Warren County Public Schools to submit pandemic-relief grant application

Warren County Public Schools (WCPS) on Wednesday received approval to submit a $786,820 grant application to the Virginia Department of Education for emergency pandemic relief funds.
The Warren County School Board unanimously approved the district’s grant application, which must be submitted to the state by August 1. WCPS seeks a portion of federal funding allotted to states under the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund, which is authorized under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

RoyalExaminer file photo. WCSB: Interim Superintendent Melody Sheppard; South River District School Board Member Kristen Pence; Happy Creek District School Board Member James Wells; Chairman Arnold Williams Jr., representing North River District; Vice Chairman Catherine Bower, representing Fork District; Shenandoah District School Board Member Ralph Rinaldi; and Robert Ballentine, School Board clerk and WCPS director of finance.

“Funds to local districts can be used for coronavirus-response activities, such as planning for and coordinating during long-term school closures and purchasing educational technology to support online learning for all students,” said WCPS Director of Elementary Instruction Lisa Rudacille during the School Board’s regular meeting held June 3.

Rudacille gave School Board members a breakdown of how the total amount of grant funds would be used.

First, the largest cut of the funds ($366,941) would be used to buy supplies to accompany the contracted Social Emotional Learning (SEL) training and contracted services. This portion also would be used to buy Chromebooks and licenses for elementary students and materials and snacks for the after-school and summer programs.

Regarding the purchase of new and/or replacement technology, Rudacille said WCPS was “able to provide grades 6-12 with devices to take home [during the pandemic] and many of the elementary students also used some at home. We anticipate that many of them won’t be returned in tip-top shape,” she said.

A total of $273,068 would fund the salaries and benefits for teachers and paraprofessionals who would provide extended learning after school and during the summer this year and in 2021, while another $111,810 would be used for the contracted SEL services, which would support teachers and students as they return to school.

These services would include professional development for teachers on best practices in K-12 online learning, among others, as well as professional development for all staff on sanitation practices.

A portion also would be used for Power School Enrollment to allow parents to register kindergarten and new students online, and for the i-Ready math assessment in grades 6-8 to determine student learning gaps.

“We’re not going to know exactly what students will need when they return,” Rudacille said. “Kindergarten through 5 has assessments that we’ll continue to use, and we have Performance Matters, another system we will use to identify students’ needs.”

Grant funds of $35,000 would cover transportation for after-school and summer programs.

The motion to accept the grant application’s submission to the state education department was made by School Board Vice Chairwoman Catherine Bower, with a second by School Board Member James Wells. The motion carried with yeas from Board Chairman Arnold Williams Jr., and board members Bower, Wells, Ralph Rinaldi, and Kristen Pence.

In other action on Wednesday night, the Warren County School Board unanimously approved a 12-month Custodial Service Management Agreement with Sodexo Operation LLC totaling more than $2.05 million for fiscal year (FY) 2020-2021.

File photo: WCPS Interim Superintendent Melody Sheppard

WCPS Interim Superintendent Melody Sheppard told the School Board that eight proposals were received on May 13 in response to the custodial services company bid. The district’s Custodial Service Management Company (CSMC) selection committee — which is comprised of two School Board members, two principals, the WCPS director of facilities, and the interim superintendent — then selected two companies to present their proposal based on qualifications, the experience of the firm, project plan, client references, and pricing. The CSMC selection committee then chose Sodexo.

The negotiated agreement would be paid in 12 monthly installments and Sodexo will employ the current custodians, paying them their current wages. Sodexo also agreed to provide health insurance and a retirement plan for the employees, said Sheppard.

The Warren County School Board also unanimously approved a $48,269.74 contract award to OpenRDA for support of the WCPS finance software system for FY 2020-2021.

WCPS Finance Director Robert Ballentine told the School Board members that the school system has used financial accounting software from RDA (now known as OpenRDA) since the early 1990s. While RDA is considered an open-source software provider—which means they provide the software at no cost—it is necessary for users to contract with them to provide updates, support, and training on the system said Ballentine, who noted: “there is rarely a week when we do not have to contact them and usually it is multiple times.”

While a 4 percent renewal price increase was originally proposed, OpenRDA agreed to a zero-percent increase for next year’s pricing, Ballentine said.

The School Board also unanimously voted to accept with gratitude a $1,344 donation to WCPS from Martin’s to help sustain the food service program and continue to provide school meals for the children of Warren County.

The School Board meets again on June 17 for a regular meeting and work session. To view last night’s meeting in its entirety, watch the video below courtesy of WCSB. There are some audio issues in the first part of the video. The Royal Examiner attempted to enhance the audio as technology would allow.