Warren County School Board Highlights Major Reductions in School Incidents, Staffing Gains

At its June 18 work session, the Warren County School Board heard a series of detailed reports highlighting positive trends in school safety, student discipline, and substitute teacher coverage across the division. The session began with a year-end update from School Resource Officer Sergeant Kristin Hajduk and continued with key data from Superintendent Dr. Chris Ballenger and Education Staffing Solutions representative Amy Chandlee.

SRO Report: Criminal Investigations Drop by Over Half

Sergeant Kristin Hajduk opened the reports segment by presenting her annual review of school safety activity, comparing the 2023–24 and 2024–25 school years. Her data revealed a dramatic 57% decrease in criminal investigations across the division. Last year, SROs handled 280 criminal cases. This year, the number dropped to 120.

Sergeant Kristin Hajduk presents the annual School Resource Officer report, noting a 57% drop in criminal investigations and an 80% reduction in court petitions across Warren County schools.

“I think that just kind of speaks for the positive relationships and the things we’ve built with our students and schools,” Hajduk told the board.

The number of juvenile court petitions also saw a sharp reduction—down by 80% compared to the previous year. Sergeant Hajduk explained that the SRO program emphasized working with school administrators and families to resolve many situations informally when appropriate, rather than sending every case through the juvenile justice system.

“We want to make sure that kids are still being held accountable,” Hajduk said, “but not necessarily pushed into court when it can be addressed through the school or family.”

Other key decreases included a 76% drop in threat-related incidents, an 80% drop in weapons-related cases, and a 48% reduction in marijuana and THC vape possession. The most significant decline was in general vape-related offenses, largely due to changes in Virginia law that removed criminal penalties for simple possession in many cases.

Hajduk also introduced two new reporting categories—pending and prosecution declined—to provide more clarity about cases still under review or not pursued by juvenile intake. Additionally, she broke down data by offense types and demographics to give the board a fuller picture of the year’s safety landscape.

Discipline Report: Middle Schools See Dramatic Improvement

Dr. Chris Ballenger, delivering the final discipline report of his tenure as superintendent, followed with a school-by-school comparison of May 2025 discipline incidents versus the same month in 2024.

Superintendent Dr. Chris Ballenger shares the May 2025 discipline report during his final school board meeting, highlighting major reductions in incidents at both middle schools.

Several elementary schools showed mixed trends. A.S. Rhodes reported seven incidents in May, up from zero the previous year. E. Wilson Morrison saw a slight decline, while Hilda J. Barbour cut its total in half—from 10 down to five. Leslie Fox Keyes Elementary experienced an increase from 12 to 18 incidents, and Ressie Jeffries reported a modest uptick as well.

“Unwanted or inappropriate physical contact was one of the main areas where we saw an increase,” Ballenger noted, especially at the elementary level.

But it was the middle schools that showed the most dramatic turnaround. Skyline Middle School dropped from 55 incidents in May 2024 to just 11 in May 2025. Warren County Middle School followed a similar path, reducing its total from 52 to 9.

“I really want to thank our middle school administration and staff,” Ballenger said. “That’s a huge reduction, and it reflects the consistent work they’re doing with students.”

At the high school level, results were more varied. Skyline High School saw an increase of 23 incidents compared to last year, while Warren County High School recorded a decrease from 38 to 17. Non-traditional programs, such as the Diversified Minds initiative, reported only two incidents for the month.

ESS Report: Fill Rates Improve, Staff Morale on the Rise

The evening’s final report came from Amy Chandlee, representing Education Staffing Solutions (ESS), the contractor responsible for substitute teacher staffing in Warren County Public Schools. Chandlee, who has worked closely with administrators this year, shared promising statistics and updates on community engagement.

Amy Chandlee of ESS reports a 99% effective substitute fill rate in May, earning praise from board members for improved staffing and strong community engagement.

May’s base fill rate reached 80%, and when in-building permanent substitutes were factored in, the district achieved an actual fill rate of over 99%. That marks the third consecutive month with at least 80% coverage—up from 75% for the 2023–24 school year overall.

Chandlee said more than 7,100 substitute jobs were filled this school year, and ESS hired 75 new staff members since last August. Another 20 to 25 are already in the hiring pipeline for next year.

“We’ve had new hires jump right in—they’re eager, they’re excited, and that enthusiasm is showing in the buildings,” she said.

Feedback from building administrators and office staff was overwhelmingly positive. A recent internal survey showed that 89.4% of respondents rated ESS’s performance as “good” or “excellent.” Classroom management was highlighted as a top area for additional training, which Chandlee said would be offered through summer enrichment programs.

Board members praised Chandlee for her leadership and the noticeable improvement in substitute support this year. School Board member Melanie Salins, who had previously voiced concerns about ESS service, publicly commended her: “You really have turned this around,” they said.

Chandlee expressed appreciation for the support and noted her personal investment in the work.

“I have three kids in the school system,” she said. “If I can support in any way, I’m happy to.”

Photos and Video by Mark Williams, Royal Examiner.