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2 <br /> <br /> Mr. Taliaferro asked if the Schools have looked at ways other systems have <br />increased parental involvement. <br /> <br /> Ms. Bishop said she is not aware of other doing something similar to this, and <br />said we are doing more than many divisions. <br /> <br /> Mr. Norris said that he has heard concern abut administrative positions at <br />Charlottesville High School and reduction in teachers at Johnson, and asked if there is <br />any wiggle room. <br /> <br /> Ms. Atkins said there has been an acting assistant principal at CHS this year and <br />this position will be readvertised. She said there will also be two other vacancies: the <br />Human Resources Director and an Assistant Superintendent. She said that she met with <br />parents about Johnson Elementary and at least one parent did not realize that the <br />enrollment there was expected to decline. <br /> <br /> Mr. Taliaferro asked about the cost to school personnel for individual health care, <br />and Mr. Ed Gillaspie, Finance Director for the Schools, said about $6,000. <br /> <br /> Mr. Lynch asked about the process for notifying School personnel when their <br />position is being eliminated, and Ms. Atkins said that individual conferences are held <br />letting people know of other opportunities in the system prior to letters being sent. <br /> <br /> Ms. Hamilton said she continues to hear concerns from Johnson parents about <br />equalization of programs and resources with other schools, and asked if there is a plan to <br />address this. <br /> <br /> Ms. Atkins said she did find that efforts with communication and involving <br />parents is different at different schools. <br /> <br /> Ms. Ivory said that one of the things she had heard was that Johnson did not have <br />a computer lab and other schools did, and when she investigated she found that the same <br />number of computers had been given to each school, but a decision was made at Johnson <br />to dismantle the lab and disperse the computers into the classrooms. She noted that this <br />was again a communication issue. <br /> <br /> Dr. Brown noted that giving the same number of computers to each school may <br />not address the need given that some students have access to computers at home and <br />others do not. <br /> <br /> Ms. Hamilton said she has gotten questions about the central office structure and <br />whether there are ways to restructure. <br /> <br /> Ms. Atkins said that is being looked at and some duties are being moved. She <br />said she continues to feel that there is still a need for an assistant superintendent for that <br />level of responsibility. <br /> <br /> Dr. Brown said that this budget reflects an unprecedented request for City support <br />for the Schools. He noted that the City increased teacher salaries after the County <br />increased their salaries. He said the County is interested in lowering their tax rate and if <br />they lower their salaries, how will that affect the City’s salaries. <br /> <br /> Ms. Atkins said she has talked with the County Superintendent and reducing the <br />increase in teacher salaries is last on her list of cuts. <br /> <br /> Responding to questions from Ms. Hamilton about the importance of teacher <br />salaries, Ms. Atkins said that the trend is that after five years teachers will move because <br />of salaries. <br /> <br /> Mr. Ed Michie, School Board member, said that salary also makes a difference in <br />recruiting. <br /> <br />