By Matt de Simone
The Botetourt County School Board held its regular meeting last Thursday, beginning with a celebration of outstanding staff members.
April Bowyer, administrative assistant at Buchanan Elementary School, and Amanda Collins, the new principal at Central Academy Middle School (CAMS), were recognized as the division’s Employees of the Month.
Superintendent Dr. Janet Womack shared each honoree’s nomination, beginning with Bowyer’s.
“She plays an essential role in keeping our school running smoothly,” Dr. Womack said. “She is professional, kind, and patient and truly serves as the backbone of our school. No matter how busy she is, she is always willing to lend a helping hand and we are very proud of [Bowyer].”
She then shared Collins’s nomination.
“Ms. Collins was just introduced to her new role and is doing great, one of the (CAMS) employees said,” Dr. Womack continued. “She has been a positive light during the long work week and is putting the hours in to make sure our building is running well.”
The board did not have any action items to vote on this month but did hear from Botetourt County Public Schools (BCPS) Finance Director Brandon Lee, who briefly commended the successful School Activity Fund audit report. He shared that the school division “didn’t have a whole lot of stuff in our schools that warranted documenting as findings.”
Lee noted that during his time with BCPS, this recent audit was “the best audit report we’ve had from the School Activity Fund perspective… That’s a testament to our bookkeepers. They do a fantastic job.”
He also provided an overview of the proposed 2026–2027 budget timeline, following the schedule BCPS has traditionally used. The process begins on October 15, when budget priority requests will be distributed to building administrators and central office department administrators, and concludes on March 31, 2026, with the annual public hearing and vote on the FY 2026–27 School Board budget.
Dr. Womack delivered her monthly superintendent’s report, included in the meeting’s agenda packet, which highlighted updates from across the school division.
The first bookkeepers’ meeting of the 2025–26 school year was held on August 26. In addition, both the first and second instructional fund disbursements have been issued to all schools.
BCPS welcomed 33 new educators at the first New Teacher Academy, held on September 9 at Greenfield Elementary. Plans are also underway to host on-site flu vaccination clinics in all schools this fall, in partnership with the health department.
Students from the Botetourt Technical Education Center (BTEC) showcased their skills and raised funds at the Beaver Dam Sunflower Festival earlier this month.
Dr. Womack also shared performance data recently submitted to the Virginia Department of Education. BCPS scored 38 out of 40 on the state’s annual performance report under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act, earning a “Meets Requirements” designation.
The division also submitted its annual Standards of Quality and Accreditation Report. In addition, BCPS was recognized for strong SOL performance—ranking fifth overall among all Virginia school divisions, fourth in math, and sixth in reading. A more detailed performance report is expected at the October board meeting.
Recent maintenance projects included roof repairs at Read Mountain Middle School, deep cleaning of the band room and forum at Central Academy Middle, and grounds work at Breckinridge Elementary and Lord Botetourt High School.
Technology teams were busy over the summer, closing more than 1,000 help desk tickets in August. Key upgrades included wireless access point replacements at Colonial Elementary and the creation of new custom reports in PowerSchool to enhance data tracking.
The next regular School Board meeting is scheduled for October 9. To watch the stream of the September 11 meeting, visit bcps.live/archives.
