Steve Frey
If you ever need a quick pick-me-up, just attend a Radford City School Board meeting. The positivity that you will experience and the heartfelt determination on the part of both school board members and the school staff will bring a smile to your face.
The meeting always starts with the recognition of staff members and students for various accomplishments. This time set aside for recognition sets a positive tone and focuses on a primary mission of the district: helping people. Helping students to learn academically to be sure, but also helping them to grow emotionally, socially and in all other ways.
At the last meeting, Superintendent Rob Graham read a proclamation by Governor Northam honoring school board members for their hard work and dedication not only during School Board Appreciation Month in February, but throughout the year.
Radford is very fortunate to have such committed members serving on the board. You just need to listen to the pertinent questions, the appreciation of students and staff and the willingness to make difficult decisions they know are right for children to witness their sincere interest and concern.
Graham presented flowers to the board members grown by the horticulture class, and Chairman Lynn Burris, who always has the perfect joke ready, told those gathered not to mention it to his wife, intimating that he would present the flowers as his gift to her.
Aside from his ability to make meetings more enjoyable, Burris has a wealth of expertise as a long-time member of the board. Liz Altieri, Joe Hester and Lee Slusher all bring varied teaching experiences to the group. Adam DeVries is a lawyer, which is a valuable asset in these litigious times.
It is wonderful to have an involved, knowledgeable board to complement the excellent school staff, creating a real synergy at each meeting. Radford City is, indeed, fortunate.
It is also School Board Clerk Appreciation Month, and School Board Clerk Kerri Long and Deputy Clerk Cindy Blankenship were honored for their service to the division. Long is also the finance director for the system.
Kim Newberry, a paraprofessional at Dalton Intermediate School, was recognized for her outstanding work through the staff recognition program. Here are a few of the comments from her nomination: “Always helpful, loving, and compassionate with the students” and “Newberry goes above and beyond what’s expected of her every day.”
If you know someone who is doing an outstanding job in the school system, be sure to nominate them. The nomination form can be found here: https://www.rcps.org/apps/pages/index.jspuREC_ID=1054583&type=d&pREC_ID=1490244
Joy Webb, the office manager at Belle Heth, and Pierson Prioleau, a physical education teacher also at Belle Heth, were recognized as the Shelor Motor Mile Employees of the Month. Graham said that they are always willing to help and “not only loved by the staff, but they’re loved by the students.” Principal Tara Grant also mentioned that Webb is loved by the parents and community, too, and Prioleau is a mentor and “champion for kids.”
Finally, the following students were recognized for all-district and all-state choir: Graham Minarik, Erin Wilson, James Johnson, Pierce Johnson, and Grant McDonel. Darren Goad is the choir director.
This kind of recognition happens every month and highlights appreciation for the accomplishments of many different students, parents and staff members. This does not always happen elsewhere.
During the meeting, the board and staff dealt with a variety of issues ranging from an update on the comprehensive plan to a special education advisory committee discussion. Helping students succeed on state assessments came up often.
It was explained that this year some students are being taken out of physical education or career and technical education classes for additional exposure to, for example, math. No one wants a student to miss one class for help in another, but this is the only remediation avenue staff can manage this year because of scheduling limitations.
There was a discussion about reading, also. Executive Director of Curriculum and Instruction Ellen Denny explained that the issue was at the secondary level where English teachers do not have instructional time during 50-minute lessons to differentiate for reading instruction effectively. The board asked that a reading teacher be placed in the draft budget to address that need.
The division will also be looking at special education and Section 504 processes. The suggestion of having special education meetings at the student’s school rather than the administrative offices to ease parent concern about the process makes excellent sense, as does having parent-friendly process/guidance documents. Reviewing to make sure 504 accommodations match the area of weakness is absolutely necessary as is strengthening Response to Intervention processes. Making sure students are receiving needed instruction and not just accommodations is also essential.
Toward the end of the meeting, Burris mentioned the total budget number discussed with the city council that is needed for renovations: $28,584,229.40. Burris repeated that number at the joint meeting multiple times to the point that it became humorous, but this is something that Burris and the school board actually find deadly serious because it is required to meet the needs of the students and staff.
And, of course, that dedication to children, staff and community is what should be appreciated most about this school board.
If you know someone who is doing an outstanding job in the school system, be sure to nominate them. The nomination form can be found here: https://www.rcps.org/apps/news/article/893499
Steve Frey is a writer and CEO of Ascendant Educational Services based in Radford.
