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Melody Hackney

Superintendent of Schools

 

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4/27/2012

OUR BLESSINGS AT CCPS
Another busy week has almost come to a close, and as I prepare to wrap up the day in just a while, I am reflective of all the wonderful blessings in this great school division.  As I drove back from a morning meeting in Charlottesville today, I started a list in my mind, and it just wouldn't stop!  So here goes...
 
1.  Year end SOL testing is underway and results are coming in.  Several grade levels with 100% pass rates!  Many grade levels and school averages in the high 90s!  THIS IS AWESOME!  Major kudos and respect for our incredible teachers and hard-working students.  Way to go!
 
2.  WE HAVE AIR AT CMS!  Through the hard work and dedication of our maintenance staff, we made it through PROM with a temporary (but really COOL) alternative.  As of today at around 11am, the chiller was repaired and cool air began to circulate!  Thank goodness!  Kudos to Ronnie Duffey and the PATIENT faculty and students at CMS.
 
3.  Construction will commence on the RHHS auditorium renovation on MONDAY MORNING!  A dream of many years of both the School Board and Board of Supervisors is finally becoming a reality.  Stay tuned!
 
4.  WE have an adopted budget, and thanks to the School Board's decision to implement a retirement incentive for teachers, we predict full implementation with NO EMPLOYEE LAY-OFFS!  With our fabulous and dedicated workforce, we cannot afford one less employee, and it is official.  What a relief and gift.
 
5.  We said goodbye to James Lacks this week, a devoted maintenance worker for almost 25 years at CCPS.  James fought a courageous battle with cancer and is now free from pain and illness in heaven.
 
6.  Our entire Senior class took the CRC assessment from SVCC that measures career readiness recently.  87% of them earned a Career Readiness Certificate!  WOW!  We really are on our way to ensuring that every child who graduates from CCPS is college and career ready.  This is our most critical work, and I am so proud of the hard work of instructional staff at all levels of the organization for getting us here!  Congratulations ALL CCPS staff for the role each of you play in preparing our students for the next chapter of their lives! 
 
7.  Congratulations to RHHS for a wonderful PROM last weekend.  As always, we had a delightful evening and after prom party.  This was my 9th RHHS prom , and I especially enjoyed my middle of the night henna tatooing.  A lovely event as always.  Special KUDOS to Mrs. Dirks, who has been the brains and muscle behind this event for many years.  We are especially blessed with another prom behind us with no car accidents or incidents. 
 
See what I mean?...and the list could go on and on. 
 
 Thank you for the blessing of being your superintendent.  Have a great weekend. 
Posted at 3:34 PM by Hackney, Melody | Email this Post

3/30/2012

A DELIGHTFUL EVENING STROLL BACK INTO THE FIFTIES!
What a delight to share in the fun last night at the EES 5th grade play.  Presented in honor and memory of Brenda Jones, "Rock Around the Block" was truly a HIT!  Congratulations to Sandy Flynn and Dawn Townsend for their excellent coordination and direction.  Brenda was smiling and singing with the angels!  Way to go 5th grade STARS!
Posted at 12:26 PM by Hackney, Melody | Email this Post
CCPS LEADS THE WAY TO 21ST CENTURY TEACHING AND LEARNING!
As we bring another week to a close, I cannot help but reflect on the pride I have, nine years later, in this incredible school division.  My latest challenge...facilitating and coordinating visits from surrounding school divisions anxious to see what Charlotte is doing again!  Our five year strategic plan or "REACH Initiative" is now the model for 21st Century teaching and learning and we are happy and proud to share in our planning and success.  We've had many visits from Region Eight school divisions and have others scheduled in the coming weeks.  A special thank you to the teachers who have volunteered to share their classrooms and projects for these other educators to observe.  We have so many wonderful examples of our transition to 21st Century teaching going on, I am just amazed at how hard it is to narrow the pool down for visitors!  What a great PROBLEM to have.  Keep up the wonderful work, and thank you for sharing your projects and stories with me.  I in turn, am proud to brag on you a little, and share your success with others.  We are so blessed.  Thank you for all you do, and have a wonderful weekend! 
Posted at 12:20 PM by Hackney, Melody | Email this Post
CONGRATULATIONS to RH FORENSICS and MRS. KETCHUM!
Special honors are due YET AGAIN to our wonderful Forensics team!  THEY ARE STATE RUNNER UP CHAMPS!  Way to go Statesmen!  This fine team has an incredible record.  They have been District Champs 24 times, Regional Champs 8 times, State Runner's Up 3 times, and State Champs 2 times!  What an accomplishment!  I am so proud of these fine young people and their adult sponsors.  CCPS does it again!  Congratulations for a job well done...yet again! 
Posted at 12:17 PM by Hackney, Melody | Email this Post

3/23/2012

CONGRATULATIONS TO INDIVIDUAL SVRTC AWARD WINNERS
Congratulations are also in order for three fine and dedicated CCPS employees who received individual honors at yesterday's annual SVRTC Awards Banquet.  Sharon Card was honored with the Technology Support Award for her work in advancing the CCPS technology environment through providing crucial technology support.  Jenna Finnegan was honored with the Technology Teacher Award for her work in advancing learning through the integration of technology into the CCPS curriculum, and Sandy Flynn was honored with the Instructional Support Award for advancing the CCPS technology environment through providing crucial instructional technology and staff development support. After a wonderful luncheon at Longwood University, these incredible examples of 21st Century leaders in our school division were honored for their hard work and commitment.  I am privileged to be in their company and am eternally grateful for all they do! 
Posted at 4:09 PM by Hackney, Melody | Email this Post
ANOTHER CCPS HONOR TO SHARE
Congratulations to all CCPS instructional personnel, especially the Technology Department staff whose work has been instrumental in Charlotte County Public Schools being awarded the SVRTC Division Technology Leadership winner over 24 other school districts in our consortium.  Our application (which was completed as a surprise to me!) referenced all the wonderful things so many of our teachers are doing in their classrooms to integrate the use of 21st Century technology tools into daily instruction.  They also highlighted our REACH initiative and the model framework this has become upon which to base this critical work in our schools.  This is not only a tremendous honor for our school division, it is validation of the hard work we have done for the last three years and continue to do to ensure that every CCPS classroom is 21st Century focused.  Special KUDOS to Burlin Gregory and Jen Roller for a job well done.  Thank you to all staff who have embraced this important work.  I had a student in my Student Leadership Advisory meeting this afternoon thank me for "making learning interesting and fun again."  Our children love our focus on project based learning and appreciate the opportunity to apply the content to real world projects and applications.  Keep up the good work, CCPS!  Have a great weekend!
Posted at 12:19 PM by Hackney, Melody | Email this Post

3/16/2012

WE NEED YOUR HELP
As we bring a difficult week to a close, I feel compelled to seek assistance from all CCPS "stakeholders" in influencing our local, state and federal legislators.  As I am sure most are aware, the General Assembly adjourned without passing a state budget.  They have scheduled a special session beginning next week on 3/21.  Using the Governor's proposed budget as a guide, we will face another deficit next year of approximately $700,000.  Additionally, after meeting with the Board of Supervisors earlier this week, it appears that the best we can hope for in local monies for next year is level funding, or the same we received this fiscal year.  We had hoped they might be able to fill the state gap locally this year, as I know they all support our schools as well as value all that our employees are doing to keep this great school division on top.  We were informed at our joint board meeting this week that this will not be possible.  As such, I am asking all Charlotte County citizens, internal and external to our education system, to contact our legislators to strongly encourage them to support additional funding to education.  We have cut to the lowest level, having reduced by over 70 positions over the past five years, and to have to find another $700,000 in reductions will be devastating to the critical programs and positions we have left...ALL of which are essential to our ability to operate safely and responsibly.  Our school board is fully behind our efforts and is not only committed to advocating on our behalf, they have even had the courage to ask for a raise for our dedicated employees...all of whom have done more with less for over five years now.  They know the burdens our employees are facing, and are completely committed to being the voice of our workforce in spite of these challenging economic times.  Please join me in contacting our elected officials at all levels, telling your individual stories and urging them to do the right thing...not just by our children, but the dedicated educators at all levels of our organization who work tirelessly every day on their behalf.  IT IS NOT TOO LATE!  Thank you for your support.  I wish you all a blessed weekend. 
Posted at 3:56 PM by Hackney, Melody | Email this Post

2/24/2012

TIME TO CATCH UP!
How in the world has an entire month gone by?  My apologies...we are in full swing with budget development and time has simply flown by.  As we anxiously await the House and Senate versions of the State budget, we are again faced with the horrible reality of potential cuts to the CCPS budget. And while we seem to have much less of a projected shortfall than many of our Region 8 friends, we are anticipating a deficit of at least $700,000.  Our administrative team has worked tirelessly to develop a reduction plan; however, the reality is such that we simply have very little room to continue cutting.  We strongly believe that we have reached the point at which every single position is essential to not just effective and responsible operations, but to continue to provide the quality educational program our children deserve.  We have begun meeting with the School Board, and I know they are extremely committed to maintaining all of our programs and services so vital to the wonderful outcomes of which our school division is so proud.  Please join me in talking to your local and state legislators about the importance of full funding for our school division.  This is our community's greatest investment!  Have a wonderful weekend. 
Posted at 2:04 PM by Hackney, Melody | Email this Post

1/13/2012

CONGRATULATIONS EUREKA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL!
Special KUDOS to our wonderful staff and students at EES!  They have AGAIN been awarded one of the Governor's VIP Awards!  As the benchmarks continue to be raised, this is a tremendous accomplishment this year!  We are so proud of this fine faculty and school community and salute their efforts again this year.  Way to go Eureka! 
Posted at 4:08 PM by Hackney, Melody | Email this Post
HAPPY NEW YEAR AND WELCOME BACK TO SCHOOL!
How is it possible that we are into the second week of the second semester? Where does the time go?  I certainly hope all staff, students and families enjoyed a restful and refreshing holiday break.  We are officially back in business and working hard to ensure that all students have a wonderful second half of their school year.  We have much work to be done in the next few months.  We are still waiting and watching the General Assembly for their final version of the state budget.  The Governor's proposed version, while additional funding is recommended, still leaves a significant hole to fill.  With the end of the Federal Jobs Bill monies, as well as the rising costs of health insurance, we are anticipating another deficit this year.  Please contact your legislators and urge them to fully fund the Virginia Standards of Quality.  We will be reporting regularly as updates are made available.  Until then, have a great weekend. 
Posted at 3:57 PM by Hackney, Melody | Email this Post
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