On Thursday, October 1, 2009 we begin a new fiscal year for education in the state of Alabama and Chilton County. All of you know the present state of the economy and how it has been over the past year. Our local school funding has been hit hard. While the economic situation has not been felt in some areas, it has a major impact on our library, professional development for the teachers, technology funds, and copier payments and supplies.
The loss in these areas that is (was) funded by the state amounts to over $21,000 from last year (Library Funds - $6,357.75, Professional Development - $1,271.55, Technology - $9,082.50, Copier costs - $4,541) and over $42,000 from the year before. Beginning October 1, there are no funds at all coming from the state to cover these areas. Thankfully, as you are aware, we are a Title I School and we will receive some funding through this Federal program. But, this is annual funding that we have been receiving along with the state funding. So there is a big gap that needs to be filled.
One way of doing this is through a program called Partners-In-Education. Many schools use this to meet their needs and Mrs. Kim Moore will be running this program to help our library. If you would like to be a “Partner” or if you know someone or some business who would consider helping in this manner, please contact Mrs. Moore for the details (email – kmoore@chilton.k12.al.us, phone – 280-2825, mail – 202 County Road 510, Verbena, 36091).
Monday, September 28, 2009
Monday, September 21, 2009
Notification System Now Available
I am really glad to announce a new tool we have available to us that enables us to make immediate announcements, warnings, or news. Our county has contracted with NTec, LLC (Notification Technologies) to serve our schools and school families with this important means of notifying you during critical times. This system allows us to contact you by telephone, giving you updates or notices of information with a pre-recorded message.
Please make sure that your home telephone number is always updated and correct in our school records so that this means of contact is available. When we send out a message, you will receive a phone call with a recorded message (usually in my voice), that relays the information to you. Plans are to use this tool for announcements (like we just did about progress reports), early closings, late openings, etc. This is also available to our county office so that they can also send out messages. This is another way we have to keep the lines of communication open between the school and the home.
Our first use of the system was on Sunday night, September 13, notifying you that Progress Reports were coming out on the next day. Our report from NTec indicated 59.6% of the calls went through to the home phones with 38% going to a live receiver and 21.6% of the call being answered by an answering machine. That means 40.4% of our calls did not go through for various reasons. Again, please make sure that we have a good contact number for each student in our school records.
Please make sure that your home telephone number is always updated and correct in our school records so that this means of contact is available. When we send out a message, you will receive a phone call with a recorded message (usually in my voice), that relays the information to you. Plans are to use this tool for announcements (like we just did about progress reports), early closings, late openings, etc. This is also available to our county office so that they can also send out messages. This is another way we have to keep the lines of communication open between the school and the home.
Our first use of the system was on Sunday night, September 13, notifying you that Progress Reports were coming out on the next day. Our report from NTec indicated 59.6% of the calls went through to the home phones with 38% going to a live receiver and 21.6% of the call being answered by an answering machine. That means 40.4% of our calls did not go through for various reasons. Again, please make sure that we have a good contact number for each student in our school records.
Alabama High School Graduation Exam
The fall administration of the Alabama High School Graduation Exam will be this week in the foyer of the school auditorium. Testing will begin each day promptly at 8:00. The daily schedule is as follows:Monday - Language; Tuesday - Social Studies; Wednesday - Biology/Science (given in the band room); Thursday - Math; Friday - Reading. Please have your child get plenty of rest the night before and eat a healthy breakfast the day of. Remember: only those seniors who have not passed a section may take the test or a student who has moved in from out of state. If you have any questions, you may call Dr. Brenda O'Bannon or the school office.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Welcome to VHS Blog Site
It's a great day for success at VHS. This is the first posting of the VHS Blog Site. I am excited about the possibilities that this site presents. I look forward to posting many different items here to help our VHS family, as well as any other interested parties, keep abreast of the happenings at our school. I invite you to bookmark this site and visit often. If you have any recommendations or items you would like for me to cover, please let me know. Go Red Devils
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