Tonight's Meeting: Naming Schools, Budgeting for Buildings & Whiteboards

Loudoun County's School Board holds its twice-monthly meeting tonight, rescheduled from last Tuesday.

We begin with a formal public hearing on the Capital Improvements Program and the Capital Asset Preservation Program, inviting members of the public to speak. I suspect we won't hear many comments unless some folks want to remind us about the need for a new High and Middle School in the Ashburn and Lansdowne area.

Later in the evening we will vote on whether to accept a recommendation of the joint committee of the School Board and the Board of Supervisors on our future capital needs. (Item 9.05)

We're on hold with the CIP because after the Superintendent supplied the Board with a CIP proposal on November 10th it was almost immediately pulled back when Supervisor Lori Waters stated the next day that there were more funds available for construction in the next few years than the LCPS staff had understood. The School Board has not been provided with an updated proposed CIP reflecting the new numbers.

Also at tonight's meeting, will the School Board:

• Name ES-20 as Buffalo Trail ES? (Answer: Yes)
• Name a Middle School for Mike Lunsford? (Answer: Yes)
• Set budget priorities for FY 2011? (Answer: No)
• Allow student cell phone use in high school? (Answer: No)
• Buy more electronic whiteboards? (Answer: Yes)