Photo by Matt de Simone
By Matt de Simone
Botetourt County School Board members hosted town hall events from the end of January and concluded with their final event at Lord Botetourt High School on Feb. 13.
Meetings were arranged by School Board members’ districts, but community members were invited to attend any of them. The School Board member for the hosting district and Superintendent Jonathan Russ were in attendance answering questions and listening to feedback from citizens in each district.
The School Board recently released a statement regarding the town halls. In it, the board told The Herald, “Each town hall event provided valuable insights and diverse perspectives, shaping our understanding of community priorities. We extend our appreciation to all who attended, engaged with questions, and shared their ideas.”
Last summer, Botetourt County Public Schools (BCPS) concluded the study by an Efficiency & Facilities Taskforce led by Dr. Robert Avossa, a strategic planning consultant, who helped put together a community-led engagement in developing scenarios for BCPS facilities moving forward.
The study showed that BCPS facilities are currently experiencing aging and deteriorating infrastructure across all levels and school sites. Aging infrastructure leads to an increase in risk related to finance and safety. Parents of BCPS students and community members who have personal experiences with high levels of emotional attachment to individual schools, expressed their concerns/fears about change during the community engagement last summer and through the recent set of town hall meetings across Botetourt in January and February.
“The community’s dedication to school facilities and capital improvements is unmistakable, and we’re committed to addressing these concerns,” the School Board’s statement went on to say. “Although we have not yet established a specific timeline, our next step as a School Board is to do a thorough review of the options and inquiries presented. We’re dedicated to working with the Board of Supervisors and community stakeholders throughout the upcoming process to implement actionable solutions that enrich the educational experience for our students and foster lasting benefits for Botetourt County.”
During last week’s town hall, Russ, Board Chair Anna Weddle, Director of Operations Andy Dewease, and Communications Specialist Mike Moser received a number of questions from those in attendance at the Lord Botetourt meeting. Citizens spoke out with some opposing and some supporting possible scenarios, which were presented to attendees prior to the question-and-answer portion of the town halls. The presentation included scenarios that could see BCPS combining a high school campus with the Botetourt Technical Education Center (BTEC), a combined secondary campus (middle and high school), and consolidating elementary schools.
To view BCPS’s 2022-2027 Strategic Direction presentation, please visit sites.google.com/bcps.k12.va.us/strategicdirection/home.
Last summer’s task force results can be found here: sites.google.com/bcps.k12.va.us/strategicdirection/progress-reports
Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) guidelines for school facilities: www.doe.virginia.gov/programs-services/school-operations-support-services/facility-construction-maintenance/school-building-regulations-guidelines
