Background on AlbemarleMatters
September 3, 2006
AlbemarleMatters and its electronic newsletters were created to
promote improved communication between parents, teachers, the school board,
school staff and elected officials. SchoolMatters is an independent newsletter
I publish on school issues.
Some of the school-specific newsletters I help facilitate are managed by parents and PTOs at those
schools. I also provide web space and electronic newsletter assistance to
the Ivy Community Association.
This site was originally created in January 2000 because parents at Murray Elementary school were concerned about the impact of differentiated funding, about large class sizes, poor teacher salaries, and inadequate resources in the Albemarle County Public Schools. As those issues were important at all County schools, we broadened the focus of our efforts from Murray to the entire County. Today, these newsletters and website are a continuing effort to magnify our voices and to promote positive change that will create truly excellent schools for our children.
Chronology:
 | The first issue of MurrayMatters was published on November 2, 1999. |
| The first issue of SchoolMatters was published on January 15, 2000. |
| The AlbemarleMatters website was launched on January 23, 2000. |
| The first issue of SRE Online was published on March 27, 2000. |
| The first issue of MeriwetherMatters was published on September 18, 2000. |
| The first issue of EyesOnIvy was published on June 1, 2001. |
| The first issue of Burley Bulletin was published on September 12, 2001. |
| The first issue of ParentCouncil News was published on September 12, 2001. |
| The first issue of StonyPointEagle was published on February 21, 2002. |
| The first issue of HenleyMatters was published on January 27, 2003. |
| The first issue of ANA-News was published on March 17, 2003. |
| The first issue of GatorGazette was published on May 12, 2003. |
| The first issue of BrownsvilleOnline was published on September 3, 2003. |
| The first issue of BBPTO was published on November 3, 2003. |
| The first issue of JouettMatters was published on January 13, 2004. |
| The first issue of Crozet Eagle was published September 3, 2004. |
| The first issue of WoodyBytes was published January 17, 2005. |
| The first issue of BroadusWoodNewsOnline was published August 30, 2005. |
| The first issue of SutherlandMatters was published September 19, 2005. |
| The first issue of PatriotProgress was published February 7, 2006. |
| The first issue of RedHillRoar was published September 11, 2006. |
| The first issue of WaltonConnection was published December 18, 2006. |
Background on Brian Wheeler
I have lived in Charlottesville since August 1984 and I am a graduate of the University of Virginia (CLAS 90). I am currently Executive Director of Charlottesville Tomorrow, a non-partisan community organization informing the public and policy related to land use, transportation and community design. During 1998-2005 I served as the Chief Information Officer at SNL Financial on the Charlottesville Downtown Mall. Before joining SNL I worked at the W. Alton Jones Foundation from 1990-97. My wife Jean and I were married in 1990 and over the years we have lived in Crozet, Troy, the Fieldbrook subdivision and now in Langford Farms near Ivy, Virginia.
In November 2003, I was elected to the At-Large seat on the Albemarle County School Board. In this position, I represent all of Albemarle County, Virginia as one of seven elected School Board members. During 2006-2007, I will have two children in Albemarle County Schools, a daughter in ninth grade at Western Albemarle High School and a son in fifth grade at Virginia L. Murray Elementary.
My other activities have included:
| Piedmont Regional Education
Program (PREP), Board Member 2004
– Present; Vice Chairman 2005 – 2006; Chairman 2007 – Present | ||||
| Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce, Government Affairs Committee (Both Albemarle County Public Schools and my employer, Charlottesville Tomorrow, are Chamber members), 2006-Present | ||||
| Murray Elementary PTO, President, 2002-2003; Vice President 2001-2002 | ||||
| Computers4Kids, Mentor, 2002-2003 | ||||
| Ivy Community Association, President 2004-2006, Secretary 2001-2004 | ||||
| Albemarle County Schools Parent Council
| ||||
| Virginia Piedmont Technology Council (VPTC), Board Member 1999-2001 | ||||
| Albemarle County Principal Screening Committee, May 2000 | ||||
| Blue Ridge Mountain Rescue Group (UVA) and Appalachian Search & Rescue Conference, Member 1984-1991 | ||||
| Western Albemarle Rescue Squad, 1986 |
If you have any questions, corrections or feedback on anything you see here, please contact me.
Brian Wheeler
(434) 984-2233
bwheeler@albemarlematters.com
