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Smyth County School Board approves payroll, multiple personnel actions and program items
Summary
At its Oct. 13 meeting in Saltville, the Smyth County School Board approved consent agenda items including $4.52 million in payroll and major invoices, accepted several personnel resignations and hires after closed session, approved policy revisions and committee appointments, and heard routine finance, enrollment and Farm to School reports.
The Smyth County School Board on Oct. 13 approved a package of routine business including payroll and expense payments, multiple personnel changes following closed session, and several committee and program approvals.
Vice-Chairman Paul Grinstead called the meeting to order at Rich Valley Elementary School. After a closed session held under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act for personnel and student-record matters, the board certified compliance with § 2.2-3712(D) by roll call (Ayes 5, Nays 0). Joe Johnson arrived at the conclusion of closed session.
Julie Bear, Director of Finance, reviewed September revenue, expenditures and cash flow data. The consent agenda, approved 6-0 on a motion by Ben Adams and seconded by Lynn White, included September payroll of $4,516,032.91; payments from the County School Debt and Capital Outlay Fund totaling $251,400.00; School Operating Fund invoices of $1,185,903.64; utilities and athletic officials for $150,548.82; and Textbook Fund disbursements of $11,454.47, along with routine financial reports and field trip and fundraiser requests.
"We reviewed the September revenue and expenditure reports as part of routine oversight," Julie Bear said, summarizing the finance briefing.
Dr. Brad Haga, superintendent, provided a Sept. 30 enrollment update, described possible improvements to the Chilhowie Elementary parent pickup loop and noted ongoing Farm to School activities reported by Phillip Griffin, Director of Auxiliary Services.
The board recognized school attendance and staff with several awards: attendance awards for Rich Valley Elementary, Chilhowie Middle and Chilhowie High; the Silver Apron Award to Christina Cruey, Food Service Manager at Oak Point Elementary; the Extra Mile Award to bus driver Jerry Widener; the My School Shines Award to Marion Elementary and custodians Dustin Cannon, Terry Ratliff and Billie Thompson; and the Mover of Mountains Award to Amy Prater, a teacher at Northwood Middle School.
On the action docket, the board took unanimous votes (6-0) to approve first-reading policy revisions to IGAH (Family Life Education) and JHCD (Administering Medicines to Students); approve a 2027 student study-abroad trip to Germany, France and Spain; adopt the Carnegie School Surplus Resolution; add Early Childhood Special Education teacher positions at Oak Point and Saltville elementary schools; and approve the 2025–2026 Parent Advisory Committee (Title I), the Special Education Advisory Council and the Gifted Advisory Committee.
Following closed session, the board approved multiple personnel resignations (5-0) including Alisha Bullington (Instructional Aide, Oak Point Elementary), Kaitlin Carver (Teacher, Marion Elementary), Kaitlin Powers (Teacher, Marion Middle School) and Melissa Robbins (Instructional Aide, Oak Point Elementary). The board also approved hires recommended by the superintendent (5-0), including Dawn Adams and Michelle Billings as part-time bus aides for Oak Point Elementary, Terry Hawthorne as a part-time teacher for the division, Jesse Morris as Director of Maintenance, and Bryanna Winters as an instructional aide for Atkins Elementary.
Extracurricular resignations and hires across the division were approved (5-0). Resignations included Ben Barnett (Academic/SCA, Chilhowie High), Makenzie Sabo (Girls Basketball Coach, Chilhowie Middle) and Kevin Terry (Head Baseball Coach, Marion Senior High). Approved hires included Amber Atkins (Academic/SCA, Marion Middle), Wayne Barker (assistant baseball coach, Northwood High), Nathan Barton (assistant basketball coach, Chilhowie Middle), Emily Bralley (athletic trainer, Northwood High), Jonathan Canales (assistant wrestling coach, Chilhowie High), Canaan Davidson (head baseball coach, Northwood High), and others.
The board approved S. Bryan Kestner as a Critical Shortage Teacher and authorized additional compensation for John King and Paden Roberts to teach extra blocks during the fall semester (5-0). The board also approved release from compulsory school attendance case #2025-03 (5-0).
Board member Susan Williams announced a Legislative Listening Session set for Oct. 23 at 6:00 p.m. at the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center, and reminded members of a Nov. 7 lunch visit to Northwood High School. The board noted the VSBA Annual Convention set for Nov. 19–21 in Williamsburg.
The meeting adjourned on a 6-0 vote.
What’s next: the board’s calendar includes the Legislative Listening Session on Oct. 23 and a Nov. 7 school visit; routine oversight of budgets and personnel will continue at future meetings.
