Bath County School Board Holds June meeting

The Bath County School Board held their last regular meeting for the 2018-19 School year on Tuesday evening.  Their final close-out meeting for finances will be held June 27th.  The meeting began with public comment, during which Sherriff Robert Plecker asked that the board consider reintroducing DARE into the schools again.  He said the sheriff’s department has offered some drug awareness education to high schoolers, but he feels a wider range of students could benefit.  The board listened, and several members commented later they would be receptive to the idea.  It will be discussed at future meetings.

   A hearty congratulations was offered to the graduating class of 2019, and to all three Kid Wind teams who recently attended the National Competition in Houston. The board noted special appreciation to their coaches Joey Altizer, Larry Grubbs, and Kayla Jordan. A video, which includes several team members being interviewed about their turbines, is posted on the school division, and the Allegheny Mountain Radio facebook pages. 

The board took action on items begun in their closed session by accepting six resignations of faculty members.  Those are:  Steve Sizemore, principal Valley Elementary School, Code Sizemore, 3rd grade Millboro Elementary School, Carrington Robertson second grade, Matt Callahan P.E. both Valley Elementary School, and from Bath County High School, Sophia Benoit, History and Cathryn White, Science. Four current teachers were appointed to Summer School, or Extended Year classes to be held at Millboro and Valley Elementary Schools. Other personnel related items included approving returning classified and administrative professional staff.

    The School Board also approved one adjustment in the calendar for Labor Day weekend.  Due to a state code related to schools that start before Labor Day, there won’t be school on Friday, August 30th making the holiday weekend a four-day weekend.  That day will be added as a half-day on January 20th, with a teacher workday for the afternoon. The finalized calendar is always available on the Bath County Public School website.  Another adjustment the board made was to the locations of their meetings throughout the school year.  The August meeting is held at the School Administration Building, and the June one will be held there in the future as well.  The remainder of the meetings, take place on a rotating basis between the two Elementary Schools and the high school, thus making it easy for parents, students or community members to attend at least occasionally.  During the next school year, all of the meetings will be held on the first Tuesday of each month.

After addressing some policy items and continuing Project Return, the board considered and approved an overnight field trip for the high school football team to attend a clinic at Emory and Henry College. 

     The Bath County School Board meets the first Tuesday of every month, but will not meet in July.  The public is always encouraged to attend.