Warren County Welcomes Nearly 50 New Teachers, Looks Ahead to New School Year

With nearly 50 new teachers preparing for their first day in Warren County classrooms, school leaders say the division is entering the new school year with strong momentum, fewer vacancies, expanded teacher support programs, and a renewed focus on long-term planning.

The annual New Teacher Welcome Luncheon, held at Warren County Middle School, brought together new educators, administrators, School Board members, community leaders, and local sponsors to introduce the newest members of the school division and celebrate the beginning of the school year.

Warren County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Troy Wright welcomes new educators during the division’s annual New Teacher Welcome Luncheon at Warren County Middle School, where nearly 50 teachers gathered ahead of the start of the 2026-27 school year.

Superintendent Dr. Troy Wright said the event is about making new teachers feel like they are already part of the Warren County community.

“This is our new teacher event,” Wright said. “We bring all of our new teachers here, and we have wonderful vendors and sponsors putting on the luncheon. We’re excited to get them here, give away some prizes, feed them, and just have a nice time socializing with them.”

He said creating a welcoming atmosphere is an important part of recruiting and retaining teachers.

“I think they’re already starting to feel the love,” Wright said.

Teacher vacancies continue to decline

Warren County Public Schools has made significant progress in staffing classrooms ahead of the new school year. Wright said the division now has only about 10 teaching vacancies spread across its 11 schools, with many schools already fully staffed.

Those remaining positions, several of which are in special education, are expected to be covered by long-term substitutes until additional teachers graduate later this year.

“We’re doing really well,” Wright said.

Assistant Superintendent for Instruction Heather Bragg said the reduction in vacancies reflects years of work recruiting educators and supporting them once they arrive.

“I think we have a strong foundational program for our new teachers,” Bragg said. “Hope Petty and the Instructional Resource Team have developed an amazing program to help new teachers learn how we do things in Warren County and continue supporting them throughout the year.”

Bragg said the division continues to recruit teachers from across the country while also investing in local talent.

One of the division’s most successful efforts has been its “Grow Your Own” initiative, which partners with James Madison University, Laurel Ridge Community College, iTeach, and other institutions to help instructional assistants and local students earn teaching licenses while remaining in Warren County.

“We have several of our new teachers who have been part of that program,” Bragg said.

Community welcomes new educators

Front Royal Mayor Lori Cockrell, who recently retired after a career in education, attended the luncheon to welcome the new teachers.

“I’m born and raised here,” Cockrell said. “I graduated from Warren County High School, and I came back to make a difference in my own community. I’m just so grateful they chose us.”

Heather Bragg (left), Warren County Public Schools Assistant Superintendent for Instruction, Front Royal Mayor Lori Cockrell (center), and Warren County School Board member Tom McFadden speak during the division’s annual New Teacher Welcome Luncheon at Warren County Middle School.

Cockrell said today’s teachers benefit from mentoring and instructional support that did not exist when she began teaching in 1990.

“They have support all year long,” she said. “I actually think it even goes beyond the first year.”

School Board member Tom McFadden, himself a former educator, encouraged new teachers to establish expectations early in the school year.

“Don’t smile until Thanksgiving,” he joked, drawing laughter from those attending.

McFadden also encouraged residents to consider becoming substitute teachers, noting that the school division’s substitute program offers flexible scheduling.

Bragg said Warren County has approximately 120 substitute teachers after recently bringing the program in-house.

“They’re a big part of who we are and help our students,” she said.

New teachers eager to begin

Among those attending the luncheon were Morgan Baker, who recently moved from Maryland, and Front Royal native Mason Gray, both of whom will teach special education at A.S. Rhodes Elementary School.

Mason Gray (left) and Morgan Baker, two of Warren County Public Schools’ newest special education teachers at A.S. Rhodes Elementary School, attend the division’s New Teacher Welcome Luncheon at Warren County Middle School as they prepare for the start of the 2026-27 school year.

Morgan previously worked as an individual counselor and said her earlier experiences with Warren County Public Schools made accepting a teaching position an easy decision.

“I had previously worked with Warren County, and it’s always just been a great experience and a great community,” she said.

Mason is returning home after graduating from Warren County High School and working as a community-based counselor with Connected Communities.

“I’m from Front Royal, Virginia, born and raised here,” Mason said. “I love working with kids, and I’m just excited to be here.”

Both acknowledged that special education requires patience and dedication, but said they look forward to building relationships with their students.

Asked for advice on the first day of school, Morgan laughed and said she planned to “go in and hope for the best.”

Looking toward the future

While preparing for the upcoming school year, Warren County Public Schools is also beginning a new phase of its strategic planning process.

During the division’s Aug. 7 Convocation, faculty and staff will gather before community stakeholders join district leaders for discussions about the school system’s long-term mission, vision, and goals.

“We’re asking our community to give us feedback on how they can help us and support us in getting to that next level,” Wright said.

He noted that community involvement has long been one of Warren County’s greatest strengths.

“We have a wonderful community in supporting us,” he said.

Wright also addressed changes to Virginia’s Standards of Learning requirements, saying the division will continue moving forward regardless of adjustments at the state level.

“We recognize the delay,” he said. “We have a plan moving forward.”

Investing in schools

Along with academic priorities, maintaining school facilities remains a major focus.

Wright said roof replacements are underway at Hilda J. Barbour Elementary School and an auxiliary building at Skyline Middle School. The division is also replacing a failed chiller that unexpectedly stopped working just before the end of the last school year, after the School Board and Board of Supervisors advanced funding for the project.

Although the division did not receive all of the flexible Capital Improvement Plan funding it had hoped for from the state, Wright said Warren County did receive approximately $900,000 in additional funding targeted toward high-risk and special-needs students.

Looking ahead, he said the division faces years of infrastructure work, including additional roof replacements, HVAC systems, boilers, and other major capital projects.

“When people move here or are thinking about moving here, schools are one of the first things they look at,” Wright said. “Schools and safety are two big things folks consider.”

As the school year approaches, district leaders say they remain focused on providing students with qualified teachers, supporting educators throughout their careers, and ensuring schools remain places where both staff and students can succeed.