Easter/Passover season is a good time to catch you up on a few things.

Budget:  It’s been a long budget process as we look for ways to deal with the new economic realities.  Bottom line:  we’re a lot luckier in Arlington than most places.  It looks like our per pupil cost will be back to 2007 levels, but cuts should not be felt much in the classroom.   We are reorganizing our central staff in ways that I think recognize 21st century realities and will benefit our students and make us more efficient.  Our teachers, like teachers almost everywhere, will not see an increase in pay.  Classes will, on average, get a little bigger.  But I think we will not lose the progress our schools have made.   Arlington taxpayers, through the County Board, continue to be very supportive of our schools, and we will not need to make some cuts that had been proposed, such as in transportation for after school and sports activities.

Biggest budget surprise:  the planetarium.   Although our planetarium is woefully out of date and lap top computers can do more today to instruct students in astronomy; although the seats are also woefully out of date; although it costs hundreds of thousands of dollars to keep it running…..lots of people love the planetarium and don’t care.  While it may not make obvious economic or academic sense, I’m hopeful we can find a way not to close the planetarium, or at least not permanently.  My job is to represent the community’s values and clearly, the planetarium is much valued here.

Second biggest surprise:  we suddenly have about $14M more for our 2011 budget…. except we don’t really.  It’s one of those political budget tricks that get played far too often.  Every year we pay into the Virginia Retirement System (VRS) for our teachers’ retirement.  Actuaries calculate how much we need to put in each year. This is a major expense and for FY2011 staff had budgeted $33.5M.   But its hard to save for retirement when times are tight, so the Virginia legislature decided we don’t have to put so much money in.  This year.  In future years, however, we will need to make that money up and add 7% interest.  At the same time the legislature made very large cuts to retirement benefits for future employees.  This is a large liability, and I believe shortsighted.  I think the school board will wisely decide not to spend that money this year, as it would put us in an even more difficult situation in the future.  We do not anticipate future budget years being easier than this one for some time.

Savage Flowers:  Languages and traveling are such fun!   I spent a week visiting my daughter Ruth and her family in Quito, Ecuador where they are living now.  We went to Mitad del Mundo (Middle of the World) where some Europeans determined in about 1750 that it was 0 degrees latitude and 0 degrees longitude.  www.in-quito.com/pictures/mitad-mundo.htm   We had some wild cab rides—I think Quito is more steeply up and down than San Francisco.  We kept an eye out for beautiful snow capped volcanoes through the clouds (they only erupt every few decades or so).  And visited with friends and neighbors who tried to speak English as I tried to speak a little Spanish.  Hence a discussion of local flora led to a discussion of “savage” flowers.  ???.....  Oh! wild flowers!  We all laughed and talk about savage flowers became a running joke.   Ruth and her family are living in a wonderful place, and I look forward to lots more traveling and linguistic adventures in Ecuador.  Here are a few pictures:

Phoenix Bikes (PB):  The Kennan Garvey Memorial Fund to build a permanent home for PB is growing.  I’m on the board and its great to watch this little organization that teaches youth the skills to repair bikes and run a community bike shop.  Bike sales come closer every year to meeting their operating expenses, but PB needs a permanent home and is constantly trying to bring in more middle schoolers for a healthy and positive way to spend their free time.  I’m helping with their annual fundraising event this Thursday April 8.  It will be lots of fun, featuring a cyclist who has won several 24 hour mountain bike races—yes, they race outside and through the night.  Come!  The full details: Phoenix Bikes 3rd Annual Bike Show April 8th, 7pm-9pm 4301 Wilson Ave in Arlington, VA (a block and a half from the Ballston metro)   http://www.phoenixbikes.org/buy-tickets 

As you may know, I do posts about every 2 weeks or so to my blog, which you are welcome to visit or receive.  However, we all get way too much e-mail, so I try not to send out general updates like this one too often.  I hope this has been interesting and helpful for you.  As always, feel free to contact me with any questions or suggestions you might have.

Best spring wishes,   Libby