Superintendent reports Camp Elevate served thousands; WHRO presents impact and facilities staff brief work ahead of fall
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Summary
Staff reported that Camp Elevate and related summer programs served more than 5,000 students, with strong pass and recovery rates; facilities staff outlined summer construction and upgrades, and WHRO presented an annual impact report noting an $87,000 NNPS investment produced $814,000 in reported benefits.
District leaders reported on summer learning, facilities work and community media partnerships at the Aug. 19 Newport News School Board meeting as the division prepared for school to reopen Aug. 25.
Dr. Kip Rogers summarized Camp Elevate and other summer offerings, reporting more than 5,000 students participated across programs and that 4,044 students attended Camp Elevate at seven sites. Rogers highlighted partner organizations—including NASA, the Virginia Air and Space Center, and the Mariners Museum—and listed program-specific enrollments (for example, a STEAM camp serving 638 students at Hines Middle School). He said Camp Elevate’s high-school remediation work produced reported pass rates of about 96% in math, 95% in English and roughly 98–99% in science and social studies as stated to the board; Rogers also noted a summer graduation in which 43 students participated and that a total of 51 students completed requirements for diplomas.
Facilities/plant-services staff presented images and status updates on capital projects and summer maintenance: safe secure entrance installations, HVAC replacements at multiple schools, restroom renovations, boiler and mechanical upgrades, paving and parking-lot work, and ongoing feasibility work for high school renovations. Facilities staff acknowledged supply-chain constraints (long lead times on electrical panels) and noted staffing snapshots for trades, custodial services and FMLA-related absences.
Bert Schmidt, president and CEO of WHRO, presented the station’s annual impact report and described WHRO’s relationship with the district. Citing the executive summary, Schmidt said Newport News Public Schools invested $87,000 in WHRO last school year and received direct and indirect benefits the report valued at $814,000—equivalent in the report to a $9.30 return per dollar invested.
Superintendent Dr. Mitchell closed by congratulating summer graduates, noting nearly 300 new teachers attended orientation, and reminding the public that schools open on Aug. 25 and are closed Aug. 29 per Virginia code. The board then moved on to final matters and adjourned.
The presentations provided operational data for the coming school year and documented multiple partnerships and capital projects completed or in progress.