From the Henry County School Board
Henry County School Board Approves Key Investments in Educational Excellence
At its regularly scheduled meeting in May, the Henry County School Board approved several significant initiatives aimed at enhancing student learning environments, supporting instructional rigor, and ensuring safe and efficient transportation. These approvals reflect the division’s ongoing commitment to excellence in education and transparent and strategic stewardship of public resources to our constituents, the people of Henry County.
Upgrades to Culinary Arts Kitchens at Bassett High School
The School Board approved the award of a $147,245.00 contract to Vernon W. Peters and Sons of Ridgeway, Virginia, for comprehensive upgrades to the culinary arts kitchens at Bassett High School. Three quotes were solicited for this project, and Vernon W. Peters and Sons provided the lowest bid. The enhancements will provide students with a modernized, industry-relevant learning environment. Funding is provided through the FY2025 Maintenance and Operations Budget.
Purchase of School Buses
In alignment with the division’s bus replacement schedule, the Board authorized the purchase of eight 65-passenger conventional school buses and six special education (SPED) school buses. These purchases will replace vehicles over twenty years old, many of which have logged more than 300,000 miles. The acquisition will be made through state contract CTR005753-6 with Sonny Merryman of Rustburg, Virginia. The breakdown of costs is as follows:
Eight 65-passenger conventional buses: $131,849 each, a total of $1,054,792
- Four 24-passenger SPED buses with wheelchair ramps: $109,579 each, a total of $438,316
- Two 22-passenger SPED buses without ramps: $93,131 each, a total of $186,262
- The total estimated investment is $1,679,370 from the FY2025 Transportation Budget.
Adoption of Math Textbooks for Grades K-12
The Board approved the adoption of new math textbooks for both elementary and secondary levels. Selection committees, composed of educators from each school, evaluated Virginia Department of Education (VDOE)-approved resources for alignment, rigor, and usability. These adoptions ensure consistency in instruction and support the division’s curriculum goals.
- Grades K-5: $757,643.25 from the FY2025 Textbook Budget
- Grades 6-12: $413,034.00 from the FY2025 Textbook Budget
Adoption of High-Quality Instructional Materials for K-5 Reading
To support comprehensive and standards-aligned literacy instruction, the school board approved adopting VDOE-approved high-quality instructional materials (HQIMs) for grades K-5 reading. Committees composed of reading teachers, specialists, and school representatives undertook a thorough evaluation process throughout the 2024–2025 school year. The cost of these materials is not to exceed $855,000.
These investments, while distinctly categorized under separate functional budgets, underscore the broader opportunity that unified, lump-sum funding could present—allowing greater agility and responsiveness in meeting students’ evolving needs without the limitations imposed by line-item constraints and without additional cost.
As a matter of standard procedure, the approved items that require categorical transfers will now be forwarded to the Henry County Board of Supervisors for consideration at their upcoming meeting.
