Local News
Electrical teacher blows students’ minds with hands-on training, daily code checks
Blue Ridge Technical Center Electrical Teacher Darren McKinney last week showcased his career and technical education (CTE) class for the Warren County School Board.
“Sometimes we forget the emphasis that trades programs play in our daily lives,” McKinney told board members during their Tuesday, November 16 work session. “We’re backing the professional lives of the people who are needed to do this.”
McKinney, a Sperryville, Va., resident who owns and operates McKinney Services, has been a Warren County Public Schools electrical teacher for almost three years and has taught at Lord Fairfax Community College as an LFCC workforce adjunct since January 2016. He’s been in the construction industry for more than 25 years, so he knows a thing or two about the skilled trades industry, which currently is experiencing workforce shortages.
“It’s not only electricians but all tradespeople. And this is nationally, too,” McKinney told the Royal Examiner today in an email.
In fact, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ 2020 Occupational Outlook Handbook projects roughly 84,700 openings just for electricians each year, on average, through 2030. Many of these openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or who retire, according to the bureau.
Employment of electricians is projected to grow 9 percent from 2020 to 2030, about as fast as the average for all occupations, the bureau says, noting that the 2020 median pay for electricians was $56,900 per year, or $27.36 per hour.
Most electricians learn through an apprenticeship, according to the Labor Department, but some start out by attending a technical school. Most states require electricians to be licensed. Almost all electricians work full time. Work schedules may include evenings and weekends, and overtime is common.
Ben LeBlanc, a second-year electrical student of McKinney’s who joined the teacher during the School Board presentation, plans to work in the field. He and his classmates are learning a national curriculum, said McKinney.
For instance, the Electricity I class is an introductory course that covers the basics of safety, tools, code, construction drawings, and electrical theory. Students cover two nationally accredited textbooks during one semester, he explained.
Specifically, Electricity I students cover construction and electrical safety, hand and power tools, rigging and material handling, communication and employment skills, construction and electrical drawings and schematics, basic electrical theory, Kirchoff’s Law, Ohms Law & Resistance, how power is generated, the National Electric Code, device boxes, conduit bonding, and more.
“It’s amazing and surprising to me sometimes because I was a kid who was always in my dad’s toolbox,” McKinney told the School Board. “But these kids never in their life have touched a screwdriver, a saw, a pair of pliers — they don’t even know what this stuff is. So, this introduction [course] helps.”
Electricity 2 is a formational course that builds on the concepts introduced in Electricity I. Students learn about the functionality of the aspects of electricity and during this second year, students have the opportunity for more hands-on experiences than in the first course, said McKinney.
For example, students will take their knowledge about the meaning of a transformer to create a transformer in order to understand how it works. LeBlanc explained that in year one, students would go through the codebook and learn about transformer theory. Comparatively, during the second year, students actually get to make a transformer, he said. McKinney said he helps students build them and learn about their scientific properties.
Electricity 2 “blows these kids’ minds,” McKinney said, noting that while students question why they must know certain math or science concepts, they soon realize how such topics are so applicable to trades.
And while students tire of hearing about it, McKinney said safety is discussed daily with them “because that is the most important thing, to come and be in a safe environment, to be able to go home at night and see our families and come back the next day.”
Another daily practice that students take on is a 30-minute code check. Students get five questions at the end of every class and then they spend the last 30 minutes of every class going through the codebook to find what’s right and wrong in the code.
“If you don’t understand how something works, then you can never fix it. And if you don’t understand how it’s supposed to be, then you don’t know whether it’s right or wrong,” said McKinney. “So, my whole goal is to give them the correct theory, the correct knowledge, and then let them know what’s right and wrong.”
He also teaches them professionalism, which includes how they dress and the language they use. “There is a profanity problem and I let them know that it’s not acceptable,” McKinney said. “It’s not just right and wrong, it’s a way of life.”
In Electricity 2, Warren County students also use their skills on campus to build electrical trainers for the Agriculture Department, for instance and installed an outlet for a temporary heater in the Ag Greenhouse at Skyline High School. They also learn about capacitors, bending conduits, and how to wire switches, outlets, cubicles, and then an entire modular home.
In Electricity 3, students get to start building things and experience a combination of in-class time to expand their experiences from year two, and get in-the-field experiences, in many cases as interns for local companies.
LeBlanc is also an intern for McKinney’s company and receives one credit for the semester. “Ben works with me every Saturday. He earns money and he gets real-life experience,” McKinney said.
The third-year is all about putting everything that was learned during the first two years into practice in real-world experiences. The goal is for students to use their skills in the workforce.
Students who go through the program earn their OSHA 10 card, which essentially lets the real world know that the students have learned the basics. Specifically, McKinney said that an OSHA 10 card proves to employers that a person has completed 10 hours of OSHA-authorized training on critical workplace safety topics. Entry-level workers with this credential have industry-specific knowledge and skills that help prevent injuries and keep workplaces safe and productive.
“Two things I’m really concerned about when I teach a student — I’m not concerned if they go into the electrical field,” said McKinney about his students. “I want to make them a good member of society and give them a good work ethic.”
Warren County Public Schools also tracks the employability of its CTE students. McKinney said that eight of his students from the last three years he has taught with WCPS do work in the electrical field now. He said some go on to the local union, which has its own training program, while others attend LFCC.
In Virginia, state licensure requires 240 vocational hours, 8,000 hours in the field, and a passing grade on a journeyman’s exam for a journeyman’s license, which is good for one year. Students, or apprentices, then can sit and take a master’s exam.
“It’s not as easy as people think,” McKinney said. “It takes a lot of time and a lot of education.”
Watch the latest Warren County School Board meeting in this exclusive Royal Examiner video.
Local News
POLICE: 7 Day FRPD Arrest Report 4/28/2024
Front Royal Police Department’s arrest report for the past 7 days:
Local News
VDOT: Warren County Traffic Alert for May 6 – 10, 2024
The following is a list of highway work that may affect traffic in Warren County during the coming weeks. Scheduled work is subject to change due to inclement weather and material supplies. Motorists are advised to watch for slow-moving tractors during mowing operations. When traveling through a work zone, be alert to periodic changes in traffic patterns and lane closures.
*NEW* or *UPDATE* indicates a new or revised entry since last week’s report.
INTERSTATE 66
*NEW* Mile marker 0 to 15, eastbound and westbound – Overnight alternating lane closures for pavement marking installations, 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. Monday and Tuesday nights.
*NEW* Mile marker 0 to 2, eastbound – Right shoulder closures for utility work, 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. through May 31.
*NEW* Mile marker 8 to 7, westbound – Right shoulder closures for sign work, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Mile marker 9 to 7, westbound – Overnight right lane closures at Shenandoah River bridge for utility work, 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. through Thursday night.
INTERSTATE 81
*UPDATE* Mile marker 299 to 300, northbound – Overnight alternating lane closures for overhead sign repairs, 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. Monday night.
Mile marker 299 to 300, northbound – Right shoulder closures for utility work, 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. through May 31.
Mile marker 299 to 300, northbound and southbound –Overnight lane closures and traffic-lane shifts as needed, 8 p.m. to 7 a.m. through December 2024. Shoulder closures 24/7. Work zone speed limit: 55 miles an hour. Work is related to southbound acceleration ramp extension and bridge widening, with estimated completion in late 2024.
PRIMARY ROADS
*NEW* Route 55 (John Marshall Highway) – Flagger traffic control between Front Royal town limits and Route 647 (Dismal Hollow Road) for guardrail upgrades, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday (May 2) and Tuesday (May 7).
*NEW* Route 340 (Stonewall Jackson Highway) – Flagger traffic control between Route 674 (Limeton Church Road) and Route 607 (Rocky Lane) for pipe replacement, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 7 – May 14.
SECONDARY ROADS
Route 658 (Rockland Road) – Closed to through traffic between Route 340/522 (Winchester Road) and Route 705 (Fishnet Boulevard) for the construction of a bridge over Norfolk Southern Railway. Estimated completion December 2025.
Vegetation management may take place district-wide on various routes. Motorists are reminded to use extreme caution when traveling through work zones.
Traffic alerts and traveler information can be obtained by dialing 511 or at www.511Virginia.org.
Local News
VSP Investigating I-81 Dump Truck/Sheriff’s Vehicle Accident
The Virginia State Police are investigating a two-vehicle crash on Interstate 81 in Shenandoah County. The crash occurred Friday, May 3, at 5:46 a.m. at the Route 646 overpass at the 292-mile maker of I-81.
A 2005 Kenworth dump truck was traveling north on I-81 when the driver accidentally engaged the dump bed, which raised it and caused it to collide with the bridge overpass. The collision caused the dump bed to detach from the truck, slide backward, and land on a northbound 2022 Ford Explorer, which was driven by a Frederick County Sheriff’s deputy.
The dump truck driver, Gaylon R. Miller, 71, of Toms Brook, Va., was not injured in the crash. He was wearing his seatbelt.
The sheriff’s deputy suffered minor injuries and was transported to Winchester Medical Center for treatment.
Miller was charged with reckless driving.
(From a Release by the Virginia State Police)
Local News
WCSB Approves New LFK Principal; Accepts Scholarships for Baseball, Softball Seniors
The Warren County School Board unanimously approved the appointment of a new principal who will take over at Leslie Fox Keyser (LFK) Elementary School starting this summer and accepted baseball and softball scholarships being offered by the Front Royal Cardinals for four seniors attending Warren County Public Schools (WCPS).
Board chair Kristen Pence, vice chair Antoinette Funk, and board members Andrea Lo, Thomas McFadden, Jr., and Melanie Salins, during their regular meeting on Wednesday, May 1, voted 5-0 to have Jennifer Cameron appointed as the LFK principal effective July 1.
“Ms. Cameron is an experienced educator and leader in Warren County,” said WCPS Superintendent Christopher Ballenger in recommending her appointment to the School Board.
Previously, Cameron has taught as a fourth- and fifth-grade teacher and has experience as a literacy coach who supported grade-level teachers in her school building, Ballenger said, adding that as an administrator, Cameron has served as the dean of students and as an assistant principal.
“During her years of service, Ms. Cameron was selected as the Rotary Teacher of the Year in 2008 and was the [WCPS] Elementary Teacher of the Year in 2015-2016,” he added.
As a leader, Ballenger also said that Cameron has been integral in transforming E. Wilson Morrison Elementary School and has served as the chair for the division’s Attendance Committee for the past two years.
“Ms. Cameron is a great fit for LFK, and I know that her skill set will continue to move LFK forward,” said the superintendent.
Following the board’s vote, Cameron told board members she was honored to accept the LFK principal position and said she’s excited to rejoin the Lil’ Cat family.
“Thank you for entrusting me with this opportunity to nurture young minds and to foster the continued excellence of LFK,” she said. “I look forward to working with you to continue the path to excellence at Warren County Public Schools. I’m truly humbled at this huge responsibility that you have entrusted to me, and I look forward to the coming school year and this new adventure that awaits me.”
In other action items, the School Board unanimously accepted four scholarships with gratitude from the Front Royal Cardinals and approved the donation of auditorium seating from E. Wilson Morrison (EWM) Elementary School.
Donna Settle, president of Front Royal Cardinals Baseball, a nonprofit organization that is part of the Valley Baseball League, said that as part of the group’s fundraising activities, the board will sponsor Little League for both girls and boys and will give back to the WCPS baseball and softball programs.
“This year, our board has voted to bring scholarships back to Warren County,” Settle told the board. “I know we’re a little late in the season, but we have enough money set aside for the scholarships for the 2024 student-athletes.”
There are four new $500 scholarship opportunities beginning with the Class of 2024 that are available for a Skyline baseball and softball senior who plans to continue their education and for a Warren County baseball and softball senior who plans to continue their education.
The School Board also voted 5-0 to permit two auditorium seats to be donated to Robert MacDougall, founding principal of Transform Development, a commercial landlord and developer based in the Shenandoah Valley.
Seating in the EWM auditorium, which is being renovated to provide an indoor facility for students and staff, has been removed and is set to go to auction. MacDougall offered a facility to store the auditorium seating until they could be auctioned.
With the School Board’s blessing, WCPS will now donate two seats to MacDougall, who will display them in the theater once its renovation is completed.
Regarding a request to have the Warren County Board of Supervisors (BOS) appropriate the fiscal year 2022 School Operating Fund Surplus, the School Board voted unanimously to table the item to a work session and FY2025 budget resolution.
Ballenger explained that the total fiscal year 2021-2022 school operating surplus is $973,098, and said it was being requested that the Warren County Board of Supervisors (BOS) appropriate $300,000 of the surplus to the School Transportation Fund that is held by the County and the remaining $673,098 to the School Capital Improvement Fund that is also held by the County.
The $300,000 designated for the Transportation Fund was originally included in the FY2025 Proposed School Operating Budget to purchase replacement buses and vehicle(s) but has since been removed contingent upon the funding appropriated to the Transportation Fund, he said.
Of the $673,098 requested for the County’s School Capital Improvement Fund, $40,000 was originally included in the FY2025 Proposed School Operating Budget to cover the repair/replacement of the chiller at Hilda J Barbour Elementary School and to upgrade the HVAC management systems at several schools. The remaining balance ($633,098) being requested for the Capital Improvement Fund would be requested at a future date for other capital priorities, such as the replacement of the tennis courts at the high schools.
As the budget process continues unfolding for both WCPS and the BOS, the School Board members agreed to work more on the item before taking action.
During the School Board’s community participation portion of its meeting, Leslie Mathews (above), a parent with two children attending Skyline Middle School, said that some of the School Board members are using the concerns expressed through emails by parents as “a crutch” for their own political motives. She called it a disgrace.
“I and we parents are only given three minutes a month [during School Board meetings] to get up here and express our concerns to you, or we’re told we can email you,” said Mathews. “But I no longer trust that method of emailing.”
Mathews, who last fall unsuccessfully challenged School Board incumbent Pence for the South River School Board seat, said “it’s such a disgrace for you as a public servant to go and encourage others to FOIA the concerns of parents who are not like-minded as yourself.
“So, therefore, our concerns are going public,” said Mathews, who didn’t name names. “If we want more positive in Warren County Public Schools, then we need to start at our leadership.”
Chamber News
Front Royal Welcomes CBM Team of Supreme Lending with Enthusiasm and Optimism
Front Royal, Virginia, celebrated a significant business merger that marks a promising future for local economic development. The CBM Team, a longstanding local business entity, has officially joined forces with Supreme Lending, expanding its reach and capacity to serve the community more effectively.
Nike Foster, Executive Director of the Front Royal/Warren County Chamber of Commerce, and Mayor Lori Cockrell welcomed the CBM Team to our community. The event underscored a vibrant community spirit and the potential for economic growth. Byron Biggs, Chairman of the Chamber, highlighted the merger as a symbol of positive evolution in the local business landscape. It is now poised to extend its influence beyond Virginia.
Mayor Cockrell shared personal anecdotes, reflecting on the profound local ties and the exceptional character of the individuals involved, particularly noting the entrepreneurial spirit of Cory Michael, a former student of hers and now a regional manager for Team CBM. Her words painted a picture of a community that values deep personal connections and collective growth.
The merger promises substantial benefits to Front Royal, bringing enhanced services and opportunities for home ownership that were previously out of reach for many residents. This union is a merger of two companies and a fusion of cultures and aspirations, aiming to enrich the local community while maintaining the cherished CBM brand identity.
Attendees left the event with a sense of excitement and anticipation for the future, confident in the continued prosperity and communal strength of Front Royal.
Local News
Congratulations to Warren County High School Seniors – Class of 2024
Royal Examiner presents the Warren County High School Class of 2024. Congratulations to these wonderful seniors on their hard work and deserved accomplishments! We wish you the best in your next big endeavors. Photos courtesy of Victor O’Neill Studios and Tolliver Studios, LLC.
If your Warren County senior is not listed, please send in their Name and Senior Picture to news@royalexaminer.com.