Kindergarten Will Continue At Millboro Elementary School This Fall

Warm Springs, Va – Kindergarten will continue at Millboro Elementary School this fall. At Tuesday night’s Bath School Board meeting the board voted to rescind an earlier decision to move Millboro’s kindergarten students to Valley Elementary School. Approximately 200 people attended the meeting on Tuesday night and 25 spoke during public comment, opposing the decision to move the kindergarten program.

Many speakers felt this was the first step towards closing Millboro Elementary. Others were concerned about the long bus ride for such young children, where some of those rides could be as much as two hours. Bath County Supervisor Richard Byrd spoke, calling the long bus rides unacceptable. He said he now thinks that his vote in favor of bottom line funding for the school system was a mistake.

The board of supervisors recently voted to give the school system bottom line funding where the school system receives its money in a lump sum instead of assigned by categories. A couple of speakers suggested the district could be easily realigned where more children could be sent to Millboro, thus increasing enrollment. Several parents spoke saying they would pull their children out of Bath County Schools if their children were faced with a long bus ride to Valley Elementary. Others felt that the school board should have discussed the move with those involved before making the decision.

The vote to rescind the decision on the move was three to two, with Eddie Ryder and Barbara Waldeck voting no. The board originally voted to move the Millboro kindergarten at a May 19 work session. Board members Eddie Ryder, Barbara Waldeck and Mary Lynn Riner voted for the move at that meeting. Board members Dreama Burns and Joyce Hevener were not at the May 19th meeting for the vote.

Students were recognized at Tuesday night’s school board meeting. Bath County High School Valedictorian is Erin Arrington and Salutatorian is Mason Ailstock. And Valley Regional Art Contest participants were recognized; Emma Marshall and Molly Watkins from Millboro Elementary and Emily Lowry from Bath County High School.

Also on Tuesday night the board accepted the resignation of Mary Kolman, Director of Special Education and Pupil Personnel Services. And the Board approved the following fall coaching assignments:

Will Fields as head varsity football coach

Robert Plecker, Jeremy Cutlip and Shawn Loudermilk as varsity assistant football coaches
Larry Grubbs, Adam Plecker and William Stewart as JV volunteer football coaches

Dave McGee as varsity volleyball coach and Sandra Williams as JV volleyball coach and varsity volleyball assistant

Terry Bradley was appointed as golf head coach.