New Kent schools focus on future CIP; enrollment at Bridging Communities

With one month of the 2014-15 school year completed in New Kent, superintendent of schools David Myers is already working with his staff and other outside sources to get ahead of the curve for next year.

Several presentations at Monday night’s school board meeting focused on future goals and plans for New Kent’s school system. Those presentations centered on FY2015-16 strategies, capital improvement plan recommendations for next year, and course offerings for adults for the current fiscal year.

Financial director Haynie Morgheim addressed school board members on several high-dollar items for next year’s CIP recommendations. Included are replacing three buses ($410,000), adding New Kent High School technology one-to-one initiative ($200,000), and replacing the New Kent Middle School gym floor ($125,000). In total, 11 items are recommended by Morgheim, totaling $1,050,000 to cover all.

But while the list is something school officials consider annually, Myers turned his focus to the increasing student enrollment in the schools, making his first comments about the high population and need for a new elementary school.

“Right now, Ms. Morgheim and I are working on space utilization,” commented the superintendent. “We are literally looking at our numbers to know when we physically will run out of space and not be able to accommodate any more students.

“In the past, we were advised to store away money to help replace pods at New Kent Elementary School,” Myers continued. “However, there are so many systems and lighting attached that replacing one at a time will cost us a lot more than we anticipated.”

Another future goal set by Myers is to fill unoccupied seats at Bridging Communities Career and Technical Center (BCCTC). Director of Curriculum and Instruction Blaine Bishop said that only 127 of 192 slots at the school are presently filled. Of that number, New Kent schools accounted for 41 of those spots, but also 32 of the vacancies.

“We are going to increase focus on enrollment,” Bishop said. “We are going to implement strategies such as informing eighth graders, making presentations through marketing, and holding assemblies for grades 8 to 11.”

Bishop also commented that the Virginia Placement Test (VPT) is vital to filling those vacancies. Students must past the test in order to earn a spot at BCCTC.

“We’re going to offer practice tests, as well as give students the ability to take it in the spring,” he concluded.

Immediate future plans for the schools also involve BCCTC and its joint partnership with Rappahannock Community College (RCC). Anne Kornegay, academic dean of RCC, announced three new evening course offerings for adults at the satellite campus at Bridging Communities.

Starting Oct. 21, EMS courses will be offered for the first time at the facility. That course will allow students to receive emergency medical training while earning credits for an associate’s degree. The eight-week course will guide students and offer the opportunity for them to become paramedics. The second EMS course begins during the spring semester on Feb. 2. Two new computer courses (introduction to computers and web page design) will also be offered during the fall semester.

In another matter, school officials announced New Kent has received a $62,494 grant as part of Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s school security initiative. The grant provides funding for schools to upgrade and enhance security measures. Morgheim said the funds will be used for electronic access doors at all four schools and replacing 10 cameras at New Kent High School. Bridging Communities received $19,000 from the same grant.