Work Continues On Bath County School Budget

Warm Springs, VA – Works continues on the Bath School budget. At Tuesday night’s School Board meeting School Superintendent Sue Hirsh reported that the budget is not final yet and she outlined some items in the draft. She said the budget is based on enrollment of 605 students, but the school system is facing a decline in enrollment, which means a decline in revenue.

She said declining enrollment is a trend that will have to be considered and discussed in the future. Hirsh said the budget draft includes about $80,000 to reinstate a full time principal at Millboro Elementary School. Currently Principal Les Balgavy serves both Millboro and Valley Elementary.

Hirsh also said raises for staff are included as well as funding for a maintenance program for the school system. School staff has not had a raise in three years and Hirsh said the schools had been operating with a repair program, not a maintenance program.

The school board will have two more budget work sessions, on March 7 and March 17. And the board will hold a joint work session with the Board of Supervisors on March 22 to present the finalized budget.

There was lots of good news reported at Tuesday night’s meeting. Bath County High School students Melanie Baughan, Sarita Hough and Sage Tanguay took part in the Science Fair at Jackson River Governor’s School and were recognized in the top five there. The High School Academic Team placed second in the pioneer district and placed third in the Region C Competition.

School Board Student Representative Jenna Crummett reported that band member Melanie Baughan was ranked 25th in the state on saxophone. And Bath County High School’s girls’ basketball team won the Region C Championship for the first time ever.

And Steve Gardener, Jr. of Valley Elementary won the Valley spelling bee. Molly Watkins at Millboro Elementary won the Millboro bee and also took first place in the division wide spelling bee. She will compete March 19 in the regional spelling bee.

The next school board budget work session is Monday March 7 at 5:30 at the school administration building, rescheduled from March 10.