Warren County School Board approves multiple agreements, contracts and program updates at Aug. 20 work session

The Warren County School Board on Aug. 20 approved a string of administrative actions including partner agreements, a grounds-contract award and program updates while also advancing its budget calendar and capital priorities.

Board members approved a memorandum of understanding with Laurel Ridge Community College to participate in a Future Educators Academy, allowing two local students to pursue a two-year certification pathway that feeds into four-year teacher-preparation programs. The board also approved adding "Music in Society" as a dual-enrollment course through Laurel Ridge to satisfy a humanities/arts requirement in the uniform certificate of general studies, allowing students to take that course tuition-free when offered by the district.

The board authorized the superintendent to enter a memorandum of understanding with Warren County Fire & Rescue to permit training exercises at Warren County Public Schools facilities; administration said the agreement aims to improve preparedness while minimizing disruption to students. Members also approved changing internal suite numbers at the district-owned building at 465 West 15th Street — a move staff said will reduce confusion for families and co-located agencies by moving special services from suite 500 to suite 700.

On procurement, the board awarded a grounds maintenance contract to BrightView Landscape Services for $71,589 after earlier bidders withdrew or failed to meet IFB requirements, administration said. Separately, the board authorized the superintendent to request that the Warren County Board of Supervisors appropriate up to $100,000 to replace carpeting with tile in Pre-K and kindergarten classrooms at Gilden J. Barber Elementary and E. Wilson Morrison Elementary; administration said supervisors had preliminarily appropriated $240,000 to the schools system, of which $100,000 is proposed for the flooring project and $140,000 is anticipated for tennis-court repairs pending engineering borings.

The board also approved adding an additional middle-school cross-country coach at Warren County Middle School and Skyline Middle School to address participation of more than 85 athletes, with supplemental pay not to exceed $4,666 per school annually, and it approved the August 20 personnel report and addendum.

Several votes recorded some opposition and at least one abstention on separate items; the transcript does not include full roll-call tallies for each motion. The board conducted an initial reading of 18 policy updates prepared with SBMA; those items will return for a second reading and board comment prior to final action.

Next steps: administration will pursue the requested appropriation from the Board of Supervisors, finalize the BrightView contract, and schedule second readings for policy updates.