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Board orders itemized fee inventory; discusses adding nurse, counselor, art funding and consumables coverage
Summary
Board members discussed adding an extra counselor and an additional licensed practical nurse (LPN) to the draft budget, a proposal to increase elementary art funding per pupil, and the superintendent's recommendation to itemize student fees and consider using reserve funds for one-time coverage.
The Accomack County School Board directed staff to prepare an itemized inventory of student fees and cost estimates and discussed several proposed additions to the draft budget, including a request for an extra nurse, an additional counselor, and increased elementary art funding.
Why it matters: The board's direction aims to clarify what families pay for (activity fees, consumables such as art and CTE supplies, and other charges) so the board can consider one-time funding from reserve carryover and potentially bake recurring costs into next year's operating budget.
Key details from the discussion
- Staffing: A board member asked that an extra nurse be added to the budget; staff explained the division already has a floater nurse, two LPNs who support clinics and may cover multiple schools, and in some elementary schools there are already two nurses for high-need buildings. A board member asked if the budget could add a third LPN at certain clinics; staff requested clarification and said the director believed floaters could cover multiple schools (transcript s=585.1–715.385).
- Counselor: Board members asked to ensure an additional school counselor was included in the budget in response to a request from a staff member; staff confirmed an extra counselor for Alt Ed/Virtual Virginia was already in the draft (s=528.76495–580.155).
- Art funds and activity/consumable fees: A board member proposed increasing elementary art funding from $1.38 per student to $3.00 per student and suggested the board pay school fees (art, music, class fees, culinary, etc.). Staff said they did not have complete historical data for middle and high school art/music/CTE fees but provided quick estimates for two items: eliminating the $200 behind-the-wheel fee for driver's education at a grade level with about 400 students would cost roughly $80,000; eliminating high-school classroom fees estimated at about $40,000. Staff said they would quantify additional fees before the next meeting (s=716.965–814.32).
- Chromebooks and band instruments: Board members and a student representative raised concerns about damaged or lost Chromebooks and limited Chromebook-to-student ratios in libraries and classrooms; staff noted technology and principals report a recurrent problem. Band instruments and consumables (reeds, replacement instruments) were noted as additional fee categories to analyze (s=1531.94–1735.1449).
- One-time purchase approach: Staff and a board member recommended using reserve (carryover) funds to pay one-time purchases after the board approves a verified list of needs; then consider adding recurring costs in next year's budget to avoid rushing decisions without full data (s=1477.91–1529.96; s=1507.36–1529.96).
Action taken
The board adopted the superintendent's recommendation to compile an itemized list of all student fees, assess which are activity funds versus consumables, and produce cost estimates; it also authorized consideration of using reserve funds for one-time coverage and to return with recommendations for next year's budget (motion passed by voice vote, s=1752.63–1778.82).
Ending: Staff will return to the board with a detailed fee inventory and cost estimates before the next county supervisors meeting so the board can decide which items to cover from reserves and which should be included permanently in future budgets.
