Tom Seeman, you sir are an idiot.  We do not have a teacher’s union in Loudoun County.  Virginia is a right to work state, which means unions in almost all instances are not allowed.  The Loudoun Education Association is a professional association which has no collective bargaining power.  Second, I would bet a majority of its members are only members because it provides teachers protection against frivolous lawsuits from some of the litigious parents of this county.  The School Board rarely listens to us when it comes to salaries or benefits yet for some reason you are under the impression we have some magical influence over the budget.  Newsflash, we have no say.  We can lobby just like citizens who don’t want to pay higher taxes but in the end, the BOS can give us the proverbial middle finger.  You don’t get it and you probably never will, but the BOS is listening to its citizens and trying to balance the budget even though it was a group of corrupt Republicans whose shady land deals caused the growth that put so much pressure on public services in this county.  The fact of the matter is this county needs a “rainy day” fund and instead in good times, they bought down your precious tax rate when they could have left it alone to generate this fund.  The County is just like most Americans too busy living in the present to understand the consequences that lie in the future.  It is insulting when a county as rich as Loudoun’s cannot ante up a 1% COLA which translates roughly to $25 to $30 a paycheck for most of its employees.  Plus, if you have not heard, we are also going to be furloughed possibly three days if the Option #1 List is implemented by Hatrick costing at least this employee over $700 in salary.  This is after our health benefits were cut last year.  You don’t give a crap though because you are just worried about you.

My heavens.  From reading the thread here you’d think that education was starved in Loudoun.  But instead we hear the same tired old euphemisms about “investment,” and in ever more shrill language.  ‘

Here is the bottom line;  Bob McDonnell won Loudoun County by 61% last November.  His running mates, Bill Bolling and Ken Cuccinelli, did almost as well.  Every single Republican candidate for Delegate won by similarly large margins.

The all campaigned on a platform of smaller government with limited powers.  Given the margins of victory, this was obviously a message that resonated.

President Obama is falling in the polls, and will continue his slide regardless of whether the Democrat health care package passes.  His day is over, and most pundits predict large GOP victories in November.

Whatever you think about the Tea Party movement, it is obvious that Americans as a whole are very concerned about government debt, which is increasing at an exponential level.  The Democrats are spending us into oblivion with no end in sight.

Further, anyone who thinks that Americans will accept more and more tax increases in the middle of a recession has not been paying attention.

Locally, the Democrats in charge of the Board of Supervisors are also running large deficits.  The last time I checked the deficit for Fy 2011 was $191 million, and this out of a budget of $1.4 billion (though that may have changed, the point remains that we are in over our heads).

The obvious conclusion to anyone not drinking the teachers union Kool-Aid is either this county gets its fiscal house in order or the Democrats will all find themselves voted off the BOS in 2011.

As a teacher, I see this list of options as additional duties I will have to assume.  Lay off secretarial staff?  Who will be picking up all that work that they do?  Increase class size?  Do you really value your child’s education?  Research has shown again and again that small class size is the key to academic success.  Bus kids to other schools?  Would you like to be the parent of the child who is kicked out of his or her own community?
Are you aware that most teachers spend upwards of $600 out of pocket each year?  Most spend far more than that.  Most of us don’t count.  The reason for this is simple.  While you, who do not see our schools, who do not see the problems of over-crowding, who may criticize teachers, forgetting that they have families and obligations of their own, do not see and know each child, we do.
Most of what we do is “unpaid”.  Most of the parking lots are full long before and after school.  Next time, you see a teacher leave the building, look carefully.  Do you see the large bag that person is carrying?  That is the work that is going to be brought home to be juggled with their own family obligations or, sometimes, need for sleep.
You are very fortunate to live in the wealthiest county in the United States, according to Forbes Magazine.
I have already “lost” real pay due to increases in health-care costs and cut-backs that make me want to provide supplies to students because they need them.
At our school, we are very fortunate to have a supportive PTA, but even they cannot cover the costs that these cut-backs will mean.
If you want your students to do well, you might want to re-examine what is required of teachers who already push themselves to do far more than is required, because they are the ones who make this educational system excellent.
In fifteen years, I have been fortunate to work among some of the best -educated, most dedicated professionals I have ever met.  We don’t show up for our bonuses or even our paycheck.  With the level of education required for certification, we could earn far more on another career path.  These are impressive individuals.
You might want to consider the children we serve, because there are a limited number of hours in a day.  They are your children.  For a year, they also become “our” children,as we say silent prayers for the future of each life we touch.
When you go to work, do you have a one-time shot at touching a life, in a positive or negative way, that will leave a lasting impact?  At the moment, we have that responsibility to at least twenty-five little people.  They are people You are not “supporting an educational system”.  You are supporting the children you are raising and counting on to take over this government.
Perhaps you ought to re-examine your criticism.

These supervisors better watch their backs. Being that LCPS is the largest employer in the county, you are angering a very large part of the population, and a poor part at that. Your arrogance and lack of compassion for those who educate and/or support the education of your children, will inevitably lead to a lower quality education system. Personally, I hope your children become the ingrates of tomorrow who have less common sense and basic intelligence than yourselves.

I for one, will be looking for a new job in the private sector where they actually appreciate and listen to their employees. Hatrick needs to go crawl under a rock and eat some hemlock. Have fun in your golden palace you Power Usurpers.

This is pathetic…denying a 1 percent raise. :-( I know that we teachers have been talking and we’re all about to look elsewhere for jobs. We want to be appreciated. We work really hard to make the grade and have some very difficult students here. Kids that move here and speak no english must be reading a level 3 by the end of kindergarten. It’s a good thing we care about the kids because if it were about money we would all be walking…

In reality, Mr Hatrick did not request, nor did he receive a salary increase in the 09-10 school year.
Supt. Hatrick, who leads a school system of 57,400 students and 8,000 employees, received a 2007-08 salary of $226,564; no bonus; $15,000 in deferred compensation; $19,541 in insurance; $27,520 in expenses; $10,529 for a vehicle; and $42,377 in pension, for a total compensation package of $341,531.
Considering the lackluster accomodations and performance offered by the LCPS, it is disappointing to hear that the BOS voted to extend Hatrick’s contract through the 2014 school year.
I attended LCPS in the mid seventies when Mr Hatrick was a mere bumbling knee-jerk reacting principal of LCHS. My two children attended LCPS until graduation and are still attempting to recover from the so called “education”.
I feel the BOS should have looked outside the box for a change to more inspired leadership for the children of Loudoun County. It’s beyond money, it’s the value for the money.

Long time Ashburn resident too: do you not realize that the fees you paid this year for your daughter are due to the BOS cutting the school budget last year and that with the deep cuts this year the fees will only increase?  This year fees will be more and some activities like certain sports, field trips, and summer school will be totally cut from the budget.  Just a thought

Robert: you have to anticipate the growth.  If you wait for it to happen you are too late.  Look at western Loudoun for example.

I have a 1 year old son and I am scared to death what the school system will be like when he’s school age at the rate the BOS is breaking them down.

Long time Ashburn resident: you need to contact your BOS representative!  Her name is Lori Waters.  She is very against anything education related and represents the Broad Run district.  I also live in Ashburn and am ashamed I did not vote to keep her out of office.  That mistake will not be made twice as with many others I speak to in our community.  We are embarrassed by her actions as our representative.

Long term ashburn resident… perhaps if you gave which NC school area was so appealing. It would be interesting to compare against Loudoun overall. The housing market is hurting in most places. My kids still get/had a top notch education here, while my property taxes have increased since 1990. Last year I payed $13500, plus over $600 in fees(AB courses, athletics, parking) this year for my senior daughter(only child in loudoun school currently). And even though my property value went down 20K, my taxes will go up again because of the rates they’ve been floating around. I agree that teachers should be taken care of and would like to see the bloated admin under Dr Hatrick and various others cut.

Sam, not sure where you’re living. Every week more and more houses in loudoun are foreclosed. Businesses are closing every week. Buildings sit empty. Prior BOS did a poor job of planning and it seemed like whatever Dr Hatrick and school board wanted, they got. Only 10 students our of 400-500 currently attending SB HS plan to transfer to Tusc HS. And they spend/waste money trying to decide where to build another HS near Ashburn?

So, hubby is a teacher and no COLA again for this year.  Our county assessment on our house went up over 16% this year, (HUH?)adding insult to injury.  Sure wish we had made the decision to “take the money and run” to North Carolina in 2005 when we had the chance and the house values were higher.  Stayed in Loudoun because teachers’ wage/benefit package was higher than in NC and thought our son would get a better education in Loudoun.  Feel like a chump now for deciding to stay here.

Sorry the last sentence should read as follows.

“In total 75 million has been cut from local funding from last year’s operating budget yet 3 new schools are opening in the fall.”

Crystal Owens: could you please clarify the cuts that were proposed and passed.

As I understand it the cuts include the 30 million you explained but in addition to that 25.4 million more was cut because the state is giving LCPS that amount.  So total cuts discussed yesterday were 55.4 million.  Correct? 

It total 75 million in total reductions from local funding has been cut from last year operating budget yet 3 new schools opening in the fall.

No COLA granted, then there must no increase in the cost of living, which means there better not be an increase in the county taxes. (Which is a cost of living) The BOS better find some way to come up with funds for salary increases for school employees or the BOS will need to face being replaced with more capable and competent people. It will be better replacing a county supervisor than having to replace teachers.

First off, every county school in the DC area(Md, VA and district) are cutting back, so most teachers in the area will not see any increase. Agree with the comment about Dr Hatrick. Besides getting 10% raises and various other perks(was told to keep up with other counties in the area), how about a 10-20% decrease this year. And you could get rid of half the admin under him, overpaid and very little justified work from his group. Yes, spend the money on the kids and teachers, cut back admin, deans & counselors at all schools. Oh, and stop wasting paper on trivial information, that last racial question(online) was quite a joke and waste of our time. Perhaps the BOS and School Board wages could be cut by 10-20% too.

VERY CONCERNED CITIZEN: Thank you for your comment.
Virginia’s state budget, which was passed Sunday and is awaiting Gov. McDonnell’s signature, gives Loudoun County an additional $25.4 million in aide.
Loudoun supervisors voted to cut a total of $30 million from the amount of local tax funding slated to go to the school system. The $30 million breaks down as follows:
$20 million—the amount allocated in next year’s school budget as emergency money
$5.5 million—the 1 percent cost-of-living adjustment raise schools asked for
$3.9 million—reallocated to the county government side of the budget
$657,000—the amount set aside in the school budget for the triennial school census

If you have any other questions, please feel free to contact me.

School district employees get the shaft but Supt. Hatrick and his high level admin staff in Ashburn got RAISES in salary and humongous benefits packages!!!  Dear public - wake up and smell the poo!  Hatrick has the highest salary of all government officials in the county, but he will cut every teacher and program, and close every school first in order to keep that cash flow into his bank account!  This is disgusting.

I don’t understand politicians who consider education to be some kind of luxury item. I won’t vote for any of the people who continue to cut education funding. Education is an INVESTMENT, and a lot of the other things these people shovel money into year after year are a joke.

Great post above!  But this story is not reported in its entirety.  The State of VA has sent 34 million in additional funds to Loudoun County Public Schools for use in education but the BOS has cut the Schools budget by more then 60 million thus taking away the 34 million from the state and additional money.  How is this acceptable or even legal?  Please do some investigating and report the entire story that unfolded yesterday.  The 1% COLA would have only been a fraction of that money (around 5.5 million).  What happened to the other 59 million?  Now much deeper cuts will need to be made in the education system to even operate at a minimal level.

Also, this county will not last very long on top of the nation’s richest list if the school system goes down the tubes as the BOS seem to be sending it.  Good education system is one of the strongest reasons people move to an area how can so many intelligent people be missing that point.

So the richest county in the nation can’t afford to give their employees an insulting one percent raise yet again?  This only increases the divide between the rich elite in the county and the people working hard to make their lives (and property values) better.  There really isn’t a recession in this county at all.  There is only the false mindset that we need to choke the people that can least afford it to make sure the rich aren’t told they have to pay a pittance more in taxes.  This negative mindset is the REAL reason people feel there is a recession here when we haven’t seen the layoffs that other places have endured.  Sure property values are down.  So, raise the tax rate to meet the levels needed to maintain the quality of life for ALL.
 
We are so well off in this county and if we use this time to actually INVEST in things like roads and education then when the rest of the nation turns around we’ll be YEARS ahead.  People will want to move here and property values will skyrocket.  Cutting education makes this county less desirable and it’s an opportunity lost.  Wake up!