MANASSAS, Va. — On Monday, the Manassas City Council took the usual weekly meeting on the road to Baldwin Elementary School to address citizens concerns.
About 40 area residents turned out to listen to the state of the school system, town renovations and other council business. Representatives from several town offices attended the meeting and answered questions along with the City Councilmen.
Clearly, the most popular topic of the evening: the state of the school system. Parents posed questions on everything from the safety of the aging Baldwin school to the readiness of students moving from the five elementary schools into Mayfield Middle School.
Dr. Catherine Magouryk began the question and answer session by giving the audience a rundown of the many activities going on within the school system including the expansion of Osborn High School by 2014, the new Baldwin Elementary School ball fields and magnet building planned for 2016, the repair of the track and parking lot at Metz Elementary, and new leadership at almost every school in the district.
“All of the staff is excited to welcome students back in the fall,” Magouryk said. “Staff members have been working all summer to prepare for the upcoming year.”
Dorothy Adkins began the question and answer session of the meeting by voicing her family’s concerns with long-term substitute teachers who do not meet the needs of the students.
Adkins has two boys at Baldwin Elementary and her younger child spent half of his Kindergarten year with a substitute. Her older son has special needs and requires an aid during the school day.
“Our house is on the market. We love the City of Manassas, but the decline of the city schools has forced our family to seek a new location,” Adkins told the council.
Mayor Hal Parrish answered Adkins comments by urging parents to talk to school personnel about their concerns. Magouryk said she has “complete confidence” in the school system and would trust her grandson’s education to Baldwin Elementary.
At the end of the evening few questions were answered and parents felt little confidence in the answers given by the Council and Dr. Magouryk.
“I have heard the same comments from the council before,” said Dorothy Adkins. “It’s hard to have faith in a school system that I had to sue to get my son the daily support he needs.”
