RCPS board submits preliminary $13.6M budget to supervisors

Superintendent’s top priority: ‘The amelioration of COVID-19 impacts’

The members of the Rappahannock County Public School Board voted unanimously on Monday night to present the county with a proposed budget for the upcoming scal year to the tune of almost $13.6 million. The school’s proposal is about $644,359 greater than that of the 2021 budget cycle ending this June 30.

Of the county’s total education expenses, the local government is responsible for covering 79.9 percent, roughly $8.8 million in scal year 2022.

RCPS Superintendent Shannon Grimsley said that her number one priority in the upcoming year is “the amelioration of COVID-19 impacts” as the schools resume normal operations.

RCPS sta will be pleased to nd that the preliminary budget accommodates a state mandate to give all school teachers and sta a 5 percent raise. With the state picking up only about 20 percent of the tab for the raises, that’s a larger percentage than Grimsley was hoping for — a 5 percent raise will likely cost about $750,000. But for sta who have dedicated themselves to teaching their students despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, she said, the raise couldn’t have come at a better time.

Rachel Bynum, representative of the Piedmont District, applauded the raises as a step towards paying teachers a fair salary for all that they do.

“What the sta have pulled o this year is just incredible,” Grimsley agreed.

An additional infusion of federal coronavirus relief funds will cover some upcoming expenses, like the cost of a new bus, more custodial sta , teaching sta , WiFi hotspots for virtual learners, personal protective equipment and an HVAC upgrade at the high school.

Other expenses to come out of the budget include new textbooks at the elementary school and additional funding for the agriculture and health sciences academies. “Those programs have been a huge hit for us this year and we needed to increase their material items there,” said Stacey Whitt, RCPS’ chief nancial o cer.

As for places where the schools could potentially save, Whitt said that electricity bills have been trending downwards in cost so the schools won’t have to budget quite so much for utilities in scal year 2022.

School Board Chairman Wes Mills said it always makes him nervous to cut budgets for operational costs like utilities, but was assured that the trend has been observed for long enough that they can reduce the budget with con dence.

STUDENTS STILL STRUGGLING?

In her presentation to the board, Student Liaison Cassia Gainer said that students are continuing to struggle with schoolwork during the pandemic. On behalf of her high school peers, Gainer suggested that teachers provide Wednesday tutoring hours or after-school homework help.

Grimsley said teachers have discussed how to best reach the students who need help the most and asked Gainer to continue to advise administration. “Let us know,” she said. “We'll make sure you get the help you need ... and we're talking about getting a er-school help as well.”