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Superintendent presents reappointment list; purchasing director reports increase in local and minority-owned vendor spending
Summary
Dr. Verlita White presented personnel reappointments and Eric Thornton reported a $3.6 million increase in spending with locally owned, women- and minority-owned vendors—driven largely by Preston Park Elementary construction; the board approved the reappointment list by voice vote.
Superintendent Dr. Verlita White told the Roanoke City School Board on March 24 that the administration brought forward two items for consideration: approval of the 2026–27 reappointment list for professional and classified staff, and a semiannual procurement report on transactions with locally owned and minority/women-owned businesses.
Dominic McKee, chief human resources officer, presented the reappointment list and said HR will begin sending contracts in batches to returning employees and meeting individually with staff affected by the reduction in force. The board moved to approve the personnel list and the chair declared the motion carried by voice vote; the transcript does not include an individual roll-call tally for that action.
Eric Thornton, director of purchasing, presented the semiannual report covering July 1–Dec. 31, 2025. Thornton said the district saw a net increase of $3,600,000 in spending with locally owned, women-owned and minority-owned vendors, and that the primary driver was the construction of Preston Park Elementary School. On percentage terms, Thornton reported a 9.2% increase in locally owned business spending for the period. He noted that the construction contractor on the Preston Park project was identified in the presentation as G and H Contracting, which he described as a locally owned firm.
Thornton described ongoing outreach efforts, including vendor outreach events held at the Community Empowerment Center and collaboration with regional procurement partners and the City of Roanoke purchasing department. He also said the number of vendors used in the reporting period decreased by 15 overall compared with the prior year—but that the division added 16 new vendors during the same period, and that totals fluctuate with project needs.
Dr. White also announced that Kathleen Jackson, the division’s chief financial officer, received the Virginia Association of School Business Officials’ Cardinal Award and highlighted that RCPS has a $325,000,000 budget and has received meritorious budget recognition across multiple years.
The board had no additional questions recorded in the transcript and proceeded to other board business.
