Isle of Wight public hearing spotlights teacher pay, special‑education staffing and bus safety

Isle of Wight County residents pressed the School Board on March 6, 2025, during a FY25 budget public hearing at Westside Elementary School, calling for maintained or expanded funding for behavioral support staff, higher pay for teachers and instructional assistants, improvements to school transportation, and a permanent special‑education classroom in Carrsville.

The speakers framed their appeals around student safety, staff retention and equitable access to services. Kawasi Wimbush, a registered behavior technician, told the board, “Behavior program is not a luxury. It is an essential foundation for student success,” and said that in 39 days she worked with 93 students — 56 in special education and 37 in general education across 24 classrooms — conducting functional behavior assessments and supporting de‑escalation and crisis response.

Tiffany Parker, an executive board member of the Hardy Elementary PTA and a parent, described recent transportation failures that she said put children at risk: “A few months ago, my 5 year old daughter, a kindergartner, was placed on the wrong bus,” she said, and noted a bus breakdown that left students stranded and parents not promptly informed. Parker urged the board to…