School Board highlights
Power changed hands on Thursday night January 10, in the Botetourt County School Board. Michael Beahm of the Valley Disrict is chairman and Scott Swortzel remained the vice chairman.
After a long series of honors for students and student athletes the board got down to business for 2019. ( We had a previous story on Friday, Jan. 11)
Highlights included new course offerings that can be found on the division website. Good news with dual enrollment with both Dabney S. Lancaster and Virginia Western in continuity of costs. Bad news is finding Mathematics teachers for both dual enrollment as well as regular core course offerings. The board approved the new program of studies.
A new sign funded by the Breckinridge Elementary PTA was approved for the school.
The contract bid for the funding of school bus leases only had two respondents, so the board in a tie vote (since board member Michelle Crook abstained due to her employer being one of the respondents.) John Alderson from Fincastle District said, “I want to cast a wider net to see if we could get better response.” A total of five vehicles including 12 passenger vans, at the cost of over $475,000 are on schedule to be added or replaced.
Colonial Elementary School was commended for the assembly celebrating the Blue Ribbon award on Jan. 9. The new school building has only had 12 days out of 60 for construction prep due to wet weather, but is reasonably close to schedule despite the weather.
The Food Services section of the school division received an award for excellence by the USDA and Department of Agriculture. Though the Food Service budget has been in the red, those at work apparently have been more than satisfying the oversight agencies. Scott Swortzel and John Alderson spent time grilling the administration over the cost over ride which was over $100,000. In the scheme of things the school budget is over $59,000,000, the over ride is a small part, less than a tenth of 1 per cent. Cafeteria managers for Breckinridge and Eagle Rock Elementary Schools were merged in a cost saving move noted Superintendent John Busher. “School closure for inclement weather results in less sales and exacerbates the problem,” he said.
School budget meetings have one more public input meeting on Jan. 15 at Read Mountain at 7 p.m. Budget meetings for the borad begin on Jan. 31 at 8 a.m.
By Cathy Benson