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Parental Notification

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Second Chance, Parental Notification Still Hurdles in Fairfax Discipline Reform

Debate heats up as school board weighs community and staff recommendations before coming school year.

Two weeks after a community committee detailed 52 recommendations to overhaul discipline practices systemwide, Fairfax County Public Schools staff has presented its own proposal for policy changes. But the plan leaves out two programs some see as key to a years-long push for reform — sparking a debate Monday on what role both groups would play in how the system moves forward. Staff leaders backed many of the ideas put forward by the 40-member Ad Hoc Community Committee on Student Rights and Responsibilities, including initiatives to make the discipline handbook easier to understand, keep students in school as they appeal a suspension and give principals tiered, age-specific approaches to a range of offenses. But staff members said they …

doris lyons

12:50 pm on Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Bullying is a major problem in many schools and even in the lower grades. In the current conversation there is too much focus on one or two infractions and not enough attention to the overall school environment. On the one hand we always hear that the "Parents should be involved." Then, when the parents try to be involved, no- they can't even be notified to be present when their child is facing …   more ›

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Senate Passes Parent Notification Bill

Legislation from Sen. Chap Petersen receives unanimous support.

Legislation requiring school administrators to notify parents whenever a student commits a violation that could result in expulsion passed the state Senate with unanimous support Monday. Sen. Chap Petersen (D-34th District) sponsored the bill (SB 167), which now moves to the House of Delegates for consideration. "Parents need to know when our children are in serious trouble, and I believe that this bill eventually will bring state law closer to that critical goal," Petersen said in a statement. Other Northern Virginia lawmakers — Sen. David Marsden (D-37th District) and Dels. Kaye Kory (D-38th District) and Tim Hugo (R-40th District) — introduced similar legislation in response to student suicides parents and community members linked in …

Greg Brandon

10:36 am on Tuesday, February 14, 2012

I'll keep that in mind, Skip. Thanks!   more ›

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