By Matt de Simone
Botetourt County Public Schools (BCPS) is resetting its strategic direction for the next four years, with a renewed focus on long-term facilities planning, career preparation, responsible technology use, and maintaining the division’s academic performance.
Assistant Superintendent Jordan Pinkard presented the proposed Strategic Direction 2026 to the Botetourt County School Board last Thursday, describing it as a “reset” of the direction adopted in 2022 rather than a complete redefinition.
The updated plan retains the three commitments established four years ago– Every Student, Every Employee and Every Learning Environment– but narrows the focus from 15 initiatives to 12. The initiatives are intended to guide BCPS through 2030.
Pinkard said the reset was prompted by a desire to review progress under the 2022 plan, gather broader community feedback and account for changes in education, particularly the rapid development of technology and artificial intelligence.
A strategic direction committee began meeting in January and included parents, teachers, principals, central office administrators, School Board members and community representatives. The group met four times during the spring, reviewing data and the previous initiatives before developing recommendations.
The division also conducted a community survey that received more than 549 responses. Pinkard said the survey was open to the entire community, although relatively few respondents were from outside the school community.
The feedback identified BCPS’ employees, positive school culture, safe environments, community and belonging, and career and technical education programs as major strengths.
The survey also identified areas for improvement, including aging and deteriorating school buildings, overcrowding, and a desire for a new high school. Pinkard said respondents also called for a long-term facilities modernization plan rather than a series of piecemeal decisions.
Other feedback included expanding career exploration and hands-on learning into younger grades, incorporating life skills such as financial literacy and time management, providing additional challenges for advanced students, and expanding mental health and social/emotional support.
Technology and communication received mixed reviews. While the 2022 plan emphasized expanding one-to-one technology access, Pinkard said the new direction will focus more on responsible and ethical technology use, including artificial intelligence.
The division also wants to streamline its communication platforms so families know where to find information while continuing to communicate BCPS’ educational impact.
Under “Every Student,” the new priorities include consistent division-wide communication, expanded career exploration and preparation, supportive and connected school environments, and opportunities for students to lead, collaborate, and create positive change.
“Every Employee” focuses on developing a pipeline of educators and leaders, professional development, mentoring and employee growth, and recruitment and retention.
“Every Learning Environment” includes collaboration with local leaders on educational funding, a long-term plan for modern learning facilities, responsible use of emerging technology, and connections between students and families and community services.
The facilities portion of the plan generated the most discussion among board members.
Board member Tim Davidick said he was generally supportive of the reset but identified the funding model review and facilities modernization as two areas of concern.
Davidick said both issues have been discussed for approximately 20 years and urged the division to accelerate its work.
“I think it’s time to put the pedal to the metal and do something about it,” Davidick said, adding that facilities are declining faster than the division is developing plans.
Chair Anna Weddle said she and board member Dana McCaleb participated in the strategic direction committee and that local leaders had been invited to participate or observe the four meetings.
“No one came to any of the four meetings,” Weddle said.
Davidick said the facilities issue should serve as a “call to arms” for the community and county leaders.
He said he joined the School Board in part to help make the school division attractive to growth while maintaining the county’s culture and values.
“But we’re going to become… a caricature of what a disaster can look like,” Davidick said.
McCaleb said the condition of the buildings does not reflect what happens inside them.
“Our buildings are not a reflection of what we are as a county,” McCaleb said.
Superintendent Dr. Janet Womack said the strategic planning process was positive and that the division intends to continue seeking collaboration as the initiatives move forward.
“We do want our facilities to reflect the magic that happens every day and our high performance,” Womack said.
Womack said BCPS is preparing for a facilities study that will be larger than any conducted by the division in more than a decade. The division has entered into term contracts allowing it to work with a third party, and representatives from one organization have already toured both high schools and BTEC.
Once the study begins, Womack said the data collection and facility review are expected to take three to four months, followed by presentations and facilitated discussions. She expects those conversations to begin by the end of the semester.
Following the discussion, Weddle opened a required public hearing to allow residents to comment on the strategic direction reset. No members of the public spoke, and the hearing was closed. No action was taken on the strategic direction during the meeting.
In her superintendent’s report, Womack also reported a smooth start to the 2026-27 school year. BCPS recorded 4,368 students on the first day, August 12, and central office administrators visited all 12 school sites.
Womack said the division was fully staffed in certificated positions on the first day, although classified positions remain open.
She also reported continued improvement in Advanced Placement performance. The percentage of AP exams earning a qualifying score of 3 or higher increased from 73% in 2022 to 87% in 2026.
The board also received an update from Becky Stackhouse, branch executive director of the Botetourt Family YMCA, on programs provided in partnership with BCPS, including after-school programming, camps, water-safety instruction, and other student programs.
The YMCA’s presentation fit within the strategic direction’s emphasis on connecting students and families with community services. Last year, 128 students participated in Y After School, while 59 participated in all-day care, 62 in winter camp and 32 in spring camp.
To watch the August meeting in its entirety, visit bcps.live/archives. To review the “reset” of BCPS’s strategic plan, go to https://sites.google.com/bcps.k12.va.us/strategicdirection/home.
