School Board Recap

We are deep into budget season, so it's no surprise that the main focus of this edition of the School Board Recap - aside from recognitions - will be the PCPS fiscal year (FY) 2026 Operating Budget.

This week's recap highlights the content of the School Board's two most recent meetings: a joint meeting with the Powhatan County Board of Supervisors on March 6 and the regular meeting on March 11. These meetings included a great deal of detail and discussion, which can't be fully captured here. However, I've summarized the key points and provided resources for you to explore further if you wish. You are invited watch the full meeting videos on the PCPS YouTube channel: March 6 joint workshop with the Board of Supervisors and March 11 regular meeting. For complete agendas and all materials shared during the meetings, visit the School Board page, click on BoardDocs, and select the meeting you want.

Before looking at some of the details of the fiscal year (FY) 2026 Operating Budget, it's important to note that nothing is final. Many aspects of the budget are still under debate.

Starting with the most recent development, the School Board voted 3-2 in favor of adopting a balanced budget as part of the March 11 Consent Agenda. Chair Susan Smith, District 2; Jeanne Wade, District 3; and Dr. James Taylor, District 4, voted in favor of sending the budget to the Board of Supervisors for consideration. Vicki Hurt, District 1, and Michele Ward, District 5, voted against. Mrs. Hurt cited issues with the numbers she was still unclear on, so she didn't feel comfortable approving it at this stage.

It’s crucial to clarify that adopting a balanced budget for the Board of Supervisors' review at this point is part of a state-mandated process and timeline. The School Board hopes this is not the final version as it does not include key items that wouldn't be covered by the current level of funding. Here’s why:

• On March 11, the School Board adopted a budget of $61,642,249, which is a significant reduction from the original proposed budget of $66,753,000. County staff informed PCPS in February that the County Transfer would increase by only $1,500,000 over FY 2025 - far less than the full $4.06 million increase the schools had requested. This left the school division facing a revenue shortfall of $2,558,805 to cover the proposed expenditures. Since then, school staff and the School Board have been working to identify areas for potential cuts, but there are still requests they have deemed essential and are asking to be funded.
• The two boards had a lengthy discussion about the budget at the joint workshop held on March 6 (more on that in a minute). At that meeting, there was discussion about the Supervisors possibly increasing the County transfer from $1.5 million to $2 million, but it was unclear where the County would find the additional funds. With no formal commitment on the Board of Supervisors' part, Finance Director Debbie Halloway presented a budget this week based solely on the known numbers, which required making some tough decisions.
• The County transfer is not the only uncertainty the Finance team is grappling with in building an accurate budget. The General Assembly's newly released calculation tool, based on the average daily membership (ADM) of 3,854 students, provides an additional $653,698 in state revenue. However, this is almost $100,000 less than originally anticipated, which was a setback. Other adjustments included a $3,108 increase for JROTC being (federal funds) and local sources increasing by $18,535. The three figures combine for a net increase of $675,341, which is still appreciated.
• Despite these increases, cuts were still necessary to balance the proposed budget. All additional funding requests were removed from the financial plan except for a state-required Reading Specialist position, critical Cyber Security upgrades, and funds to form a middle school girls' soccer team. Further reductions were made, including the elimination of all local textbooks funding and three instructional assistant positions that do not have assigned students for the upcoming school year. If any of these assistants are needed for new students with disabilities in FY 2026, possible elimination or reductions to field trips may be required to balance the expenses.

• If additional revenue becomes available through the Governor’s Amended Plan or the Board of Supervisors allocates additional funds, amendments will be made at that time.

Before diving into a full discussion about the budget, the March 6 joint meeting started with several updates to the School Board and Board of Supervisors about the County's current and future outlook, which directly impacts the schools. While I won't recap everything, you can find the presentations on BoardDocs or linked here: Powhatan County FY2026 Proposed Budget, Presentation of 10-year Financial Forecast Model, and PCPS FY2026 Proposed Financial Plan. Here are some of the key highlights:

• County Administrator Bret Schardein's presentation of the County budget revealed that the County is expecting an overall revenue increase of $5.69 million. The majority of this increase, $4.68 million, comes from real estate tax revenue (calculated using a 72-cent tax rate). In addition to the $1.5 million proposed school transfer, the remaining funds would go toward a 3% salary increase for County employees (which would be mirrored by the schools), 3.4 new full-time equivalent positions, department operating costs, school debt service, capital improvement plan (CIP) projects, and more.
• Toward the end of the joint meeting, the Supervisors voted unanimously to advertise the County's real estate tax rate at 75 cents per $100 of assessed value. For context, the current rate is 69 cents. While the proposed budget is built on a 72-cent tax rate, some supervisors stated that 75 cents was the highest rate they would advertise. Importantly, the Supervisors can only pass a rate that is the same or lower than the advertised rate without needing to advertise again. Currently, each additional penny on the tax rate generates roughly $600,000 in revenue.
• A key takeaway from Mr. Schardein's presentation on the County's 10-year financial forecast model is that the current trajectory is unsustainable without adjustments. This may mean an increase in the tax rate, which, while necessary, would place an additional burden on taxpayers.

  Moving forward, both the County and schools will need to collaborate to evaluate their needs, explore joint projects and systems, spread out major expenses, pursue additional revenue sources, seek grants, and consider ways to reduce spending.

Dr. Beth Teigen, Superintendent, gave the boards a brief presentation about the school division's budget. She highlighted the division's successes and also pointed out areas where staff has worked diligently to find savings that would reduce the budget.

During the extended budget discussion that followed, two major topics emerged: an alternative education program and legal fees.

• Alternative education program: One of the hottest topics was the proposal to fund 10 new positions to run an alternative education program at all five schools, at an estimated cost of $696,075. Dr. Teigen and School Board members discussed the benefits to not only the students who may be assigned to this program but also for their classrooms and fellow students, who would experience less disruption. Several Supervisors, however, expressed the need for proof that an alternative education program would be effective before launching a division-wide initiative. During the detailed discussion, some Supervisors proposed piloting a program at one school to assess its impact and possibly increasing the County Transfer to cover the costs of the pilot. While an initial $500,000 increase was suggested by Dr. Taylor to get the schools' budget closer to where it needs to be, including launching the program, the debate shifted to whether the full amount would be needed for a pilot.
• Legal fees: Legal fees, a contentious issue at the February 25 School Board meeting, resurfaced on March 6. Budgeted legal services for recent years include FY 2023 ($158,602), FY 2024 ($548,465), and FY 2025 ($348,000, with about $310,000 spent as of February). In February, Mrs. Hurt and Mrs. Ward reintroduced the idea of hiring in-house counsel instead of continuing to work with the Sands Anderson law firm as the School Board's attorneys. They took issue with budgeting $415,000 in legal services for FY 2026, a figure based on the school division's experiences in recent years. The two members' proposal was opposed by their fellow board members, and the discussion at times became heated. On March 6, some Supervisors criticized the way that situation was handled and the two board members were addressed. Some supervisors asked why an in-house attorney couldn't be considered, strongly supporting Mrs. Ward's proposal of seeking a request for proposal (RFP) to gather more information. However, the School Board members opposing the move cited the law firm's successful track record, its involvement in ongoing litigation, and concerns over the true cost and capacity of an in-house attorney to meet the diverse legal needs of the school division.

Ultimately, after extensive discussion, no decisions were made regarding the school division's budget, and the Supervisors did not commit to any changes to the proposed County transfer to the schools.

• PCPS's Human Resources Department regularly honors staff members who Inspire, Empower, or Innovate with Helping Hands Awards. The staff members can be nominated by anyone (student, parent, colleague, or supervisor). The following staff member was recognized as Helping Hands Award winners in March:
• Bruce Jarrell: Nominated for Inspiring. You may see him walking around the buildings. He is quiet, reserved, and professional. He may stop to say a quick "Hello" and will always greet the students. You may not know him personally, but you feel his daily impact. He ensures our spaces feel comfortable and is quick to respond when they don't. Bruce Jarrell, an employee of Powhatan County Schools, has been keeping our HVAC systems operating to meet the needs across all the buildings for more than 25 years. He knows plumbing, electrical, and, of course, HVAC systems like the back of his hand and is quick to respond to any problem to keep the system operational and running efficiently.
• Jill Dewey: Nominated for Inspiring. On the night of January 23rd, Ms. Dewey went above and beyond in her profession as she assisted EMS to care for a student in need. Ms. Dewey remained with the student in question and ensured her comfort and safety until the point of transfer to EMS care. Due to this exceptional work, in conjunction with that of other staff members, the patient was kept as calm and comfortable as possible until and while EMS intervention and care could be initiated. This participation demonstrates the closeness and commitment of the Powhatan community to caring for its own, especially our students, and the unhesitating willingness to go above and beyond is an inspiration indeed. I would like to extend my sincere thanks again to Ms. Dewey for her commitment to caring and her assistance to her student, myself, and the other members of my EMS crew in providing care and resolution to an emergency situation.
• Amy Woodel: Nominated for Empowering. Amy Woodel has been an incredible source of comfort and support for Marissa as she navigated anxiety challenges at school this year. She not only checks in on her during the school day but goes above and beyond by reaching out in the evenings or over the weekend, making sure Marissa knows she has someone in her corner. Her kind words, reassurance, and genuine care have helped Marissa feel more secure and supported, even on tough days. Knowing that she has a teacher who truly understands and looks out for her has made all the difference. We are beyond grateful for Mrs. Woodel’s compassion and dedication!

• The School Board honored Flat Rock Elementary teacher Rachel Strickland for completing her Foundations in Mentoring for Clinical Faculty through VCU. She is an exemplary PreK-12 practitioner identified through a rigorous process to work with VCU pre-service teachers. Through an intense 5-module training based on the New Teacher Center Santa Cruz legacy mentoring model, VCU Clinical Faculty acquires the knowledge, skills, and tools needed to support pre-service teachers.

• Powhatan High School senior Analee Cave’s Whale Shark Sculpture has been recognized by a panel of creative professionals for its exceptional merit in originality, craftsmanship, and the development of her unique artistic voice and vision, earning her a Silver Key Award. The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, established in 1923, have long honored some of the nation's most renowned artists and writers during their teenage years. Esteemed alumni include Tschabalala Self, Stephen King, Kay WalkingStick, José Parlá, Amanda Gorman, Charles White, Joyce Carol Oates, and Andy Warhol.

• The School Board honored SPEAR, Powhatan High School's Robotics team, on their success over the past year. SPEAR went undefeated and won first place at the Harrisonburg FTC Robotics Qualifier on Saturday, January 18. SPEAR stood out as the only robot in the competition, one of only a handful in the multi-state district, that could achieve a level 3 ascent. This ability served the team well as they competed in the FIRST Chesapeake FTC Championships in Silver Spring, MD, on Saturday, March 1, finishing 8th in the state of Virginia and 17th in the region, which consists of Maryland, Delaware, West Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Virginia. Based on end game scoring, SPEAR is currently tied for 7th in the world out of 7,879 teams. SPEAR finished the season with a 12-3 record. SPEAR Team Members: Bryleigh Roop, Cody Seibel, Monroe Harrison, Zachary Durrbeck, Matthew Anderson, Alexander Fluitt, Wilson Braun, Joshua Montgomery. They are led by their coach, Marcellus Beasley.

• The School Board recognized Powhatan High School student-athlete Matt Henderson. He was honored for his accomplishments as a football player: 1st team All-State, All-Metro, All-Region 4B tight end and has signed with Penn State University to play football. The Varsity Football team earned the 8th seed in Region 4B and lost 28-7 to the #1 seed and Region finalist Dinwiddie. The Indians finished 6-5.

• For 40 years, March has been officially designated by the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) for the observance of Music In Our Schools Month (MIOSM), the time of year when music education becomes the focus of schools and communities across the nation. The purpose of MIOSM is to raise awareness of the importance of music education for all children—and to remind citizens that school is where all children should have access to music. MIOSM is an opportunity for music teachers to bring their music programs to the attention of the school and the community and to display the value that school music brings to students of all ages. Powhatan Middle School Chorus Teacher Rachel Snyder did just that by leading a group of her chorus students through an exercise demonstrating that creating beautiful music takes hard work and dedication.

Looking to highlight the amazing accomplishments being achieved throughout PCPS, the School Board started a section of its meeting called Tell Me Something Good. Each month, staff and students from a different school give a presentation on programs, activities, academics, and other positive news. In March, it was Powhatan Middle School's time to shine. You can find the presentation about 36 minutes into the March 11 Meeting video. Principal Colin Innes led the presentation, which highlighted the school's Student Leadership Team and their sponsors, the Yearbook Club, and Health and P.E. We appreciate all of the staff and students who attended the meeting to champion their school.

Instruction days took a hard hit this winter because of inclement weather, and many activities had to be adjusted or moved back. But the schools still strived to celebrate Black History Month by participating in special activities, reading books, completing research projects, and creating fabulous art surrounding the many important African Americans who have helped shape our nation. The School Board watched a video that captured some of those wonderful moments.

Do you know a Powhatan County Public Schools employee who is Inspiring, Empowering, or Innovating? We want to hear from you. Tell us about any staff member who is making a difference in the lives of our children by inspiring, empowering, or innovating. Click here to tell us about a Powhatan Schools staff member who deserves to be recognized. We welcome suggestions from students, families, co-workers or community members.

For your convenience, we will continue to include the contact information for all of the Board of Supervisors and School Board members, because they regularly say they want to hear from their constituents.

Board of Supervisors

* William (Bill) Donati Jr.

District 1 Representative

Email: bdonati@powhatanva.gov

Phone: 804-898-1701

* Steve W. McClung (2024 Board Chair)

District 2 Representative

Email: smcclung@powhatanva.gov

Phone: 804-892-4268

* Robert (Bob) Powers

District 3 Representative

Email: rpowers@powhatanva.gov

Phone: 804-898-1973

* Mark Kinney

District 4 Representative

Email: mkinney@powhatanva.gov

Phone: 804-898-0449

* Denise Morrissette (2024 Vice Chair)

District 5 Representative

Email: dmorrissette@powhatanva.gov

Phone: 804-898-0387

School Board

* Vicki Hurt

District 1 representative

Phone: 804-869-8920

Email: vicki.hurt@powhatan.k12.va.us

* Susan Smith (Chair)

District 2 representative

Email: susan.smith@powhatan.k12.va.us

Phone: 804-598-4943

* Jeanne Wade (Vice Chair)

District 3 representative

Email: jeanne.wade@powhatan.k12.va.us

Phone: 804-718-1067

* James Taylor

District 4 representative

Email: jtaylor@powhatan.k12.va.us

Phone: 804-727-9175

* Michele Ward

District 5 representative

Email: michele.ward@powhatan.k12.va.us

Phone: 804-894-7848

Powhatan County Public Schools highly recommends that staff and families with smartphones download the free PCPS app and enable notifications. When alerts such as notice of school delays or closings are sent out, the notifications through the app appear to be one of the fastest means of receiving the information. You can sign up for notifications sent to the entire school division as well as only your school; see the news feed that mirrors much of what goes on our social media accounts if you don't use Instagram or Facebook; and find division and school calendar listings.