Board approves new CTE courses, athletic trainer position and middle school baseball/softball for 2025–26

The Pittsylvania County School Board approved a package of course additions and staffing for 2025–26, including new career-technical education (CTE) courses and expanded middle school athletics.

The board approved new courses listed in the meeting as: Digital Technology Foundations; Sports Medicine / Athletic Training 1; Sports Medicine / Athletic Training 2; and an Architecture and Construction / Skills Trades course. During discussion board members noted those CTE offerings will be available at the Piedmont Career and Technical Center (PCTC). A board member described the trades course as an updated version of a former carpentry class that will incorporate plumbing, electrical and residential construction skills.

Separately, the board approved creating a new athletic trainer teacher position for the remainder of this school year and the next, and approved beginning middle school baseball and softball for 2025–26. Motions for the new courses, the athletic trainer position and the middle school sports additions were each moved, seconded and approved by roll-call vote with all named members recorded as voting yes (Mr. Fitzgerald; Mr. Henderson; Miss Merrick; Mr. Mills; Mr. Moon; Mr. Shields; and Mr. Dodds).

The transcript does not record detailed course curricula, staffing cost estimates or implementation timelines beyond the board’s approval; those items will require administrative follow-up.