The Last Word
James City issues
“In the James City bonus vs. pay raise issue, supervisor John McGlennon asked, ‘If I know that my salary is such that I can’t get more than 1% bonus, how does that affect me in terms of my performance? My motivation to excel?’ One must believe that William & Mary professor McGlennon knows of what he speaks. The state has limited his (and many others) pay raises on a number of occasions because of state budget constraints.”
Continuing care facility
“I attended a meeting last Saturday regarding the continuing care retirement community at Ford’s Colony, and was surprised at what appears to be opposition spearheaded by James City supervisor Jim Icenhour. My wife and I have looked forward to the facility for many years, and to have a supervisor at the meeting leading the discussion against its approval, at least that’s the way it came across, seemed unethical.”
Neighborhood issues
“To the person who doesn’t know what to do with the plastic newspaper bags: You could donate them to the dog owners in Walnut Hills, who continue to walk their dogs to the end of Berkeley Lane and let them poop in the park or to the edge of neighboring yards. Thank you to city personnel for putting up a sign about picking up after dogs. Maybe it’s time to put up a box that holds plastic bags or to fine these folks.”
Middle school redux
“Parents should be concerned about the proposed changes to the middle school schedule for next year. Students who struggle academically will be denied involvement in electives other than remediation classes. Imagine a whole day spent in academic classes and then a review of the same, 180 days a year. ‘Drill and kill’ is not a great way to instill a love of lifelong learning into already frustrated, struggling preteens. The new schedule is also a slippery slope of elitism, the ‘haves’ retaining access to the non-core areas of the curriculum and the ‘have-nots’ missing three years of it. Given this, I can only imagine what the complexion and economic status of the remediation classes will look like. What a shame that WJC is going the route of many urban school districts and cutting student access to the arts and other elective areas all in the name of the almighty test score and Adequate Yearly Progress. We are currently raising students who will only be able to think insidethe box, because these days there apparently is only one right answer.”
