Highland School Board approves new position

Monterey, Va. – Highland School Superintendent Dr. Will Crawford asked School Board members to approve a new grant-funded position at the Board meeting earlier this month.

“Mr. Chairman on the new business, for the Outreach Coordinator /Grant Writer, you may recall that we had hoped to get funds for two positions,” said Dr. Crawford. “One, as an Outreach Coordinator to help try to get some of the home school students back into the school, and a Grant Writing position for someone to help bring some additional resources into the system. We have received some grant funds, but unfortunately we did not receive enough for both positions. So we would request that you allow us to take the grant funds that we have received – $25,000, and post and hire and Outreach/Grant Writer position,” he said.

The Board voted to approve the new position. In other business, High School Principal April Goff requested that the Board approve moving exams from December to January. Board Member Joe Neil added a comment during the discussion.

“Currently the exams are scheduled for December 19th through 21st with early release days,” said Mrs. Goff. “I’m requesting that we not give exams a month early and give the exams the last three days of first semester which would be January 29th through the 31st. (Board Member Joe Neil commented) “They used to be in January and then they moved them back to December, for what reason I don’t remember.” (Mrs. Goff continues) “The dialogue I have heard is because the weather was so much worse at the end of January. With us starting after Labor Day this year that would make exams a full month before the end of the semester, and that’s a lot to ask,” she said.

The Board approved moving the exams to January. Mrs. Goff continues with information on the basketball teams as well as an answer for Mr. Neil’s question.

“In athletics, basketball practice began Monday, November 5th,” said Mrs. Goff. “Seventeen girls attended the first practice and 23 boys attended the first practice. A tentative winter schedule is on the following page and we hope to make that more definitive by the end of this week.” Mr. Neil asked, “Of the boys, do we have enough to make a JV team this year?” Mrs. Goff responded “We’re not going to have a JV team this year. This is 17 girls varsity and middle school and 23 boys varsity and middle school,” she said.

Mrs. Goff goes on to talk about a new life skills class for middle school students.

“Valley Community Services is here with the Elementary and Middle School doing a Life Skills Class on Mondays,” said Mrs. Goff. “That’s going really well, we’ve gotten a lot of good feedback from parents. The kids are opening up and talking to these ladies who are here, so that’s been a real positive experience on the Middle School side,” she said.

Elementary School Principal Theresa Blum reported to the Board on the Veterans Breakfast and recent Family Fun Night.

“This morning we entertained our veterans,” said Ms. Blum. “It was a nice turnout and they were certainly very complimentary about the childrens’ program. They did a beautiful song that I had never heard before, which was a nice tribute to the veterans. They all enjoyed the nice breakfast and the children, so we hope they’ll come back again next year. The Title I and Special Education Advisory Committees held the Fall Family Fun Night last Thursday night and we fed 72 people. We told a story at the beginning and they the children and families ate and then they divided into the Computer Lab and the Fifth Grade Classroom to play computer games so we could show parents what options were at home so they could practice their math skills and then they all left with a free book. So it was a nice evening,” she said.

The next regular meeting of the Highland County School Board will be Monday, December 10, at 7 PM in the High School library.