Rummage wants to fire Dr. Alice Howard

From the Free Lance Star:
Colonial Beach mayor-elect proposes putting town and Westmoreland County schools under one superintendent.

Colonial Beach Mayor-elect Frederick C. Rummage plans to pursue combining the school superintendencies of the town and Westmoreland County when he takes office July 1.

"Spending more than $600,000 for the Colonial Beach school superintendent's office is not justified for a school system this size. It's asinine for this little town to have a superintendent with less than 600 students," Rummage said at a Town Council meeting Thursday.

Rummage estimated that a superintendent's office shared by the county and the town could save the town $200,000-$300,000 a year in "top-hierarchy" expenses. He said he was not proposing to merge the two school systems.

"We should keep the Colonial Beach School Board and let them agree on the selection of the superintendent," he said.

"I don't know if that dog will hunt," said Westmoreland County School Board Chairman Daniel Wallace. "It's almost an untenable suggestion that one person could do two jobs while trying to maintain two separate school systems.

"On the other hand, if the two systems truly consolidated, there could be huge economic benefits to both the county and the town," he said. "But the Colonial Beach school is such a very strong part of the Colonial Beach identity that [consolidation] would be a very difficult decision."

Maintaining a separate school division has long been a tenet of Colonial Beach political life.

But, like Colonial Beach politics in general, the town's five-member school board is often engulfed in controversy. Alice H. Howard's seven-year tenure as superintendent has seen several.

Howard declined to comment on Rummage's proposal.

In May, voters replaced three long-term allies of Howard with new board members highly critical of her and the board's financial and educational policies. The new members will take their seats July 1.

One of them, Timothy J. Trivett, said Thursday that he has requested a special School Board meeting on that date so that the new board can select its chairman and set a meeting schedule.

As a first step, Trivett said he would recommend moving the location of School Board meetings to Town Center, the usual place for public meetings in town. School Board meetings have traditionally been held in a cramped room at the board office and at Colonial Beach High School.

Colonial Beach, Westmoreland County and Richmond County shared school superintendents for more than 50 years. Blake T. Newton was superintendent of the three school systems from 1913-54. He was followed by Robert T. Ryland, who served the three school boards until 1966.

State law requires school divisions to have superintendents, but the law allows "any two or more school divisions [to] appoint the same person to be division superintendent."

According to a list on the Web site of the Virginia Department of Education, only one pair of school divisions in the state now share a superintendent. James G. Blevins is superintendent of both the Bedford County and Bedford City public schools.

Sounds like there are alot of over paid people in that office and its ashame the teachers are seriously under paid.

It's the beginning of the end of Colonial Beach Public Schools the way we all know it. The fat lady is rehearsing for that last sing!

The School Board should once again revisit options on school administration. If a stand alone superintendent and school board staff are deemed to be too expensive, and some sort of "contracted" administration is not feasible, what about looking at a superintendent/principal role for one of the schools with a principal at the other? We might look to have an individual who is dually qualified (superintendent + principal credentials)& is willing to do both jobs. It would certainly be more cost effective than what we have now. In any case, we need to look to have a more open discussion on all options here without name calling and personal attacks, all while looking for ways to improve what's here now. By the way, how did we do this year on AYP? High School and Elementary? Have the numbers, including raw scores, been released yet?

Would that be David Bridges?

Bring it on. Let the public decide if Bridges did anything wrong. Last time only the School Board decided.
Why is Bridges son always in trouble. His dad is such a role model for young people?

I know what you did wrote:

Bring it on. Let the public decide if Bridges did anything wrong. Last time only the School Board decided.

You crack-head. Obviously personnel decisions are confidential. It's between the employee and the employer. If he was so innocent, then why didn't he come out in public and say what they allegedly had against him. If he was so innocent, he could've waived his right to confidentiality and let he public decide. But obviously he didn't want what they had against him made public. Duh!

carneyJoe
Numbnuts read my post. DUH
You have a problem with understanding simple english?

Instead of putting everyone and everything about the school down, why doesn't the council, mayor, and school board work together to continue to have one of the best schools in the area. 81% of the 2008 graduating class going on to further education speaks for itself. We are a 'Drifter Pride' community. Let's keep it that way.

Yes, I sure hope that the new Mayor Rummage, Superintendent Dr. Howard, the Council, and School Board will work together for the better of the town and school. It is awsome that 81% of the 2008 graduating class from Colonial Beach are going on to further education - it would be interetesting to see how many of the 81% are still in higher education in two and four years --hopefully it will be 81%.

Over 90% of jobs require some sort of post high school training & education. It would be interesting to see tracking numbers on today's graduates 1, 2, 5 & 10 years from now - college grads, two & four year + level, trade school grads, military members, etc. The guidance office should already have that plan in automatic & be willing to make the numbers known as they're received. We've never done that here and should actually start this year. Putting the children 'first' & everything else 'on hold' is nice to say, but reality requires that we have at least a minimum acceptable level of responsibility & accountability in the administration of all aspects of the system, and there are several areas in which the Colonial Beach School System is severely lacking today.
As far as David Bridges goes, he got a raw deal. Look at his credentials and accomplishments against anyone employed here, including our current superintendent, and he comes out on top. What happened to him is just proof that if you buck the system at all, retribution with the present administration will be swift and severe. It's far better to knuckle under. Mr. Bridges is the individual most responsible for achieving AYP for the years he was employed here, and would be a welcome addition to fix what's wrong now, both from a practical, realistic standpoint as well as one of community perception.

Bridges credentials and accomplishments had nothing to do with him being fired.

If when you reference the Bridges' son getting in trouble you have in mind a recent arrest report from the newspaper, please bear in mind that the name of that Bridges was Greg, Jr. not Dave, Jr. Also, I believe that the young man takes medication for a serious head injury he suffered years ago. Everyone is so quick to judge.

beenhereforawhile.....thanks for your comment. You are correct about the quickness of judgements handed down in this town.

I am so sorry to confuse the two. I really dont know either one of the Jr. Thank you for that information. I will be more careful in the future, and assume nothing, until I know the facts.

Mr. Bridges was not fired. He received a settlement from the Colonial Beach Schools. These baseless attacks on a good man are simply not true. As one who has seen the legal evidence I can assure you that Mr. Bridges was not guilty of anything improper. He simply chose to move on and work for the State Department of Education. The Bridges are fine Christian people who have contributed to the field of education for over 20 years in the state of Virginia. Mr. Bridges is an outstanding educator with two master's degrees and many years of experience as an school administrator. He has a Virginia school superintendent's license. He was responsible for accrediting four schools in the state of Virginia. His family has a long history of contributing to the field of education in Virginia and all over the United States. His sister-in-law is Virginia's Principal of the Year. The Bridges' Family has a school in Pennsylvania named in their honor. It is disgusting when a person of this stature is treated so disreputably. In fact, it is wicked. I am truly disheartened by human beings who would spend their time trying to destroy the reputation of the Bridges. Shame on you! I hope that you will find and others like you will find a better use of your time. This type of smear campaign that took place two years ago should not be even discussed by people who don't know the facts.

Someone who knowsCB Va: so then what was the reason he left Middlesex? Weren't there some "issues" and he resigned before getting fired?? You seem to be in the know, so why don't you set the record straight? Also, I guess Colonial Beach School Board makes a habit of handing out settlements?!?!?!?!?! If you're in the know, then state what the settlement was for? But you won't. You're either not in the know or too chicken to say.

I could care less what the school system at CB does. But if you really want to do something that is cost efficient and different do this: Propose one school board for the five systems in the Northern Neck: Richmond, Westmoreland, Lancaster, Northumberland, and Colonial Beach. King George at this point thinks of itself as more southern Stafford and east Spotsy. With these five small systems combined you would eliminate so much redundant activity such as filing for federal funds, school lunch requirements and paying five staffs at the central offices. With one superintendent you have someone who really would be responsible for running the school system and leave the running of the schools to the principals where it should be. Of course this will never happen because of the Northern Neck mentality of each county have its own school fiefdom. Local control of a school system is now a thing of the past. The federal government requires so much that it ties the hands of the local boards on what they can do. The same it true with the requirements of the state government. So what not pool the limited resources of the Northern Neck and better serve the students of the area.

The end is near. rummage is a fool to think one of the poorest counties in Virginia can afford two high schools, which is what he really wants to do, get rid of the school. if he really pursues this, people will come in out of the woodworks againts consolidation. he's an idiot and day one is still a few weeks away in his term. Recall Rummage now!!!!!!

Rummage is so new to town he has no history or heart for what we did to keep this school system for our town. We love our town and our schools.
Send Rummage back to Maryland. We do not deserve him. Who the heck voted for him, besides Riverside. We will see if Riverside gets the roads that he promised them. You were lied to.
Maybe someone will tell us why Mr. Bridges resigned. AGAIN?