The Hanover County School Board unanimously adopted a $228 million budget for the 2013-2014 school year at their February 21st meeting. The budget closed a $5.4 million shortfall. Some concerns were raised at the public comment period around budget cuts potentially impacting programs like IB testing fees and pay-to-play sports. Students presented proposed solutions like fundraising and small tax increases. The board expressed appreciation for public engagement in the budget process.

1. School Board Meeting
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Closed meeting 6-7:30pm
Public meeting 7:30-10pm
200, Berkley St., Ashland, VA

2.  I. The board will assert its role in the community
as the educational policy leader of public
education in Hanover County.
 “Policy: School boards set the general rules about what is
done in the schools”
 II. The board will promote the delivery of
effective instructional services as the primary
responsibility of the entire school community.
 “Curriculum and assessment. The board develops
curriculum…[and] implement and report on state
assessments”
(Ornstein, Levine, & Gutek, 2011)

3.  III. The board will demonstrate leadership in and
support efforts to attract and retain the best
qualified employees.
 “Staffing. …the board is responsible for hiring all school
district employees”
 “Employee relations. School-board members are
responsible for all aspects of employee relations”
 IV. The board will monitor the effects of
significant fiscal influences and consider plans for
their effective management.
 “Fiscal matters. The board must keep the school district
solvent and get the most out of every tax dollar”
(Ornstein, Levine, & Gutek, 2011)

4.  V. The board will embrace additional
opportunities to promote its accountability to
the public.
 “Community relations. The school board must
respond not only to parents but also to other
members of the community.
(Ornstein, Levine, & Gutek, 2011)

5.  I. Manage the impact of prevailing budget/fiscal trends.
 II. Form salary/benefit proposals that support Hanover’s
competitive position and reflect market adjustments where
necessary.
 III. Promote instructional programming.
 IV. Implement and monitor action plans.
 V. Develop and maintain a responsive, systematic approach to
long-term building maintenance, construction, custodial services,
furniture/equipment replacement, technology system upgrades,
other operating efficiencies, and long-range financial stability.
 VI. Identify the impact of emerging issues and mandates on the
school budget.

6.  John F. Asxelle III
(Beaverdam District)
 Earl J. Hunter, Jr.
(Henry District)
 Robert L Hundley, Jr.
(Chickahominy District)
 Henry D. Lowry, Jr.
(Ashland District)
 Robert L. Wood
(Cold Harbor District)
 Glenn T. Millican, Jr.
(Mechanicsville District)

7.  Teachers
 Students-
 Award winners
 Working on projects requiring school board
attendance
 Speakers
 Parents and young children

8.  Open Session
 Invocation (Prayer)/Pledge of Allegiance
 Approval of Minutes
 Consent of Agenda (Approval of Superintendent’s
Recommendations)
 Action Agenda (Approval of Preschool Initiative)
 Information Items (Status Report/Calendars)
 Topics for next session
 Adjourn
(The majority of these items were discussed and decided
upon during the closed meeting)

9. Certificates Award in Recognition of…
 VSBA School Board Appreciation Month
 2012 Stock Market Game Winners- 3 students from Atlee HS
 2013 winner of VA History Writing Contest- John Roakes (laptop
to student/$1,000 to school awarded)
 2012-13 NCWIT Award for Aspiration in Computing- Vanessa
Gentry (1 of 2 in VA), Atlee HS
 Hanover’s 2013 Spelling Bee Champion- Yashna Nainani (4/5 yr.
winner), Chickahominy HS
 VA School Counselor of the Year- Elizabeth Beatley, Pole Green
Elementary

10. Guidelines:
 Each speaker is allotted 3 minutes to present
their views to the board at the podium.
 Groups are allowed 6 minutes to present.
Main topics of concern based on speakers (~12):
 Budget cuts- Pay to play, IB test fees
 Defense of teachers

11.  Anthony Smith (Hanover HS student): Student
survey of disconnect between school board
and teacher concerns; provided breakdown of
technology requests, how to fulfill them
through departmental grants with student
essays, projects, etc.
 Daniel Chen (Hanover HS student): Worked on
project with Anthony; presented on teacher
time budgets and need to allow more
planning time

12.  Carol R. (Patrick HS student): Provided
general perspective, including defense for
student opinions, viewing teachers with more
respect and higher pay, fear that budget cuts
will drive away quality teachers; also against
pay-to-play indicative
 Randy Wright (Middle School Teacher): In
favor of raising taxes to increase budget;
argued political views are impacting school
decisions

13.  Jordon Goodman (Lee Davis HS student): Against
requiring students to pay for IB testing; encouraged
reimbursement for testing due to additive sums of
multiple test taking
 Katie G. (Lee Davis HS student): Same views as Jordon;
students can not afford to pay for testing
 Speaker: Support retired teachers as part-time
educators to save budget money
 Renee (Lee Davis Physics instructor): Must come up
with creative solutions to problems given time
constraints and limited materials (used simulation
example she uses in the classroom with popsicle stick
construction.

14.  Parent: Against limiting students with pay-to-
play because students that are unable to pay
will not be as successful or competitive as
they could be if schools continued to provide
free sports
 Group of 3 students: Proposed raising taxes
and fund raising in order to pay for IB testing;
provided personal stories of financial
struggles of their families

15.  Board members seemed genuinely interested and
took notes
 Students agreed on the two key issues: No pay-to-
play and schools should continue to pay for IB testing
 Touching that students were concerned with the
possible financial struggle effects of the budget cuts
 After all comments, Daniel Chen stood back up to
speak: He had “crunched numbers” during the talk of
raising taxes on food in the local areas and found that
the board could cover costs by doing so
 Appreciated the passion of everyone that made
comments

16.  An overall informative experience
 Decisions seemed to have been made during
the closed meeting and simply announced to
the public
 Nice to see board members engaged
 Surprised there was a prayer to begin meeting

17.  On the evening of February 21, the School Board
unanimously adopted the 2013‐2014 Annual
 Financial Plan including…
 a Total Operating and Debt Service General Fund Budget of
$177,701,129
 a Textbook Budget of $1,043,378
 a Food Services Budget of $7,179,978
…totaling $228,267,000.
 The 2013‐2014 school budget has been provided to the
County Administrator as the next step in the budget
development process.
 School Board members expressed their appreciation for the
public’s engagement as a budget shortfall of $5.4‐million
was closed.

18. Hanover Schools final budget decision leaves some unsettled...
http://wtvr.com/2013/02/22/hanover-schools-final-
budget-decision-leaves-some-unsettled/

19.  Hanover County School Board. (2012). HANOVER COUNTY PUBLIC
SCHOOLS SCHOOL BOARD GOALS July 2012- June 2013. Retrieved
online
http://hanover.k12.va.us/schoolboard/School%20Board%20Goals%2020
12-2013%20Approved.pdf
 Hanover County School Board. (2012). Hanover County School
Board 2012-2013. Retrieved online
http://hanover.k12.va.us/schoolboard/School%20Board%20Goals%2020
12-2013%20Approved.pdf
 Hanover School Budget Decision. [Video File] Retrieved online
http://wtvr.com/2013/02/22/hanover-schools-final-budget-decision-
leaves-some-unsettled/
 Ornstein, A., Levine, D., & Gutek, G. (2011). Foundations of education.
(11th ed. pp.212-13). Belmont, CA.: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.