Terraset PTA - special announcement 11/15/09

Dear Friend of Terraset,

This year, Fairfax County is facing large budget cuts and, as a result, Fairfax County Schools will be severely impacted. If the proposed budget cuts are passed, every school will be impacted, Terraset included. The following items are just a few of the cuts being proposed:

Eliminate full-day kindergarten (except in Title I Schools);
Increase class sizes;
Eliminate FLES and Band/Orchestra in elementary schools;
Eliminate poverty-based staffing; and
Reduce funding for Assistant Principals, Instructional Assistants, School-Based Technology Specialists, Custodians, Guidance Counsellors, Psychologists, and Social Workers.

You can make a difference! As a parent and Fairfax County resident, there are several things you can do to help prevent some of these cuts. Here are a few ideas:

Attend a 2011 Community Budget Dialogue meeting, and express your concerns. http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/survey/fy11communitydialogue.htm
Give the county feedback online at: http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/survey/fy11suggestions.htm
Call the Budget Hotline at 703-324-9400.
Become informed (see links below).
Attend a PTA meeting!
Talk to your neighbors and friends, and get them involved! EVERYBODY has a stake in our children's future. Remember, the success of our schools greatly impacts your home value!

Here are a few sites to visit to learn more about the budget cuts and how they will affect you:
http://www.fcps.edu/news/fy2011/PossibleBudgetCuts2011_November5revision.pdf
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/government/budget/
http://www.fcps.edu/mediapub/publicat/familygram/fall2009/index.html
http://www.fcps.edu/news/fy2011.htm

Together, we can make a difference. So, don't just write one letter, write several. Don't just email, call! Attend meetings. Show you are concerned as a TAXPAYER - not just as a parent! These cuts will not just impact your child's education, but our county as a whole.