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In Brief . . .
. The Highland County School Board met July 10
and welcomed acting superintendent Percy "Buzz"
Nowlin.
. New Highland High School principal Kelly
Wilmore made his first presentation to the board.
Painting the high school gymnasium will start July
21, and Wilmore has asked for a bid to paint the
locker rooms as well.
. Wilmore reviewed the results of a graduating
seniors survey conducted by retiring HHS principal
Randy Hooke. Survey responses held a slightly
negative tone toward mathematics, but students
appreciated the new mathematics teacher and the
department as whole, Wilmore said.
. Wilmore submitted a preliminary copy of the
federal and state mandated crisis plan for the
board to examine. The plan will be rehearsed with
teachers and students, and the school will conduct
two or three trial lockdowns this year.
. Wilmore reported six Motorola portable
radios donated from Roanoke City Schools have
arrived, and he expected six or seven more. And,
between surplus computers and donations from a
connection at Virginia Military Institute, he hopes
to be able to provide a computer to any student in
the school division who wants one.
. Wilmore suggested dropping the family and
consumer science position, which will became
vacant when longtime teacher Jackie Stephenson
left the school for a position in Bath County.
Wilmore said he doesn't think a new teacher
can be found at this point in the year. The class
averages six students, only 12 at senior level.
Deleting the position would save about $48,000
in salary and benefits. Wilmore requested two
part-time assistant athletic director positions to
help him with his AD duties. Wilmore said he will
still be AD, but needs to focus on instruction and
discipline. The part-time assistants would help with
scheduling and paperwork. Mike Warf and Paul
Sites volunteered to serve.
. Highland Elementary School principal Teresa
Blum reported that playground equipment is on
order; and carpet in some classrooms is being
replaced with tile flooring.
. School board chairman Kirk Billingsley said
the board should consider the pros and cons of
a four-day school week, citing rising fuel costs as
a major concern. "I think that is something we
should at least take a look at," Billingsley said.
Four-day school weeks are often used by school
systems of fewer than 1,000 students or in rural
areas with long-distance bus routes, he said.
Four-day weeks can adversely affect athletics
training practices and cause daycare problems
for parents, but can save money and decrease
employee absenteeism. Research has shown fourday
school weeks are better for older students and
more difficult for the younger grades, Billingsley
said. Superintendent Gary Blair said the option was
worth consideration.
. The board approved several policy updates,
adopting revisions based on the Virginia School
Board Association's recommendations - the board
approved the policy of deferred compensation on
a monthly basis; adopted the policy of allowing
beepers, cell phones and pagers on school premises
as long as the devices are turned off during
instructional time; and adopted the policy that
student fees, fines and charges first go through the
superintendent and then to the school board.
. Blair said whether to consolidate bus routes
should be revisited next month because the bus
drivers have not been consulted yet. Fewer routes
will significantly reduce fuel and operating costs,
but the parents of students who reside on the
farthest points of the routes need to be contacted,
Blair said.
. Blair nominated Recorder community news
editor James Jacenich for the Virginia School Board
Association media honor roll. The VSBA media
honor roll is based on reporting of school news in
a fair, accurate and balanced manner. "Not all
school divisions enjoy a nice relationship with the
media like we do," Blair said.
. The board approved hiring Jason Canze as band
director and general music teacher. Canze has rural
teaching experience in K-12 and will arrive Aug. 1.
Blair said there have been two applicants for the
special education position.
. Superintendent Gary Blair, who leaves his post
July 31, was thanked for his service, leadership and
management. "My parents always said to leave
something better than when you came, and I hope
I did that," Blair said.
. The school board will next meet Monday, Aug.
4 at 7 p.m.
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