MLS PTO

Serving the children, families, teachers, and staff of
Meriwether Lewis School.  

Board of Supervisors/School Board Town Meeting - Tuesday, March 25th 7pm

Dear Parents,

I've written to you several times regarding the county and school budget request and process.  But I have new information that it is important for all MLS families to understand.  

If the Board of Supervisors does not pass the 4.2 cent advertised real estate tax rate increase**, thus causing a significant shortfall in the requested school budget, Meriwether Lewis will be asked to:

-  lay off one or more classroom teachers

-  reduce the hours of one or more of our specials (art, music & gym) teachers to less than full time

This will mean that class sizes will increase and the amount of time & attention given to specials will be reduced.  In addition, it is also possible that a reduction in hours could force our special's teachers to seek full-time work elsewhere. 

If this outcome, along with the information I have shared in the past, is not acceptable to you, it is critical that you share your opinions with our Board of Supervisors.  

The best way to do that is to attend a town meeting with Liz Palmer (Board of Supervisors) & Eric Strucko (School Board) next week:

Date: Next Tuesday March 25

Time: 7pm

Location: Meriwether Lewis Cafeteria

At this meeting attendees will have a chance to share their thoughts and ask questions.  Your presence at this meeting is very important.  Some of the town meetings held by members of the Board of Supervisors to date have been dominated by constituents who do not want any tax increase.  From what we are hearing, their arguments may be swaying the Supervisors.  We need to ensure that they also hear the counter-arguments!   

If you can not attend this meeting, you can write to the Board of Supervisors as a whole at:    bos@albemarle.org

I hope that many of you will join me and many of your PTO board members to voice support for our schools at Tuesday's meeting!!  Thank you all!

- Laura Steenburgh

PTO Co-President

** P.S.  To understand how the 4.2 cent(/$100 valuation) real estate tax increase would impact you - for every $100,000 of your home valuation your annual taxes would increase by $42.  So a $400,000 home would see a $168 annual tax increase.

Dana Quist, Communications Coordinator

Meriwether Lewis School PTO

please email mlsmatters@gmail.com. 

Community events are listed by request as space is available.  The MLS PTO does not endorse or have any additional information regarding these events.