District wins Virtual Virginia allotments and computer-science grants; announces summer programs and student trips

District staff told the board the district was awarded Virtual Virginia summer allotments and several computer-science and summer-program grants, and outlined summer-school schedules and travel requests for seniors and student organizations.

Miss Moe (grant coordinator, as identified in the record) said the district was awarded 283 Virtual Virginia allotments, equivalent to $106,125 of enrollment funding, to allow Southampton County students to attend Virtual Virginia courses for credit in summer 2025. Miss Moe said the district chose session dates aligned to the school calendar (June 17–July 25) and will limit students to one Virtual Virginia summer course. She said students typically spend four to five hours daily on synchronous instruction for each virtual course and that staff will collect teacher recommendations and family interest forms for advancement and credit recovery enrollments. Enrollment windows and support timelines were described: parent contacts May 28–30, local enrollments beginning June 7 and open through June 18 with classes starting June 17.

Miss Moe also described participation in the Advancing Computer Science Education (ACSI) grant. The district will offer two STEM camps through Longwood’s Institute for Teaching through Technology Innovative Practices (ITCA): one for rising grades 4–5 centered on Lego Spike robotics and one for rising grades 6–7. Staff said the camps are division-only (out-of-division students will not be permitted).

Miss Moe said the district received a $20,000 AP Computer Science expansion microgrant intended to increase access to AP Computer Science, establish sustainable in-house courses and support teacher training and student participation. The microgrant’s measurable outcomes, as read in the presentation, include section sizes between 10 and 21 students, at least 80 percent retention and high exam participation.

On summer-school scheduling, Miss Gracia Doyle (curriculum specialist) explained elementary hours (9 a.m.–1:30 p.m.) and secondary hours (8 a.m.–12:30 p.m.) and said staff will start remediation and expedited retakes following testing completion. Miss Gracia Doyle also presented two student travel requests: a senior class trip to Williamsburg and Busch Gardens for June 6–7 with an estimated cost of about $207 per student (staff noted fundraising to offset costs), and a Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) request for 14 students to attend the national conference in California June 29–July (dates read in packet). Staff said adequate chaperones were identified and students planned fundraising to offset travel costs.

The grants and program updates were presented as informational items; the transcript records no formal board votes to accept grants during the meeting.