Planning starts for 2013-14 school year in Charles City

Charles City County School Board members have begun preparing for the 2013-14 school year.

A public hearing on Nov. 21 to review the school’s six-year plan received little response from the public. School board members were asked by speakers about specifications of the plan and data during the hearing. Superintendent of schools Janet Crawley addressed the speakers by saying that information will be provided in a complete packet and that the public hearing was an overview of what would be included in the plan.

School board members also received their first look at proposed capital improvement plans for the upcoming year. Among suggestions proposed by school financial advisor David Papenfuse, who has been working with director of administrative services Melvin Robertson, include replacing HVAC units in the middle/high school cafeteria, high school gymnasium, and the vocation technical building. Proposals also include cooling tower replacement and boiler replacements in each of the schools.

Papenfuse also suggested replacing two buses per year for the next six years. The suggestion comes after concern was raised from July meetings about the age of the county’s school bus fleet.

School board members agreed by consensus to work towards an approval date in January for the six-year plan.