Despite some of the most severe funding constraints in its history, Orange County Public Schools is determined to provide children with the kind of education they deserve.
That was the message from Dr. Robert P. Grimesey Jr., school superintendent, when he addressed members of the Lake of the Woods Democratic Club at the LOW Clubhouse on Jan. 19.
His troubling assessment of the division’s economic strife was tempered with hope that Orange County citizens might at last be willing to provide the resources necessary for local schools to succeed.
Among the startling revelations from Dr. Grimesey are these:
- Since the 2007-08 fiscal year, the local school budget has been cut by $4.7 million, resulting in the loss of 100 employees, including 30 teachers.
- Orange County teachers have not had a cost-of-living adjustment or a step increase for four years. The practical effect of this is that they have suffered a 7.8 percent cut in pay.
- One out of every three teachers in Orange County has just four years of experience or less.
- Not a single teacher in Orange County Schools has a computer less than five years old.
Since he became superintendent in 2009, much of his energy and attention necessarily has been invested in “what we can do to keep the school system from falling into decline,” Dr. Grimesey said.
Whereas the county’s Board of Supervisors has been reluctant in the past even to consider increasing taxes to meet the needs of local schools, he said, support from citizens and some members of the board have given him reason to believe that hard-line attitude is changing.
Dr. Grimesey also provided a detailed explaination of how the decision was made to close down Locust Grove Middle School on Route 20 and move the students to the new school on Flat Run Road. He said the county will save $222,000 in operating costs each year that the school is closed. Keeping the school closed for more than the next year or two will not be an option because of increased enrollment, he said. By that time, it is expected that enough will be saved to finance the re-opening costs.
A complete videocast of Dr. Grimesey’s remarks will be presented on Comcast Channel 18 in the near future. Consult Lake Currents for dates and times.