5/18/12

Voices unite to save elementary foreign language programs | LoudounTimes.com

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Voicesunitetosaveelementaryforeignlanguageprograms
Wednesday,Feb.15,2012byLauraPeters|34comments|Emailthisstory

17 TheLoudounCountySchoolBoardboardroomwasscatteredwithredclothingFeb.14,not outofloveforValentinesDay,butinsteadinprotestoftheproposedcutsinthefiscal2013 budgetadoptedFeb.7. AmajortargetofcutswastheForeignLanguageinElementarySchoolprogram,whichwas alteredtomeetonlyonceaweekandnotbeginninginstructionintheprogramuntilgrade4. Thecostcuttingmovecouldsave$2.6millionandcost35currentfulltimeemployeestheir jobs. DuringtheFeb.14LoudounCountySchoolBoardmeeting,morethan30teachers,students andparentscamebeforetheboardtohelpsavetheFLESprogramfornextyear,sayingit promotesbetterstudentperformancegrowth. LoudounCountyschools,theonesthatactually[are]exposed[tothe]FLEShaveshown progressiveimprovementinlisteningandcomprehensionandlanguagefluency,Chris Maslynsaid.Whycutaprogramthatsoobviouslybenefitsourstudents?Icanonlythinkits themoneyandthatswhyallyouguysheregotyourjobscutthebudget,savemoney. DuringthelastschoolboardmeetingJenniferBergel(Catoctin)wasagainstthemotionthat wasbroughtforwardbyJillTurgeon(BlueRidge)andlaterpassedbya54vote. Thereisapossibilityof35peoplefindingouttonight,Imsure,thattheirjobsareatrisk, baseduponamotioninapreliminaryportionofthebudget,BergelsaidduringtheFeb.7 meeting.Currently,wehaveourelementaryschoolstudentsenrolledinthisprogram,so whatwearesayingtoourfirstandsecondgradersareyoulearnedthislanguage,butyou getalulluntilfourthgradefromnowon. Accordingtonumerousspeakers,theprogramwouldonlycost$0.58perstudentadayand only$100ayearperstudent. Whatisthegoalofeducation?Ithinkwecanallcomeupwithdifferentstatementsofwhat wethinkthegoalisforeducation.But,Ithinkwecanalsoagreethatthegoalofeducationis tocreateaneducatedperson,LucilleShoop,aFLESteacherinLoudounCountysaid.If yourenotabletospeakanotherlanguagethatisnecessaryinyourcommunityyouarenot goingtogetajob.Iftherearetwopeopleapplyingforajobandonespeaksthelanguageof thecommunityandtheotheronlyspeaksthenativelanguageofthecountry,theonethat speaksthelanguageofthecommunityisgoingtogetthejob.Wehavearesponsibilityin LoudounCountyPublicSchoolstoprepareourstudentstonotonlyobtainjobsinour community,butintheworld. Calledabiaseddecisionbysomespeakers,mostvoicedtheirsadnessoverlosingthe program.Morethanadozenspeakerssaidtheyweredisappointedintheboardsdecisionto cutFLESandmanystudentsaregoingtobenegativelyimpacted. Thiswasntabiaseddecisionthiswasntdonewithoutanythoughttothebenefitsofthe program.Thiswasntdonewithoutanyexperiencetotheprogram.Myvotewasbasedonthe inputfromthecommunity,DebbieRose(Algonkian)said,notingthatclasssizesand teacherssalariestakehigherpriority. AsChairmanEricHornberger(Ashburn)struggledtopronouncethelistofpublicspeakers, onespeakerpointedoutthatheteacheshisstudentspronunciation,especiallyofhisname. Manysaidthatcuttingschoolprograms,anyprogram,shouldbealastoptioninbudgetcuts.
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5/18/12

Voices unite to save elementary foreign language programs | LoudounTimes.com

ImverydisappointedthattheFLESprograminourschoolsystemwouldbereducedsomuch thatitissetupforfailure.Tocompletelytakeitawayfromfirst,secondandthirdgradersand fourthandfifthgradersareonlytohaveFLESonceaweekdoesntseemtomakesenseand itsnotenough,WandaBeltarn,aparentandresidentsaid.Ourkidsareinterestedinsports thatlastmorethan30minutesandformorethanonceaweek.Thesecutstargetminority teachersworkingfortheschooldistrict.EventhoughLoudounCountySchoolsworktowards creatingadiverseworkforce,35minorityteachingpositionsaretobecut. Boardmembersbackeduptheirdecisionfromthelastboardmeetingsayingtheyneededmore informationontheimpacttheprogramhadonstudents,butitcamedowntonumbersinthe budget. ImnotsupportiveofkeepingoftheFLESprogramasitisnow.Ineededmoreinformation abouttheprogram.Ultimately,itsnotjustmoneyitcomesdowntopriorities,Kevin Kuesters(BroadRun)said.IfyoucanshowcertainareasthatdontprovidewhatFLESdoes weneedtobeshownthat.IfyouwantustobringFLESbackweneedtohavethereasoning forthat. Bergelreiteratedherconcernforwhatimpacttheboardsdecisionshasmade. Imveryconcernedaboutthemessagewehavesenttothepublicthusfar.Imembarrassed bysomeofthedecisions.Thiscountyranksastherichestcountyinthenation,yetweare makingdecisionsthatwillmakeusfallbehind,Bergelsaid.Weneedtounderstandthatwe havemetricsinplacetoshowthegains,thosehavebeeninplaceforaverylongtime.Im gladtheLCPSemployeeshavevoicedtheirconcernsagainandagain. BillFox(Leesburg)saidthathewillbeworkingtowardopeningimmersionprogramsin certainschoolsforelementaryagedstudents. 17 FullDayKindergarten Accredited&RecognizedPrivateSchool.ScheduleATourToday.
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Thu,Feb23at01:04PMbyApolyglot|Reportthiscomment Weekly HomesGuide 2011Guide toLoudoun Holiday GiftGuide

TheproblemisthatinAmericamanypeoplewantimmediateresultsfortheir money.Learningaforeignlanguagetakesyearsandmanyhoursofpractice. WhatIcanseeinmanycommentsexpressedhereisignorance,racismand moreignoranceandmoreracism.IbetmanyofthesepeoplespeakEnglish andwhatelse?OhIknowEnglish!GOTOSCHOOL!GETADECENT EDUCATION!SPEAKOTHERLANGUAGESANDTHENANDONLY THENGIVEYOUROPINIONONLEARNINGAFOREIGNLANGUAGE! RACISMCOMESFROMIGNORANCE.GETEDUCATED!!!!!EUROPEANS, ASIANS,MIDDLEEASTERNERSANDLATINOSSPEAKMORETHANONE LANGUAGE!FOLLOWTHERESTOFTHEWORLDSEXAMPLE!THE NEWWORLDORDERISHAPPENING!GETREADYFORIT!
Tue,Feb21at06:53AMbyKilltheRevenge|Reportthiscomment

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ToomuchmoneyisspentoneducationinLoudouncounty.Itcomesto15ka studentwithdebtpaymentfactoredin.Justbecauseweliveinarichcounty doesnotmeanweshouldspendonecentmorethatisnessaryforeducation. ItsnotyourmoneyitsmineandIwanttospendmymoneyonmyfamily insteadofaoverpricedschoolsystem.WhatkindofcardoesHatrickdrive thatheneedsa$11,300.00caralloance.Nomorebenefitstoparttimersthis isaschoolsystem.Ifyournotworkingfulltimegogetwelfare.Iknowthatit shouldbe32aweekworkedtogethealthanddentaljustlikeCalifornia

Tue,Feb21at05:58AMbyIHLC|Reportthiscomment

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Isaw(again)thatLoudounisthe#1richestcountyintheUS.Withthat said,howcanyoustillhavedirt/gravelroads,andfindawaytocutteachers? InsteadofcuttingtheFLESteachers,perhapstheycanbetrainedinteaching classesonrespecttoyourstudentswhocoulduseafewlessons,becausethey arentgettingitfromhome.Maybetherecanbenightclassesforsomeofthe

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