Hefner is a product of Spotsylvania schools and attended Courtland when she was in elementary school. She credited her fourth grade teacher there for inspiring her to go into education.

The division said her interest in students really learning material rather than just teaching what will be on standardized tests made her a standout candidate for teacher of the year.

AT THE BUS STOP:

• Always walk to the bus stop. Never run.
• Walk on the sidewalk. If there is no sidewalk, walk on the left facing traffic.
• Always go to the bus stop about five minutes before the bus is scheduled to arrive.
• While at the bus stop, wait in a safe place away from the road. Do not run and play while waiting.
• Never speak to strangers at the bus stop and never get into the car with a stranger. Always go straight home and tell you parents if a stranger tries to talk to you or pick you up.
• Wait for the bus to arrive, watch for red flashing lights and the stop sign to be extended, and cross only when all traffic has stopped. Look left, right, and left again before crossing.

ON THE BUS:

• Go directly to a seat. Remain seated and facing forward for the entire ride.
• Talk quietly (so the driver will not be distracted).
• If you need to talk to the bus driver: wait for the bus to stop, raise your hand, and call the driver’s name.
• Never throw things on the bus or out the windows. Never play with the emergency exits.
• Keep the aisles clear at all times.
• If there is an emergency, listen to the driver and follow instructions.

EXITING THE BUS:

• When getting off the bus make sure you walk (not run) three more steps away from the door. This is the best place to be around a bus. Stay away from the bus wheels and watch out for moving cars!
• Once you get off the bus, go straight home so an adult will know where you are.
• Only get on and off the bus at your designated stop. If you need to get off the bus somewhere else, you will need to have a note from your parents.
• If you leave something on the bus, never return to the bus to get it. The driver may not see you come back and they may begin moving the bus.
• Also, if you drop something near the bus, tell the bus driver before you attempt to pick it up, so they will know where you are.

The school board previously asked the board of supervisors for an increase of $3.2 million in local funds. The school board’s top priorities, totaling $2.6 million, were to give employees a 2 percent cost-of-living raise and to restore 14 teaching positions.

The new draft of the budget takes into consideration $750,000 in additional one-time local funds.

With the school board’s anticipation of receiving the one-time funding from the supervisors, the funds will be used to fund health insurance rate increases, VRS rate increases, additional Special education mandates and non-compensation instructional purchases.

The supervisors said they plan to allocate more money to schools at a work session on April 4, after county staff members identified a little more than $1 million in cuts and savings to the budget that runs July 1, 2013, through June 30, 2014. The $1 million in savings and cuts won’t carry over to future budget years.

County Administrator Doug Barnes had recommended $114.8 million in local money for public schools—the same amount the division has received for the past two years.

At the school board meeting Monday member Ray Lora said he feels he has failed the employees of the school system.

“The time has come to give our employees a pay raise,” he said. “We should do that with money not from state or from local funds. I would like us to work on this under assumption of level funding [in the next budget cycle].”

Chairwoman Amanda Blalock said, “There’s nobody here who didn’t want to give those raises. I think everyone knows that. But I think what our staff and community expects first is for us to be prudent, have division needs met and keep the quality of education good.”

The school board will meet with the board of supervisors for a budget workshop at 3 p.m. Tuesday.

Look for more on the Spotsylvania schools budget in Wednesday’s paper.

The seminar is set for Thursday, May 30, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and will feature networking for families and a discussion with Jazmine Alcarzar from the Rappahannock Area Agency on Aging Virginia Insurance Counseling & Assistance Program.

Peggy Dougherty, director of the parent resource center, said that anyone raising a relative’s child regardless of age is welcome to attend.

“I think we’re finding that networking with other people who are doing the same thing has been beneficial,” she said. “They can talk with each other, share ideas that have worked and connect each other to resources within the community.”

The seminar is free and open to the public.

For more information and registration contact:

Parent Resource Center

John J. Wright Educational & Cultural Center

7565 Courthouse Road

Spotsylvania

(540)582-7583 ext. 6

Courtland is one of 85 public high schools nationwide to receive a grant for struggling athletics programs.

According to a release, “This grant will be used to purchase as many football helmets as possible to ensure that all players have access to the same quality equipment and not limit participation.”

The need for new helmets arises from a new law by the National Athletic Reconditioning Association requiring all football helmets 10 years or older to be replaced.

Chair of the athletics department Laura Gast applied for the grant.

The California Casualty Thomas R. Brown Athletics Grant program began two years ago, with $25,000 in grants across four states. According to the release, applications revealed such compelling need that the grant pool was tripled and eligibility expanded to all states for the second year of the program.

Chairwoman Amanda Blalock said to the teachers of the year, ”You are special, it’s just that simple. Teaching isn’t a profession where you come in and then just go home. You pull out the potential that no one else can.”

Here is a list of Spotsylvania teachers of the year:

Elementary Schools

Battlefield Elementary – Lauren Saravia, English to Speakers of Other Languages teacher

Berkeley Elementary – Mary Soldan, Special Education teacher

Brock Road Elementary – Laurie Lammonds, Librarian

Cedar Forest Elementary – Kerry Hudgins, 2nd grade teacher

Chancellor Elementary – Kirsten Reese, Kindergarten teacher

Courthouse Road Elementary – Michelle Sims, 4th grade teacher

Courtland Elementary – Tara Hefner, 2nd grade teacher

Harrison Road Elementary – Jenna Conlee, Gifted Education teacher

Lee Hill Elementary – Jennifer Costa, 1st grade teacher

Livingston Elementary – Cara Holmes, Kindergarten teacher

Parkside Elementary – Corrie Scheer, Kindergarten teacher

Riverview Elementary – Amy Mallardi, Kindergarten teacher

Robert E Lee Elementary – Kaitlyn Butler, 5th grade teacher

Salem Elementary – Jamey Lewchanin, Health & Physical Education teacher

Smith Station Elementary – Shelby Harmon, Art teacher

Spotswood Elementary – Francesca Ward, 3rd grade teacher

Wilderness Elementary – Jennifer Eckhart, 2nd grade teacher

Middle Schools

Battlefield Middle – Gary Brightbill, 8th grade Science teacher

Chancellor Middle – Wendy “Kristen” Amos, English teacher

Freedom Middle – Beth Marshall, World Language teacher

Ni River Middle – Kristin Welton, Special Education teacher

Post Oak Middle – Stephanie Byrne, 7th grade teacher

Spotsylvania Middle – Tanya Hall, 7th grade English teacher

Thornburg Middle – Kristine Hoben, 8th grade Math teacher

High Schools

Chancellor High – Lisa Gattie, English teacher

Courtland High – Lisa Gates, English teacher

Massaponax High – Ellen Saunders, Marketing teacher

Riverbend High – Michelle Sweeney, Special Education teacher

Spotsylvania High – Amanda Rollins, Biology teacher

Career & Technical Center – Lori Stanley, Dental Assisting teacher

Auxiliary Site

John J Wright Educational & Cultural Center – Tammy Jones, Preschool teacher

The division teacher of the year will be announced on May 9.

The event will take place at Ni River Middle School on Saturday, April 13, from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

The students, divided into teams of two, will argue both sides of the issue.

This year’s topic, Resolve: “Undocumented immigrants should be given amnesty,” was chosen since it is timely

“We felt that it would be an awesome opportunity as well [as] informative to hear how middle school kids would address the issue,” said event coordinator Moe Petway.

The Great Debate Tournament was founded in 2007 by the Spotsylvania NAACP to inspire students in the middle schools and local Union churches to develop skills and excel in public speaking. Inspiration for the tournament came from the movie the Great Debaters.

Petway said he hopes students come out of the debate with “a better understanding how  immigrants affects our society… and how they contribute to the nation and better appreciation for the privileges & benefits  they enjoy as an American.”

The event is free and open to the public.<

“This is one of the most important issues facing the U.S. today… to have middle school students address this make[s] it more relevant , because they are the future and will have to deal with it soon,” Petway said.

The event will be held at the school board office and will last until 4 p.m.

Jennifer Gaston-Smith, who spearheaded the project, said the group has raised $3,500 since December.

Gaston-Smith and the school’s PTA hope to build a playground with ADA-certified materials and equipment such as swings with harnesses and ground cover that would allow children in wheelchairs to be mobile, as well. The cost for the project starts at $10,000.

She said that an anonymous donor has promised to match their funds if they reach $5,000.

“We would be able to begin buying equipment then,” Gaston-Smith said. “That would be amazing.”

The event will feature vendors from local businesses as well as people selling yard sale items. There will also be a raffle for items including handmade jewelry and gift cards.

“It’s an eclectic mix,” she said.

Gaston-Smith said the event will also include activities for families to enjoy like a bouncy house and food.

Gaston-Smith said most people have no idea that the school board office houses preschool and special education programs.

Her son, who has spina bifida and will be too old to attend the school next year, probably won’t ever play on the equipment during recess. But Gaston–Smith said she wants to help other children in a similar situation.

“We just want recognition that kids with disabilities are as valuable as any other child and can play outside like any other child,” she said.

After four years covering Spotsylvania County schools and Germanna Community College, I am undertaking new duties for The Free Lance-Star and fredericksburg.com. These two education beats are being split up.

Reporter Lindley Estes is taking over coverage of Spotsylvania County Schools. She will maintain this blog and an accompanying Facebook page and Twitter account. However, all three will operate under a new name:  Spotsy School News. (If you are a Twitter follower of @GettgSchooled, you won’t need to switch over to get @SpotSchoolNews.)

Lindley also will be continuing her coverage of the University of Mary Washington and King George County schools. She can be reached at 540/735-1976 or lestes@freelancestar.com.

Jeff Branscome will be covering Germanna Community College in addition to his duties as Spotsylvania County government reporter. He can be reached at 540/374-5402 or jbranscome@freelancestar.com.

Germanna news will be posted on the Germanna blog.

As for my new duties, I will be moving into new arenas. I will be covering the Fredericksburg City Council and hope soon to launch two new projects,  including one that deals with crime and justice. Details on both projects are still being finalized.

My contact information will be unchanged. You can still reach me at 540/735-1972 and pgould@freelancestar.com.

To follow my Fredericksburg reporting, check out the City Beat blog, follow me on Twitter @fxbgcitybeat, and on Facebook.

When I started covering Spotsylvania County schools in February 2009, Dr. Jerry Hill was superintendent and schools were just beginning the era of budget cuts. That era continues today, two superintendents later.

I’ve witnessed Germmanna Community College’s incredible enrollment growth, seen a new academic building added to the Massaponax campus, and spoken to students and staff who were jolted by an earthquake at the start of fall semester 2011.

As I leave, I want to thank everyone who provided tips and insights, corrections and complaints. Thanks also to everyone who answered countless questions and assisted in my quest to provide fair and accurate reporting.

Feel free to stay in touch. You know where to find me.

–Pam

Board Chairwoman Amanda Blalock and Vice Chairman Jim Meyer will be presenting the budget to the Board of Supervisors tomorrow night.

The board is requesting funding above the amount recommended by County Administrator Doug Barnes, which is $114.8 million. That is the same funding provided to the school division for this school year.

The board hopes to give staff a 2 percent cost-of-living increase and to restore 14 teaching positions. Eleven of the teaching positions would be for elementary schools to address class sizes.