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Washington County board recognizes Meadowview teachers, CTE students and theater camp
Summary
At its regular meeting, the Washington County Public Schools board recognized Meadowview Elementary third-grade teachers for large SOL gains, honored high-school career and technical education students and staff who built athletic lockers, and heard presentations from a summer theater camp that serves hundreds of local students.
Superintendent Dr. Perrigan opened the board’s recognition segment by highlighting academic gains and community partnerships, saying the district is promoting a theme this year to “be a bean” and change the environment in which students learn.
The board recognized third-grade teachers at Meadowview Elementary School after the division reported gains on state Standards of Learning (SOL) tests: third-grade reading increased from 70% in 2022 to 82% in the most recent results, and third-grade math rose from 68% in 2022 to 84% in the most recent results. “If you’re reading on grade level by grade 3, your chances to graduate high school increase,” Dr. Perrigan said, tying the scores to long-term student outcomes.
The board also honored teachers and students in the division’s career and technical education (CTE) programs who built and finished athletic lockers used at several high schools. Mr. Greer, the building-trades instructor, and Mr. Burris, who teaches collision repair, led students who fabricated and finished the lockers; maintenance staff handled installation. The project reduced divisional costs on locker replacements, which a speaker estimated could cost “upwards of $200,000, maybe even $300,000 for lockers” for a single high school. Dr. Perrigan said the in-house project “saved our division hundreds of thousands of dollars.”
Board members then heard from the annual theater camp, which Superintendent Dr. Perrigan and board members said serves a broad age range and provides instruction in performance, scenic design, lighting and stage management. Kathleen Batoff, director of theater camp, described the program as skill-based and told the board it expanded to nearly 100 participants this summer and could grow to additional weeks. Dr. Kelly Bremner, one of the camp coordinators affiliated with Emory and Henry University, said the university provides facilities and some college-preparation activities, including resume work and practice with college-application essays.
Several campers and counselors, including Angel Pennington and students from multiple schools, spoke to the board about how the camp built confidence and offered hands-on opportunities in the arts. Mayor Dwayne Anderson of Abingdon offered public remarks thanking organizers and noting the camp’s community value.
Board members and staff emphasized that the camp’s ongoing funding was included in this year’s budget after prior years’ initial support came from federal ESSER funds. “We made it a priority to bake it into the budget so that it’s protected,” a board speaker said.
The recognitions segment concluded with photos and round of applause for the teachers, students and volunteers involved.
Ending
Board members said the recognitions illustrate several of the district’s goals: improving early-reading outcomes, expanding career-technical experiences that reduce capital expenditures, and sustaining extracurricular arts opportunities that serve many students over the summer. The board did not take any formal action during the recognition segment; it was informational and celebratory.
