Patrick County schools outline security upgrades and approve 2025–26 high school program of studies

Superintendent Wood told the Patrick County School Board on Jan. 9 that the division has secured carryover funds from prior school security grants to expand several safety measures, and the board approved changes to Patrick County High School’s program of studies for the 2025–26 school year.

The superintendent’s report said the division had obtained additional carryover grant money that will fund a mobile panic badge system, additional reflective window film and pass-through metal detectors, plus bids for security cameras. “This system is unique in that it knows your location, and then it notifies 911 for you,” Superintendent Wood said, describing how the new panic badge integrates with the division’s mapping and 911 notification procedures. He said the reflective window film purchase must be completed by June and that other grant-backed camera work must be finished by June 30.

Board members then considered the high school program of studies, which the board approved as presented. The program document adds a new core class available to juniors and seniors during “Cougar Pride” time and revises some career and technical course prerequisites. Board materials and presenters described ongoing talks with Patrick Henry Community College about a fast-track partnership that would let students earn college credits and short-term workforce certificates such as heavy‑equipment operation, welding, lineman training, and health-care courses including medical assistant and phlebotomy.

The superintendent also shared recent Standards of Learning (SOL) pass rates for the high school. He reported a 97% pass rate in math, 96% in reading, about 80% in English, 93% in writing and 89% in science. (Transcript contained an impossible figure for English that has been corrected to 80% based on context; the transcript did not supply an explicit source document for the scores.)

Board members asked a few operational questions about safety on buses; Superintendent Wood said the division’s new GPS system and digital radios provide repeated location updates and a final known location in the event of an incident. The board voted to approve the high school program of studies for 2025–26 by voice vote; the motion carried.

The board’s action allows course registration to proceed for the 2025–26 school year and preserves the division’s efforts to expand career-technical pathways in cooperation with a community college partner.