanoke school is out of a job following a state investigation that found testing irregularities, according to a summary of the Times report distributed by the Associated Press. The Roanoke School Board voted 5-2 on Tuesday to fire William Fleming High School Principal Susan Willis. In June, the Virginia Department of Education released a report implicating Willis in testing irregularities. The report said the school's administrators inappropriately kept 31 students out of state tests over the past two years. School officials later said the irregularities were more widespread and affected hundreds of students. Willis said in statement that testimony during a grievance hearing exonerated her. She said she will consider whether to appeal her dismissal to Roanoke Circuit Court. To read the full story in today's Roanoke Times, click here.
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H1N1 clinics cancelled until Thursday Nov. 10, 2009 9:00 am
The Spotsylvania County school system has cancelled H1N1 flu clinics scheduled for today (Nov. 10) and tomorrow (Nov. 11). The next clinic will be held Thursday (Nov. 12) at Spotsylvania High School. The clinic will run from 5 to 7:30 p.m. and is only for students of Spotsylvania schools and their siblings, the school division stressed. Both the flu mist and injectable forms of the vaccine are scheduled to be offered. For more information and to monitor the clinics, go to the school division's home page.
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Spotsy schools get first H1N1 tomorrow Nov. 2, 2009 3:51 pm
The Spotsylvania County school division will hold its first H1N1 flu vaccination session for students and their siblings tomorrow (Nov. 3) at Riverbend High School from 5 to 9 p.m. The school division received its first delivery of vaccine but it is only in the flu mist form, a form the division initially did not plan to administer. The Rappahannock Area Health District is providing the school division with 1,310 doses that will be available on a first come, first served basis.
· Children are able to get either the Flu Mist or the shot based on the consent form. · Children with asthma should only get the shot. · The Flu Mist is a painless delivery system. · The easy nasal spray application allows for rapid delivery and reduces the need for medical supplies. · Some studies have shown the Flu Mist to be more effective in children than the shot. · It is preservative (thimerosal) free. It mimics the natural process of immunity against influenza by inducing both a broad mucosal and systemic immune response. For updates about future clinics, check your child's school's web site or the division web site (www.spotsylvania.k12.va.us) each day.
Perma-link: http://www.fredericksburg.com/blogs/view?blogger_id=63&p=1257195060
H1N1 vaccine not expected before late next week Oct. 23, 2009 11:44 am
The Spotsylvania County school system decided this morning to cancel H1N1 vaccine clinics that had been scheduled for Monday but now parents shouldn't expect any clinics before Friday. Dr. John Petrasky, director of the Rappahannock Area Health District, told Free Lance-Star health reporter Jim Hall this morning that it's unlikely he'll get any shipments of the vaccine until Thursday, if then. Stay tuned.
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Elementary school scheduling update on Monday agenda Oct. 23, 2009 10:08 am
Julie Hurst, director of elementary education and executive director of curriculum, is scheduled to provide a report to the Spotsylvania County School Board on Monday about how the new scheduling program implemented at elementary schools this year is going. Parents have attended the past three school board meetings to complain about the reduction in recess that resulted from the program. When the program was implemented, students in third through fifth grades got their daily recess cut from 30 to 15 minutes. Parents have been lobbying to get the full recess restored. This week, the school division announced that elementary principals unanimously agreed to give teachers and administrators the flexibility to give those youngsters up to 30 minutes of recess daily. The School Board meets at 6:30 p.m. Monday at the division's administration building, 8020 River Stone Drive. The building is located off U.S. 1, just south of Massaponax High School.
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Final two defendants in teen beating case sentenced Oct. 22, 2009 1:30 pm
The last two of nine defendants charged in a January beating of two Spotsylvania County teens that was recorded via cell phone were sentenced yesterday. James Eugene Massey Jr., 18, was ordered to serve six months of a three-year sentence for felony unlawful wounding. Kyle Antwan Brown, 19, was ordered to serve one year of a five-year sentence for felony unlawful wounding. Both of their attorneys had asked the judge to consider sentencing them for misdemeanor assault and battery rather than the felony, but he declined. The nine defendants received terms to serve ranging from one to 18 months. Each is to pay one-ninth of the victims’ medical bills as part of a plea agreement. For the rest of the story, see tomorrow's Free Lance-Star.
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Spotsy faulted for changing H1N1 consent form Oct. 21, 2009 2:38 pm
Rappahannock Health District Director John Petrasky has directed Spotsylvania school officials to withdraw the H1N1 consent form the school division had been distributing to parents. Petrasky said the state consent form is a legal document that isn't to be altered. Superintendent Jerry Hill said the school division had changed the form in attempt to keep school nurses out of the position of giving medical advice. Spotsylvania changed the form to require parents of children with certain medical conditions to get their doctors' permission to get the shot but Petrasky said doctors' permission is not required. Later today, the state health department version of the form was to be posted on the school division web site, Hill said. But as of 2:30 p.m., the altered form was still there. Check out the state consent form, the one Spotsylvania had revised, and a letter from Dr. Petrasky informing local doctors of the "unauthorized modification" and stating that he told Spotsylvania officials the form "must be corrected." The instructions under Section D, "Student Health History," were the most significant change to the form, per Petrasky. See the full story in tomorrow's Free Lance-Star. BREAKING NEWS: The Health District is out of vaccine so Spotsylvania students won't be getting shots tomorrow. Spotsylvania had been scheduled to launch its vaccinations starting with elementary students during an evening session tomorrow. No information is available yet on when Spotsylvania will be rescheduled.
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Oct. 20, 2009 10:23 am
The Spotsylvania County school division recently recognized individual schools for their success on last school year's Standards of Learning tests. To see the full list of recognitions, click here. To see today's story that ran in The Free Lance-Star Spotsy & City Extra, click here.
Perma-link: http://www.fredericksburg.com/blogs/view?blogger_id=63&p=1256048637
Oct. 14, 2009 10:25 am
Some members of the Spotsylvania County school administration met with parents on Oct. 8 to discuss their concerns about trimming recess for third through fifth graders. A new scheduling system went into effect this school year across the division's elementary schools. Administrators say it was aimed at establishing consistency for all students and improving performance. As a byproduct of that, children in third through fifth grades lost half of their daily 30-minute recess. Parents have addressed the School Board at its last three meetings, asking to have the 30 minutes reinstated. Several have brought research that shows the benefits of recess in general and 30 minutes in particular. To see a summary of the meeting and where school administrators are in the process, review a memo distributed to parents by Dr. Edlow Barker, assistant superintendent for instruction.
Perma-link: http://www.fredericksburg.com/blogs/view?blogger_id=63&p=1255530353
A Delaware case about "weapons" Oct. 14, 2009 9:45 am
Something to ponder from Delaware via the Associated Press this morning: Delaware 1st grader has 45-day suspension By BEN NUCKOLS= Associated Press Writer BEAR, Del. (AP) _ A Delaware first-grader who was facing 45 days in an alternative school as punishment for taking his favorite camping utensil to school can return to class after the school board made a hasty change granting him a reprieve. The seven-member Christina School Board voted unanimously Tuesday to reduce the punishment for kindergartners and first-graders who take weapons to school or commit violent offenses to a suspension ranging from three to five days. Zachary Christie, 6, had faced 45 days in an alternative school for troublemakers after he took the utensil _ a combination folding knife, fork and spoon _ to school to eat lunch last month. Now, he could return Wednesday. "I want to get him back as soon as possible. I want to put this behind him as soon as possible," said Debbie Christie, Zachary’s mother. "But I also want him to know that he has a voice, and when things are not right, he can stand up and speak out against them." A spokeswoman for the school district said more changes to the school system’s code of conduct were possible in the coming months. The punishment given to Zachary was one of several in recent years that have prompted national debate on whether schools have gone too far with zero-tolerance policies.
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Blalock votes against H1N1 agreement Oct. 13, 2009 2:42 pm
Spotsylvania School Board member Amanda Blalock voted last night against the memorandum of understanding between the county school division and the Rappahannock Area Health District. She's not opposed to the shots but she has concerns with the plan. See the rest of the story in tomorrow's Free Lance-Star.
Perma-link: http://www.fredericksburg.com/blogs/view?blogger_id=63&p=1255459338
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Pamela Gould covers education and other issues for The Free Lance-Star
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