Steve Flanagan, During the Meet/Greets for Ward 3 School Board candidate SARAH STELMOK, 'consolidation' was mentioned by some residents, especially those who removed their children from FCPS to homeschool or send to area private/parochial schools.
[Note: BTW, SARAH is the stellar candidate who did not get in because of the Fred Dems 'endorsed' ballot/piece of paper handed out to voters at Early Vote and precincts who just vote party line. Rather than read about the stark difference between the Ward 3 candidates.
One person can make a difference in FCPS. and that's SARAH STELMOK, who has the skill set and brains to analyze budgets, spreadsheets, income/expenses, and from the get-go of her campaign took the FCPS policy manual and did a compare/contrast with several area and 'successful' school systems in Virginia to show that FCPS was 'outdated'. Her research and her comments at the school bd candidate forums gave others the motivation and courage to speak out].
Virginia JLARC/Joint Legislative Audit Review Committee has a 2013-funded report: 'Local Government and School Division Consolidation'. Understandably, residents and local 'elected' officials would express concern about LOCAL IDENTITY and control if an FCPS 'consolidation' were to be proposed.
Consolidated school systems in Virginia generally work to improve operational efficiency and expand educational opportunities, such as new, better-equipped facilities. However, studies suggest they often yield MINIMAL long-term financial savings for the state/locality and do not guarantee significant improvements in student performance, with some consolidations in VA resulting in higher costs.
Minimal Financial Impact: Data suggests that while local EFFICIENCIES may occur, net savings for the state/locality are minimal or unlikely, particularly over the long term, with some cases like Bedford County (near Lynchburg) potentially costing the state significantly over 30 years.
Operational Benefits: Consolidation often helps localities update facilities, as seen in projects like the Buchanan County new high school.
Academic Outcomes: Research on consolidation often shows "NULL or very small positive impacts" on student achievement, meaning that moving students into larger school districts does not necessarily lead to higher test scores.
What's going on in FCPS is questionable. and kudos to school bd members Andy Wolfenberger (Ward 1; public school employee now with Loudoun Co PS) who commented on his concerns with what is occurring in FCPS, as well as Molly McFadden, who attended a VSBA mtg, mentions the Supt self-eval process and 'stakeholders' survey. Watch it yourself: 4-13-26 school board recording on Regional Web TV (scroll down for the transcript). Yet you see the uneasiness in the rest of the board in even having this topic brought up.
Those two 'suggestions' have been ongoing in area school systems for decades. Not right that FCPS is so far behind on best practice.
Why did VSBA come in for an 'individualized' training in Fall 2025 and invite the new ones who had just been elected? Despite the impression that this was an open meeting, it turned into 'closed': Residents were not allowed to attend/observe this VSBA/Virginia School Board Assn training for FCPS school bd members. It was not recorded. Was it a 'corrective action' by VDOE/Virginia Dept of Ed?
Here's a crazy idea. Why don't we explore the idea of merging Fredericksburg City schools with Stafford County Public Schools. This would considerably streamline the administration, and reduce the overhead significantly. Do we really need this burdensome infrastructure for FIVE schools?
City Finance Director Amanda Six: “The city does allow the school division to hold an operating fund balance. That is not required by [Virginia Code] and is NOT consistent with what all divisions are given the opportunity to do,” Six said. “[That fund balance] is something that could be on the table for the schools to use to do some of the things they talked to you about.”
Timely quote. I'm all for funding public education, having served as a special educator/Speech Language Pathologist for 43 years in Virginia Public Schools, including Danville City PS, Rockingham Co, Fairfax Co PS, and Spotsy Co PS (31 yrs) and early intervention for children with developmental disabilities.
Public schools are the best investment in the 'common good' of society.
Spoke in favor of the local public school budget to Boards of Supervisors. for 4 decades. Even mobilized parents of children, ages 2-5 yrs old with disabilities, in Rockingham Co PS to teach them how to speak often at the public comment mic, which resulted in 5 center-based Early Childhood/Sped classrooms in that county being added to the school board budget request in 1980. and being funded by the BOS.
But, In all these decades of being employed in Virginia public schools and advocacy for them, I have never seen a school system like Fred City PS and its misuse of funds and lack of accountability on their line items, e.g., as exposed in 'FXBG Advance' articles on spending habits of the two School Board members.
7-8-2025. 'First Class Tickets, Cancelled Cards, & Shuttle Service Led to Policy Change';
7-27-2025. 'Bailey, Kay Used Superintendent's and Bd Clerk's Credit Cards on Trips to Hawaii & Georgia'.
Neither had Dr. Stan Jones, Ward 4 school board 'write-in' candidate, who was Danville City PS School Superintendent, and who spoke at candidate 'Meet/Greets' in Fall 2025 on the city voters' concern re: what is going on with the money in the school board allocation and disbursement.
Even an AI check of the two 'FXBG Advance' news articles shows the following description: 'Questionable Expenditures: Reports highlighted THE USE OF PUBLIC FUNDS for what were described as "lavish expenditures," including first-class travel, expensive shuttle services, and 'the tradition' of bringing back gifts for members who did not attend.
The board EXCEEDED its total professional development budget for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, by almost $5,000.
Credit Card Use: Bailey and Kay reportedly had possession of credit cards issued to the Board Clerk or the Superintendent while attending these out-of-state conferences. Kay is the Superintendent's sister'.
and that initial 'FXBG Advance' article was just the first indication that FCPS' spending was not right. SARAH STELMOK, the stellar Ward 3 School Board candidate who knows numbers, accounting, conducted analyses of line items and outdated school board policy to teach us 22401 stakeholders during her far superior campaign that there needed to be CHANGE in Fred City PS.
Then at the 4-13-26 school board meeting, this happens at 2:08 on Regional Web TV: Ward 1 Andy Wolfenberger has the guts to reveal what is going on in FCPS rather than remain complicit in silence as previous boards, including Councilors Holmes and Rowe, have done.
'I've also learned that we've been allowing NON-RESIDENT students to attend city schools with tuition waived due to 'economic hardship'.
I strongly disagree with this practice as it places an unfair financial burden on Fredericksburg city taxpayers. To be clear, I strongly support staff continuing to be allowed to bring their children to our schools as this is a significat recruitment and retention benefit of employment.
I simply don't think we should waive tuition for NON-staff, NON-city residents due to 'financial hardship'.
We need an investigation into who approved these NON-residents to access city schools with tuition waived. Residency requirements for local public school attendance is taught in basic School Law courses that public school employees take.
NO SCHOOL SYSTEM IN VIRGINIA allows NON-RESIDENTS to attend their school system unless they're willing to pay the tuition or if the local school district uses it as a benefit to attract non-resident staff (hint: that matters more to some teachers with a school-aged child than a $10,000 pay differential, e.g., the convenience of bringing your child to work with you, being on the same school schedule).
Most area school systems have software now to verify student residency. Do they actually live in the local district because it costs thousands of dollars to educate one student? The software bumps out a student registration on 'iffy' roads in Spotsy County, like Orange Plank or at the Dixon St line crossing from Fredericksburg to Spotsy Co.
Why should 22401 taxpayers have this burden to pay for NON-residents?
This practice smacks of Favoritism and likely Discrimination since only certain students are selected by a person(s) in Fred City Public Schools. Who approved this?
Get to the bottom of this fact: NON-residents are attending FCPS. and then 'C-H-A-N-G-E'.
Steve Flanagan, During the Meet/Greets for Ward 3 School Board candidate SARAH STELMOK, 'consolidation' was mentioned by some residents, especially those who removed their children from FCPS to homeschool or send to area private/parochial schools.
[Note: BTW, SARAH is the stellar candidate who did not get in because of the Fred Dems 'endorsed' ballot/piece of paper handed out to voters at Early Vote and precincts who just vote party line. Rather than read about the stark difference between the Ward 3 candidates.
One person can make a difference in FCPS. and that's SARAH STELMOK, who has the skill set and brains to analyze budgets, spreadsheets, income/expenses, and from the get-go of her campaign took the FCPS policy manual and did a compare/contrast with several area and 'successful' school systems in Virginia to show that FCPS was 'outdated'. Her research and her comments at the school bd candidate forums gave others the motivation and courage to speak out].
Virginia JLARC/Joint Legislative Audit Review Committee has a 2013-funded report: 'Local Government and School Division Consolidation'. Understandably, residents and local 'elected' officials would express concern about LOCAL IDENTITY and control if an FCPS 'consolidation' were to be proposed.
Consolidated school systems in Virginia generally work to improve operational efficiency and expand educational opportunities, such as new, better-equipped facilities. However, studies suggest they often yield MINIMAL long-term financial savings for the state/locality and do not guarantee significant improvements in student performance, with some consolidations in VA resulting in higher costs.
Minimal Financial Impact: Data suggests that while local EFFICIENCIES may occur, net savings for the state/locality are minimal or unlikely, particularly over the long term, with some cases like Bedford County (near Lynchburg) potentially costing the state significantly over 30 years.
Operational Benefits: Consolidation often helps localities update facilities, as seen in projects like the Buchanan County new high school.
Academic Outcomes: Research on consolidation often shows "NULL or very small positive impacts" on student achievement, meaning that moving students into larger school districts does not necessarily lead to higher test scores.
What's going on in FCPS is questionable. and kudos to school bd members Andy Wolfenberger (Ward 1; public school employee now with Loudoun Co PS) who commented on his concerns with what is occurring in FCPS, as well as Molly McFadden, who attended a VSBA mtg, mentions the Supt self-eval process and 'stakeholders' survey. Watch it yourself: 4-13-26 school board recording on Regional Web TV (scroll down for the transcript). Yet you see the uneasiness in the rest of the board in even having this topic brought up.
Those two 'suggestions' have been ongoing in area school systems for decades. Not right that FCPS is so far behind on best practice.
Why did VSBA come in for an 'individualized' training in Fall 2025 and invite the new ones who had just been elected? Despite the impression that this was an open meeting, it turned into 'closed': Residents were not allowed to attend/observe this VSBA/Virginia School Board Assn training for FCPS school bd members. It was not recorded. Was it a 'corrective action' by VDOE/Virginia Dept of Ed?
Here's a crazy idea. Why don't we explore the idea of merging Fredericksburg City schools with Stafford County Public Schools. This would considerably streamline the administration, and reduce the overhead significantly. Do we really need this burdensome infrastructure for FIVE schools?
City Finance Director Amanda Six: “The city does allow the school division to hold an operating fund balance. That is not required by [Virginia Code] and is NOT consistent with what all divisions are given the opportunity to do,” Six said. “[That fund balance] is something that could be on the table for the schools to use to do some of the things they talked to you about.”
Timely quote. I'm all for funding public education, having served as a special educator/Speech Language Pathologist for 43 years in Virginia Public Schools, including Danville City PS, Rockingham Co, Fairfax Co PS, and Spotsy Co PS (31 yrs) and early intervention for children with developmental disabilities.
Public schools are the best investment in the 'common good' of society.
Spoke in favor of the local public school budget to Boards of Supervisors. for 4 decades. Even mobilized parents of children, ages 2-5 yrs old with disabilities, in Rockingham Co PS to teach them how to speak often at the public comment mic, which resulted in 5 center-based Early Childhood/Sped classrooms in that county being added to the school board budget request in 1980. and being funded by the BOS.
But, In all these decades of being employed in Virginia public schools and advocacy for them, I have never seen a school system like Fred City PS and its misuse of funds and lack of accountability on their line items, e.g., as exposed in 'FXBG Advance' articles on spending habits of the two School Board members.
7-8-2025. 'First Class Tickets, Cancelled Cards, & Shuttle Service Led to Policy Change';
7-27-2025. 'Bailey, Kay Used Superintendent's and Bd Clerk's Credit Cards on Trips to Hawaii & Georgia'.
Neither had Dr. Stan Jones, Ward 4 school board 'write-in' candidate, who was Danville City PS School Superintendent, and who spoke at candidate 'Meet/Greets' in Fall 2025 on the city voters' concern re: what is going on with the money in the school board allocation and disbursement.
Even an AI check of the two 'FXBG Advance' news articles shows the following description: 'Questionable Expenditures: Reports highlighted THE USE OF PUBLIC FUNDS for what were described as "lavish expenditures," including first-class travel, expensive shuttle services, and 'the tradition' of bringing back gifts for members who did not attend.
The board EXCEEDED its total professional development budget for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, by almost $5,000.
Credit Card Use: Bailey and Kay reportedly had possession of credit cards issued to the Board Clerk or the Superintendent while attending these out-of-state conferences. Kay is the Superintendent's sister'.
and that initial 'FXBG Advance' article was just the first indication that FCPS' spending was not right. SARAH STELMOK, the stellar Ward 3 School Board candidate who knows numbers, accounting, conducted analyses of line items and outdated school board policy to teach us 22401 stakeholders during her far superior campaign that there needed to be CHANGE in Fred City PS.
Then at the 4-13-26 school board meeting, this happens at 2:08 on Regional Web TV: Ward 1 Andy Wolfenberger has the guts to reveal what is going on in FCPS rather than remain complicit in silence as previous boards, including Councilors Holmes and Rowe, have done.
'I've also learned that we've been allowing NON-RESIDENT students to attend city schools with tuition waived due to 'economic hardship'.
I strongly disagree with this practice as it places an unfair financial burden on Fredericksburg city taxpayers. To be clear, I strongly support staff continuing to be allowed to bring their children to our schools as this is a significat recruitment and retention benefit of employment.
I simply don't think we should waive tuition for NON-staff, NON-city residents due to 'financial hardship'.
We need an investigation into who approved these NON-residents to access city schools with tuition waived. Residency requirements for local public school attendance is taught in basic School Law courses that public school employees take.
NO SCHOOL SYSTEM IN VIRGINIA allows NON-RESIDENTS to attend their school system unless they're willing to pay the tuition or if the local school district uses it as a benefit to attract non-resident staff (hint: that matters more to some teachers with a school-aged child than a $10,000 pay differential, e.g., the convenience of bringing your child to work with you, being on the same school schedule).
Most area school systems have software now to verify student residency. Do they actually live in the local district because it costs thousands of dollars to educate one student? The software bumps out a student registration on 'iffy' roads in Spotsy County, like Orange Plank or at the Dixon St line crossing from Fredericksburg to Spotsy Co.
Why should 22401 taxpayers have this burden to pay for NON-residents?
This practice smacks of Favoritism and likely Discrimination since only certain students are selected by a person(s) in Fred City Public Schools. Who approved this?
Get to the bottom of this fact: NON-residents are attending FCPS. and then 'C-H-A-N-G-E'.
CHANGE is needed now in Fred City Public Schools!