Warren County School Board approves policies, facility contract and other routine items; requests waiver of instructional hours

The Warren County School Board on April 2 approved a set of policy updates, accepted two new scholarship funds, approved a contract to refinish two high‑school gym floors and voted to request a waiver from the Virginia Board of Education to exempt 12 instructional hours lost to a January declared state of emergency.

Board members approved the third reading of multiple policies, accepted donated surplus bleachers, authorized contracting work to refinish main gym floors at Skyline High School and Warren County High School, and accepted two new scholarship funds for the class of 2025. The board also approved a waiver request under the Virginia Code that asks the state to waive 12 instructional hours the division could not make up after a state of emergency.

Most motions were approved by voice vote with the board responding “aye.” No roll-call tallies were specified in the meeting minutes.

Key outcomes

- Gym‑floor contract: The board approved a contract with ProSource Incorporated of Virginia to sand, seal, repaint game lines and artwork, and finish the main gym floors at Skyline High School and Warren County High School. The board selected the water‑based finish; the quoted price for the water‑based option was $46,600 per school. The work will be scheduled to take place during summer periods and will be done over two budget years, one gym per year.

- Policies: The board approved the third reading and adoption of the following policies: JOB (administration of surveys and questionnaires), JFHA (privacy, dignity and respect for all students), EEAB (school bus scheduling and routing), EI (insurance management), ECAB (vandalism), FE (playground equipment), FEA (educational facility specifications), CN (flag decor and displays). The policies had earlier gone through first and second readings and were presented by Dr. Costner.

- Donations and scholarships: The board approved donating surplus bleachers from Fifteenth Street School to the Warren County Fair. The board accepted two new scholarships for the class of 2025: the Betty Jo Coverstone Marquis Scholarship (one‑time award, minimum $800) and the Guna Subedi and Judith Frederiksen benefactors' scholarship fund (two $500 scholarships, one at each high school).

- Waiver request: Under Virginia Code 22.1‑19‑98 the board authorized submission of a waiver request to the Virginia Board of Education seeking to waive 12 instructional hours lost during a declared state of emergency on Jan. 25. The division superintendent certified that the division had exhausted reasonable efforts to reschedule lost days as required by the statute. With the waiver, the division will report 978 instructional hours at each school for the year.

- Administrative: The board moved its May 21 meeting to Wednesday, May 28, 2025, at 6 p.m. in the Diversified Minds meeting room due to quorum conflicts.

Why it matters: The gym‑floor contract and policy adoptions affect facility readiness and daily operations for students and staff; the waiver affects the division’s official instructional hours and school calendar deadlines.

Votes at a glance (selected motions approved by voice vote)

- Change May meeting date to 05/28/2025 at 6 p.m. — motion moved and approved. - Adopt policies (JOB; JFHA; EEAB; EI; ECAB; FE; FEA; CN) — motion moved and approved. - Donate surplus bleachers (Fifteenth Street School → Warren County Fair) — motion moved and approved. - Approve ProSource contract to refinish main gym floors at Skyline High School and Warren County High School (water‑based finish, $46,600 per school) — motion moved and approved. - Accept Betty Jo Coverstone Marquis Scholarship (one‑time, minimum $800) and Guna Subedi & Judith Frederiksen scholarships (two $500 awards) — motion moved and approved. - Approve school division waiver request (12 hours) under Va. Code 22.1‑19‑98 — motion moved and approved. - Approve the 04/02/2025 personnel report and addendum — motion moved and approved.

No motions failed or were tabled at the meeting.