Gov. Terry McAuliffe and the Virginia Board of Education honored 14 Chesterfield County schools with 2015 Virginia Index of Performance awards for advanced learning and achievement earlier last week. Not one school was honored east of the “Chesterfield Mountains” (schools in the Bermuda, Dale and southeast Matoaca Districts.
Are school officials not paying attention to the southeastern schools, which allow them honors above and beyond our schools. Is that why the School Board is asking for volunteers to help students on this side of the county or is it lack of funding for our schools, a challenged student demographic or just a we don’t care attitude by the Board of Supervisors and the School Board? Why should the Bermuda District School Board Member have to continually fight to keep Bermuda Schools out of trouble with “No Child Left Behind”?
Is it the job of one person to conquer the problems in our area’s schools, which have 12 Title I schools (those with lower grades and the highest number of free and reduced lunch numbers) out of 16 Title I schools countywide?
Now Chesterfield Community High School, (College and Career Academies) the place where students, that have been challenged in one way or another in grade school and middle school, could be directed into a direction, when they may not be suited, challenged or ready for. And 5o students who need the most attention will be bused across the county to Clover Hill Academy.
Why is it that James River High School can get funding from the Board of Supervisors to remodel a boat house for a rowing team? Why can’t the county provide help to fund tutoring programs for students who need a leg-up?
Why must there be a volunteer group such as “Mega Mentors” to tutor and mentor students, while working continually to raise funds to keep their program alive? Why was the funding to operate school buses for these kids cut a couple of years ago before reenacted this year?
I just don’t understand it. Boat house? How about tutoring and education houses for students whose parents are socio-economically challenged due to lack of transportation to jobs or other issue which preclude them for getting a better paying job.
It just doesn’t make sense.
