The Patrick County School Board selected its chairman and vice-chairman for the upcoming year during its Thursday, January 9 meeting.
Amy Walker, of the Mayo River District, was chosen to serve as chairman and Shannon Harrell, of the Blue Ridge District, was elected as vice-chairman.
Sara Leigh Collins was reelected to serve as board clerk, and Daree Reeves was appointed as the board’s deputy clerk.
The board also approved its special committee assignments for the year. Walker will serve on the Employee Insurance, Parent Advisory, and Budget committees, and Harrell will be on the Gifted and Building Committees. The pair will also serve on the liaison committee.
Rob Martin, of the Dan River District, will be on the School Health Advisory Committee and the Division Crisis Team. Walter Scott, of the Smith River District, will serve on the Career & Technical Education (CTE) Advisory and Building Committees.
Lester Harrell, of the Peters Creek District, will be on the Special Education (SPED) Advisory, Transportation, and Park and Recreation committees.
In other matters, the board:
*Heard a school security update from Schools Superintendent Jason Wood, who said the division received notification it had $10,000 in carryover funds from a previous security grant, which will allow it to expand some of its school security measures.
“The first is the mobile panic badge system that will allow all staff members to use a panic button system, much like an ID badge. Three presses will enact the school security team, and if it’s pressed multiple, eight times or more, of course if there’s an active shooter situation or something in which we need to go on lockdown, you would just continue to push it,” he said.
Wood said the system is unique in several ways. For instance, it knows employees’ locations and can notify 911 for them with the division’s new mapping system. It’s really coordinating a lot of systems that we already have in place together for school security and safety,” he said.
The division will receive the pass-through metal detectors this week, Wood said, adding that training and the first roll-out of the metal detectors is expected in late January, before a hard-start in February.
“Again, that additional $10,000 will allow all schools to get the reflective window film to limit visibility from outside looking into our schools. That has a deadline that has to be completed by June,” he said.
Wood said the division is also in the process of getting bids for other security grant cameras. It also has a deadline of June 30.
“I know with the cellphone discussion there’s a lot of concern about school safety, but we are maintaining that our number one priority is the safety of staff and students and any visitors coming to our schools. We have a lot of measures and procedures in place,” he said.
While he knows students want to be able to have their phones on them all the time, Wood said the fastest response is to use the phones in the classrooms or the new panic buttons because that system ties in directly with 911 and knows exact locations.
“It’s a hard conversation to have with students, but they need to know” the classroom phone can be used to dial 911 in the event there’s an emergency. Make sure you get to an adult with a panic button system, and they’ll know the location,” Wood said.
He also hopes these new school security plans will help alleviate some of the anxiety students and parents have as the division follows the new cell phone policy.
“To really let parents know, and the community know, that we really take safety first in Patrick County, we’ve got all this in place to ensure their safety,” he added.
*Heard an update on the Patrick County High School (PCHS) Fall 2024 Standards of Learning (SOL) scores.
*Approved adopting the Virginia School Board Association (VSBA) Code of Conduct.
*Adopted the Roberts Rule of Order.
*Approved the consent agenda.
*Approved the PCHS 2025-2026 program of studies.
*Approved the personnel report.
