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JULY 1, 21,2016 2017| |NORTHERN NORTHERNVIRGINIA VIRGINIAMEDIA MEDIASERVICES SERVICES JULY
Report covers School board teacher turnover saves thousands on copier service
FARMERS’ MARKET
BY TRACY BELL
tbell@insidenova.com
T
he Stafford County School
Board heard a report Tuesday TRACY BELL
T
tbell@insidenova.com on teacher
turnover, comparing fi scal 2017 to fiscal 2016. Board he Stafford County School Lisa Boatright, Staff ord County agreed Tuesday to a $588,000 fourPublic Schools’ executive director human year contract with RicohofUSA of resources, saidcopier that resignations and retireChicago for services beginning in ments have slightly increased from what was fiscal 2017. previously reported because SCPSwas refined The initial proposed contract for the data to capture those occurring within a $650,000. school year. Boatright said she was pleased to A competing Xerox representative report thatfour the turnover rate for licensed this staff attended school board meetings in the schools decreased by nearly 3 percentspring urging the board to consider using age points between the two years. Xerox, which produced the lowest bid. “Certainly we are pleased such used a sigStafford County Public with Schools nifi cant decrease and hope that it will conRicoh for the past 10 years and has used tinue to go down, ” she said. Xerox in the past. Th e turnover in not fiscal 2017 School board percentage members did choose was 11.4 percent, compared to the prior fisXerox, but thanked its representative cal year at 14.3 percent. for saving the schools $250,000 over Theyears top three for staff leaving, four based reasons on its lower bid and for Boatright said, did not include jobs in other providing information that helped the localities in the immediate region. Instead, board save money. they were relocating out of the area, retireS cho ol b o ard memb ers and ment and family health issues, she said. Superintendent Bruce Benson expressed Boatright said that employees who resign disappointment in the way the school are asked on exit forms what their reason system handled the matter, but said it is for leaving. Some indicated that they left would cause them to look more closely at for economic reasons or dissatisfaction, but future business dealings. Boatright said that those made up a small “I think we could’ve been clearer in our percentage. communication with our said Those who answered that vendors,” their reason for Benson. resigning was due to relocation out of the April,upthe deferred areaInmade justboard over 21 percentaofdecision responon which copier company to 23 use and dents in fiscal 2017 and just over percent decided to further review its percent options. in fiscal 2016; retirement – 16.5 in five tobidding companies fiThere scal ’17were compared 18.6 percent in fiscal involved. ’16; family or health reasons – 11.4 percent school board thisThere, fiscal year versus 12 permember Patricia Healy, SCHOOL cent last fiscal year; leaving PAGE 13 TEACHER R-Rock Hill,school challenged for northern diviPAGE 13 sions – 8 percent this fiscal
Carisa Bohn, right, of North Stafford, keeps the paint flowing at a Stafford Rocks table during the North Stafford Farmers Market on Sunday. ALEKS DOLZENKO | INSIDENOVA
Rock craze going strong in Stafford
Locally harvested produce gets prime display as crowds browse and shop the stand operated by C&T Produce at the North Stafford Farmers’ Market. This year the total number of vendors has increased to around 30 at the same location, the parking lot of the Stafford Medical Pavilion on the Stafford Hospital campus. The market is open Sundays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. until November. ALEKS DOLZENKO | INSIDENOVA BY TRACY BELL own child and Bohn’s love to cre-
Stafford seeks funding A tbell@insidenova.com
simple pastime – painting, hiding and finding rocks – picked up speed in Stafford County after two local mothers created a Facebook page to manage the fun. In mid-May, Carisa Bohn, of Stafford,TRACY startedBELL the Facebook page, Staffordtbell@insidenova.com Rocks, which focuses mainly in the NorthheStaff ord area. She recruited Stafford County Sheriff ’s KimberlyOffice Stacy,has also of Staff to applied forord, a U.S. help with the page. As of Wednesday, Department of Justice grant the group boasted 5,519 members. that could fund 100 of its The rock craze, popular in many deputies with a body camstates and even in other countries, is bringing era. joy to children and adults If no received, full creative fundingthey of are. the alike, matter how grant in son the Bohn,would who allow has a deputies 7-year-old office’s fieldwho operations to and Stacy, has a division 7-year-old carry thewere cameras. daughter, pleased and surprised The sheriff ’s office applied for at the page’s popularity. the grant afterbelieve the Stafford Countyit “We couldn’t how quickly Board Supervisors gave itsthat stamp took offof ,” Stacy said, noting her
ate art on rocks, hide them, find new rocks and see others’ creations. And, said Bohn, with all of the bad things going on in the world, it’s a way to bring happiness to those who find the rocks. The pastime is light-hearted, happy Amy Loop of Stafford adds delicate deand low-cost, she said. to her rock. investigations and comof approval. The grantinworks as a 50tailsinternal Bohn, who works the mediis significant, ” Decatur percent match with local for grown-ups, too,” and it’s said. “theracal field in Fairfax, said thatfunding the rocks plaints cameras are a psychofrom county. The cost to aStafpeutic.” are a the good distraction after long, “Body-worn to hit misbehavior on ford is $400,000 a year foractivity five years. Thedeterrent craze has moms’ groups, stressful day and a fun that logical sidesgroups of the lens. benefits Stafford County Scout and The other activity people can get creativeSheriff with. Da- both drawbacks vid“People Decatur InsideNoVa that exceed groups,the they said, and isassociated also a chance saytold finding rocks or hiding the costnew andparts timeoftothe manage implementing a body-camera to discover commuthem just makes their day,” sheprosaid. with the program.” gram is aa vast undertaking. The goal nity. “It puts smile on someone’s face. ” Using the technology in the of Death, the program is to achieve high On Sunday, the group setdeup a depression, crime, apolitics, field at operations division level of transparency shaded table the North Stafford bad days – the activitywith helpsthe to comease or partment’s allow for the most immedimunity while protecting the rights Farmers Market near to Staff ord Hosdistract people from the negatives and would and Th expansive contact with theand of citizens deputies he atepital. ey brought art supplies more seriousand issues in life, alike, said Bohn, said. plenty of served, rocks Defor noting, “I don’t even turn on the news.” community said. to paint, for “…The benefit of having video children Stacy said that while children love catur CAMERA ROCK PAGE 1313 PAGE St af ford C ounty footage for prosecution, training, the activity, “It’s not just for kids. It’s free.
for 100 body cameras
STAFFORD COUNTY SUN
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