School Board meetings attracted a crowd of Ag and FFA supporters
Nothing is inscribed in stone yet, but it looks like the school budget shortfall after a number of staffing cuts, might be $609,528. A huge crowd of people came to both the 5 p.m. budget planning committee and the regular school board meeting to hear the presentation on Mar. 14. The meeting was moved to the Forum at Central Academy.
At least 150 people attended the sessions. Michael Beahm, school board chairman noted, “Never have there been so many people at a budget hearing in my 24 years on the board.” His unwavering support for two Agriculture teachers and two FFA’s on the high school level brought applause from the assembly, mostly there for the potential cut to the Ag teacher on the secondary level.
Finally, after much discussion of solutions, Blue Ridge Representative Scott Swortzel pulled out of CTE Coordinator Mike Ketron, that indeed there were enough students to justify two teachers at both high schools if the Vet Technician program was moved from BTEC back to the two high schools. There were a number of solutions on the table, but it was the simplest for sure. That conclusion came with about 10 minutes left in the budget committee meeting.
There are 4 proposed positions not to filled in the new budget and 8 positions to be eliminated on the school level—1 elementary level, 6 secondary level and the CTE Ag teacher. This reduces the budget shortfall by $541, 651.
There are 108 Ag students signed up at LBHS and 56 students at JRHS. There are 40 students signed up to take Vet Technician classes at BTEC. Ketron cited declining numbers over a period of years in Ag Ed, to which Swortzel asked, “Why are we just hearing this now?”
The elephant in the room was referred to as “the unfortunate situation,” by several board members. The JRHS Ag teacher Zach Wakeman, was fired in Dec. and Indicted by Botetourt County the first Monday in March for his alleged inappropriate actions towards students.
Ex officio committee member representing the Board of Supervisors, Dick Bailey of the Fincastle District, spoke to the gathering. With a measure of assurance that the BOS heard the concerns, Bailey said, “Over the past Friday and Saturday, the supervisors held a strategy meeting for the future. We came up with nine focus items. One of the nine is the emphasis on agriculture.”
Botetourt County Public Schools are trying to bring up salaries for their teachers. The highest level has not had a pay increase in six years. To remain competitive with other school divisions and keep good staff, the board is hoping to make the salary increases a top priority in the budget. The pay increases add a total cost of $2,074,139. The additional revenue from the state is expected to be firmed up on March 25, at $922, 960. With the 541,651 in cuts, the shortfall is $609,528.
After another meeting next week and a public hearing, the budget goes to the county by April 1, where either the county adds the addition $609,528 in funding or the schools come up with additional cuts to level the budget.
The regular meeting began at 6:40 p.m. Several groups of Stock Market Game winners from Central Academy and Troutville Elementary were presented awards for their wins. Central Academy had Haylee Harris,Emma Lester and Kyleigh Mills and Troutville had Ava George, Sarah Johnson, Megan Lusk and Jenna Overstreet. McKenna Saville of Eagle Rock was an elementary essay winner. Two Governor’s School students were commended for their award winning science projects. They were LBHS students Martha Keeley and Ryan Rigatti.
The school calendar was adopted for next year and can be found on the bcps.k12.va website.
At the regular meeting 19 community speakers and 4 students spoke in support of the Agriculture programs and 4 FFA students also spoke to the importance of keeping the Ag teachers and FFA.
The next regular meeting is April 9th.
