School Board gets its ducks in a row for 2023

The Warren County School Board on January 4 began its 2023 session. (Left to right) WCPS Superintendent Christopher Ballenger and School Board members Andrea Lo, Antoinette Funk, Melanie Salins, Ralph Rinaldi, and Melanie Salins.

The Warren County School Board, during its organizational meeting on Wednesday, January 4, re-elected leadership, made committee appointments and named several Warren County Public Schools (WCPS) staff to positions that will support the board this year.

School Board members Kristen Pence and Ralph Rinaldi will again serve as chair and vice chair, respectively, of the board for 2023.

Following a motion by Rinaldi and a second by board member Melanie Salins, the board voted 4-0 to re-elect Pence to lead them, with members Antoinette Funk, Andrea Lo, Rinaldi, and Salins voting yea. Rinaldi was re-elected following a motion by Salins, a second by Funk, and another unanimous round of yes votes from Funk, Lo, Pence, and Salins.

“I’m looking forward to working with all of us again,” Rinaldi said during his report, adding that he hopes to get the school division’s budget “squared away” this year. “Wish us all a lot of luck on that one,” he said.

Regarding committee duties, Funk and Lo again were appointed as the 2023 Warren County School Board representatives on the Budget Committee; Rinaldi and Salins were appointed as the 2023 board representatives on the Building Committee; and Pence again will represent the School Board on the Mountain Vista Governor’s School Board for the calendar year 2023. All committee assignments received unanimous approval.

Additionally, three WCPS staff were recommended by WCPS Superintendent Christopher Ballenger and then unanimously appointed by board members to support the School Board this year.

They are WCPS Technology Director Tim Grant, who will serve as Clerk of the Warren County School Board; WCPS Instructional Technology Coordinator Douglas Stefnoski, who has been appointed as Deputy Clerk of the School Board; and WCPS Assistant Superintendent for Instruction George “Buck” Smith, who serves as the designee of the superintendent to attend meetings of the School Board in the absence or inability of the superintendent to attend. Their terms expire on December 31.

In unanimously accepting the consent agenda, the School Board voted to authorize that an advertisement is posted announcing a public hearing on the fiscal year 2024 budget at the board’s February 1 meeting with the understanding that if this meeting must be canceled, then the public hearing will be held on Wednesday, February 15, 2023, at 6 p.m. in the Meeting Room at 465 West 15th Street in Front Royal, VA.

During the community participation segment of the board’s regular meeting, Ressie Jeffries Elementary School Principal Nina Helmick (above at podium) accepted the December 2022 Attendance Award from Ballenger. She brought along several students who had exemplary attendance, as well as Assistant Principal Megan Bradley and School Counselor Kristin Frankel, to accept the award.

Warren County Middle School also received an attendance award last month, while E. Wilson Morrison Elementary School received a Most Improved Attendance Award for December 2022.
“School attendance is essential to academic success,” Ballenger told the board. “Research shows that missing as little as two days every month, or 10 percent of the school year, can have a negative impact on students.”

The School Board, during each regularly scheduled monthly meeting this year, will continue to recognize schools that have the highest attendance rates at the elementary and secondary levels, and an attendance flag will be displayed at the selected schools each month in observance of their achievement.

Also, during the community participation segment, Warren County Middle School Principal Amy Gubler recognized science teacher Cynthia Rutherford for saving the life of a student who was choking during breakfast on December 2, 2022. Rutherford performed the abdominal thrust to clear the child’s throat. The student was later examined and found to be fine by the school nurse.

“As you can imagine, this entire episode was extremely scary for everyone involved,” Gubler told the School Board. “Thanks to Mrs. Rutherford’s quick actions, the student safely went on with his day.”

Principal Gubler said she shared the story for two reasons: to thank Rutherford and to remind all staff that each is vitally important in students’ lives. “Please don’t ever forget how important the work is that you do every day,” Gubler said.

Action Agenda
The School Board voted on several items during its Wednesday meeting, including unanimously adopting the board’s 2023 meeting calendar, which posts regular meetings for the first Wednesday of each month beginning at 6:30 p.m. rather than at 7 p.m. Work sessions will be held on the third Wednesday of each month, beginning at 5:30 p.m.

Among other actions, the board also unanimously approved: the fiscal year 2024 budget calendar, a resolution authorizing that bills are paid in emergency situations and during months with only one School Board meeting; another resolution authorizing the superintendent to issue contracts; and a $94,320 contract award to Document Solutions Inc. for the lease of the copiers at Warren County High School.

Another unanimous decision by the board authorizes WCPS to accept the School Improvement Grant in the amount of $150,000 to pay for services detailed in the American Institutes for Research proposal to support Skyline Middle School with improving the academic outcomes for students with disabilities. The superintendent is also authorized to request an additional appropriation of $150,000 from the Warren County Board of Supervisors.

The School Board’s next meeting is on Wednesday, January 18, at 5:30 p.m. for a work session.

Click here to view the board’s January 4 meeting in its entirety.