.....Advertisement.....
.....Advertisement.....

Education

  • Galax principal moving to new role

    Galax High School Principal Bill Sutherland has resigned from his position, effective June 30, to take on a new job with Galax City Public Schools that was recently created through federal stimulus funds.
    Sutherland will become the coordinator for testing and assessment, effective July 1, and will move over to the Galax School Board office. The new position was created through the education “Jobs Bill” stimulus package.
    Sutherland will be in charge of data collection; review of student testing and evaluation of teachers in Galax schools.

    Click here to read more...
  • $15M will pay for scaled-down school project

    HILLSVILLE — “Go forth and bid,” said Carroll Supervisors’ Chairman Tom Littrell on March 28, to school board members anxious to take advantage of $15 million in construction bonds.
    Educators don’t know how much of the construction projects at Carroll County high and intermediate schools the $15 million will cover, but they feel confident that amount won’t pay for all the elements needed at the two facilities.

    Click here to read more...
  • End of stimulus funding affects school budget

    Galax City Public Schools is working to adapt to budget challenges, as two-year federal stimulus funding ends and enrollment is expected to decline during the next school year, resulting in a loss of state money.
    Because of that, nine positions will be cut, effective June 30. The jobs being cut include one teacher and eight support staff.
    The 2011-2012 proposed budget is based on an anticipated enrollment of 1,250, down from 1,270. The budget totals $12.9 million, a $21,507 increase.

    Click here to read more...
  • Carroll teachers, staff could get raises

    HILLSVILLE — Carroll supervisors gave the county school board a homework assignment on Monday night — figure out how to use surplus funds carried over from this fiscal year to pay for a 3 percent salary increase for all employees.
    School board members and administrators came before the supervisors Monday night to present Carroll’s proposed education budget for 2011-2012.
    Before the meeting, Schools Superintendent Greg Smith noted that this was to be the third consecutive spending plan without a salary increase.

    Click here to read more...
  • 10 Commandments won't hang in Grayson schools

    By LARRY CHAMBERS
    Staff

    INDEPENDENCE — Grayson County became the latest school system in Southwest Virginia to become involved in the debate over public display of the Ten Commandments.
    The school system has denied requests to hang the biblical laws. Giles County and other districts in Virginia have been the center of public debate over the separation of church and state.

    Click here to read more...
  • School construction will require more than bonds

    CLICK ON THE LINK AT THE END OF THE STORY TO READ THE FINANCIAL TEAM'S DOCUMENTS ABOUT THE SCOPE OF THE PHASE III PROJECTS

    Click here to read more...
  • Carroll schools face budgeting challenges

    HILLSVILLE — Carroll schools finances for 2012 seem likely to feel pressure from all sides, school board members heard in the first presentation of the full budget proposal last Tuesday.
    Superintendent Greg Smith ticked off many challenges the staff faced when working up the proposal for the school board:
    First, there's a 9.4 percent increase for employees' health insurance and an increase in Virginia Retirement System rates.
    Then, Federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds are coming to a halt.

    Click here to read more...
  • Grayson school budget approved

    INDEPENDENCE — The Grayson County School Board on March 14 approved a proposed $21 million budget for 2011-12.
    The amount includes a request for $5.56 million in local funds — nearly $1.4 million above the $4.18 million the school system received from Grayson this year.
    Schools’ Superintendent Dr. Elizabeth Thomas noted that the request is on par with local funding for Grayson schools in 2006-07.
    The additional money addresses a $154,000 state shortfall and eight critical needs, including:

    Click here to read more...
  • A real threat to virtual school

    It's ironic that, while Virginia serves as a technology hub, the General Assembly may be sending the state's one virtual school offline due to a funding decision made this year, an official with the Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy believes.
    Chris Braunlich, vice president of the think tank, posted a blog on the group's website arguing that the decision will impact not only the virtual school hosted by Carroll County, but also any rural division that wants to offer more educational opportunities to its students.

    Click here to read more...
  • Educators: students suffering from budget cuts

     

    CLICK THE LINK AT THE END OF THE STORY TO SEE THE SCHOOL BOARD'S FULL REPORT, WITH PHOTOS

    Click here to read more...

Copyright © 2013
The Galax Gazette is your source for local news, sports, events and information in Galax, Grayson, Carroll, and surrounding areas.