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Pulaski superintendent pitches NRV RESET therapeutic day center to Montgomery County board
Summary
Pulaski County Superintendent Rob Graham outlined plans to launch NRV RESET, a regional therapeutic day center to serve elementary and middle school students with acute mental-health needs, using leased church space and partners including Stride K12 and New River Valley Community Services; board members expressed support and the item may return for budget consideration.
Rob Graham, superintendent of Pulaski County schools, presented NRV RESET — a proposed regional therapeutic day center designed to provide short-term stabilization and therapeutic academic services for elementary and middle school students in the New River Valley.
Graham said the partners have identified an available facility (Dublin Methodist Church) that would be leased to start a small pilot this fall while the larger Camp 1 facility concept (a previously proposed 10,000–15,000-square-foot center) remains unfunded. "They have the facility, classrooms, and outside space," Graham said, adding the church would require minimal repairs and could be ready to receive students in August. He noted Stride K12 would supply instructional support and New River Valley Community Services would staff therapeutic services; Pulaski County offered to serve as fiscal agent.
Why it matters: Board members framed NRV RESET as a close-to-home alternative to sending students out of the region for crisis stabilization and residential care. Graham estimated an initial lease cost of $5,000 per month and said a donor group had committed $50,000 to cover first-year rent. He described a modest pilot — four partner divisions splitting personnel costs and five student slots each — with data from the pilot intended to support later, larger funding requests to the General Assembly or grants.
Board reaction was broadly positive. One member called the plan "a no‑brainer" and another emphasized the program could reduce costs associated with out‑of‑region residential placements: "The amount of money that we would save in CSA funds...is just amazing," Graham said. Superintendent Kelly Gimple described the presentation as informational and said the board could add a recommitment to NRV RESET on a future special budget hearing agenda if members wished.
What remains open: Graham said the Pulaski team was finalizing a lease and expected to begin enrollment planning after a multi-superintendent meeting; he asked that the Montgomery board consider a future formal agreement once lease details and operating finances are firmed up. No vote or financial commitment was taken tonight; the item is expected to return for additional discussion and possible budget action.
Speakers quoted or referenced: Rob Graham (Pulaski superintendent), Dr. Kelly Gimple (MCPS superintendent).
Ending: Graham said partners planned to start small in August and scale using grant funding and legislative support; the board signaled interest in revisiting the item as budget work continues.
