Interim School Superintendent named

Dr. Larry Massie has been named interim superintendent for Botetourt County.

However, he is listed as a party to a school related lawsuit on Google. Here is what we found out.

“First and foremost, the School Board is aware of pending litigation at Lynchburg City schools during the time period Dr. Massie served as interim,” said School Board chairman Michelle Crook after the meeting. “The litigation in a racial discrimination lawsuit in Lynchburg Public Schools. He was investigated there by an outside source, was cleared of wrong doing and is no longer part of the lawsuit. The Lynchburg School board is the subject of the lawsuit. We thoroughly vetted Dr. Massie.”

Massie has served as a superintendent for over 25 years. He retired in 2008. However, he has also worked as an interim at not only Lynchburg, but Grayson and Orange county public schools. He will serve until June 30 and begins Monday, April 27.

Dr. Chen’s resignation was accepted. In other business, the VSBA wil be used for the search for the new superintendent.

Also,

The School Board held a brief business meeting on Thursday April 23 at 8 a.m. It was broadcast on FB live. The board addressed some equipment purchases for the schools for instruction, Dual Enrollment, legal services from McGuire Woods, LLC and a change order on the James River track. They also talked about a power savings contract as well as the Budget FY2020-21. .

Michelle Crook the SB chair, asked about the General Assembly actions Wednesday April 22 in their special session. Brandon Lee, Director of Finance said, “We have not received word on the results yet.”The School Board anxiously awaits what changes may be coming to their submitted budget as Gov. Ralph Northam had stated the need for changes to the state budget due to Covid-19. That may be reflected in state funding for education.

Dr. Lisa Chen who has since resigned, designed a budget with an ask of an additional over 6 million dollars to last year’s budget. Crook did announce she is in contact with the county. The county budget committee meets this week.

The next school board meeting is May 7 at the Central Office on Poor Farm Road.

The county will approve the overall  budget which includes the school budget next month.  The budget will be whatever they decide on May 12 in regards to the school board ask. There may be the need for an adjustment. Time will tell.

–story and screenshot by Cathy Benson