Boys & Girls Club to host Youth Summit on April 19
Candidates for the open seats on Waynesboro City Council and the Waynesboro School Board will take part in a Youth Summit on Thursday, April 19, at 7 p.m.
The Youth Summit will be held on the premises of the Waynesboro Boys & Girls Club location, 302 E. Main St., Waynesboro.
News Virginian editor Jonathan Hunley will serve as the moderator for the forum, which will pose questions on issues facing the Waynesboro youth community. Read more
Chris Graham: Stick it to ‘em
I was accosted, for lack of a better word, the other day while walking on the new greenway trail by a gentleman who couldn’t believe that I didn’t agree that City Council shouldn’t “stick it to” the School Board for the School Board’s supposed lack of foresight regarding payments on the renovations to Kate Collins Middle School.
The issue, I countered, isn’t with the School Board or City Council, but rather the Virginia General Assembly, which decided to balance its books by clawing back lottery funds that had been a solid source for school improvement monies for years. Read more
Edwards will not seek third term on Waynesboro School Board
Waynesboro School Board member Brian Edwards announced today that he will not seek a third term to the At-Large seat on the Board.
“This was a difficult decision as working for Waynesboro’s students for the past eight years has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. However, with a growing number of personal and professional obligations, I determined I will not be able to give the same level of commitment to Waynesboro Public Schools as in the past,” Edwards said.
Edwards endorsed Linda Schorsch Jones, who announced last week her intention to seek the seat, which will be contested in the May city elections. Read more
Two announce candidacies for Waynesboro School Board
Doug Norcross and Dr. Melinda Ferguson announced their candidacies to run for re-election to the Waynesboro School Board in the May 2012 election.
Norcross, who represents Ward A on the Board, and his wife, Sue, are active citizens of Waynesboro and are now enjoying retirement. Norcross has three children. He lost his son Kevin to cancer in 2003. He has two daughters, Drema Antes, and his granddaughter, Caitlin; and Ashley Adams and her husband Aaron, who have a 9-month-old daughter, Avery Lynn. Ashley is a licensed registered nurse at UVa. hospital and a 2003 graduate of Waynesboro High School. Aaron is a deputy sheriff in Culpeper County and he also graduated from Waynesboro High School. Doug enjoys spending time with his family, playing golf, bowling, watching and listening to political talk shows. Read more
Local attorney announces run for School Board
Attorney Linda Schorsch Jones has announced that she will run for the At-Large seat on the Waynesboro School Board in the May 1 general election.
A long-time Waynesboro resident, Jones graduated from Stuarts Draft High School in 1982 and from the University of Virginia in 1986, earning a bachelor of arts degree with honors in English including a minor in foreign affairs. As an undergraduate, she spent a semester studying at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
She went on to law school at the University of Richmond, where she obtained her juris doctorate in 1989. In law school she had the opportunity to spend a semester studying at Cambridge University in England and to have clerkships with both the state Attorney General’s Office (Mary Sue Terry) and the Henrico County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office (Jim Gilmore). Read more
School Board to fill Ward B seat
The Ward B School Board vacancy does not require a special election since the term ends June 30, 2012. Local School Board elections for Ward B are currently scheduled for May 8, 2012. The Waynesboro School Board will fill the vacancy from Ward B on an interim basis until the next election.
The vacancy must be filled by the Waynesboro School Board within 45 days of the office becoming vacant.
Qualified community members are encouraged to send a letter of interest, with a brief biography, to the Chairman of the Waynesboro School Board by August 9, 2011. The appointee must be a qualified voter of Ward B. Please send letters of interest to:
Mr. Doug Norcross, Chairman
Waynesboro Public Schools
301 Pine Avenue
Waynesboro, Virginia 22980
As part of the process, the Waynesboro School Board will hold a public hearing at the August 9, 2011 Waynesboro School Board Meeting on the vacancy “to receive recommendations and views from citizens within the school division”.
All names of the candidates will be announced at the end of the public hearing.
Following the School Board Meeting, at a later date, viable candidates will be interviewed in open session by members of the Waynesboro School Board.
An interim Waynesboro School Board Member from Ward B will be appointed at the September 13, 2011 School Board Meeting.
If you have questions or need additional information, please do not hesitate to contact members of the Waynesboro School Board or the Administrative Offices at (540) 946-4600 Ext. 13.
Waynesboro School Board announces three appointments
The Waynesboro School Board announced the appointment of Mr. Joseph Gates as assistant principal at Waynesboro High School at its School Board meeting on Tuesday, June 14, 2011. Gates will become assistant principal at Waynesboro High School on July 1, 2011.
Since 2001, he has taught world geography in Rockbridge County Schools and served as an Instructional Technology Resource Specialist. He has also been an assistant principal for Rockbridge County Schools from 2005-2011. Gates holds a bachelor of arts degree in history and geography and a master of education in curriculum and instruction from Virginia Tech. He also has a master’s degree certificate in educational leadership from the University of Virginia.
Tim Teachey, principal of Waynesboro High School, said “Gates will be a great addition to our staff. He brings varied instructional experiences and insight from both the middle school and high school level. Waynesboro High School’s instructional program will benefit from his expertise in technology, curriculum and instruction.”
Gates resides with his wife and son in Rockbridge Baths.
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The Waynesboro School Board announced the appointment of Candace Kimmett as assistant principal at Waynesboro High School at its Tuesday, June 14, 2011 School Board meeting.
Kimmett has a bachelor of science in health and physical education from Bridgewater College and a master in science education with an administration concentration from Shenandoah University. Mrs. Kimmett joined Waynesboro Public Schools in 1991 as a health and physical education instructor at Kate Collins Middle School and later moved to the Waynesboro High School faculty in 2000.
During her tenure in Waynesboro, she has provided continued service and support to the varsity athletics program as an assistant coach, head coach and served as the assistant activities coordinator from 2004 to present. Kimmett’s peers have recognized her as being a dedicated teacher, always willing to go the extra mile for students and offering support for the school program as a whole.
Waynesboro Schools Superintendent Robin Crowder said “Kimmett’s leadership style will provide a perfect dimension to the Waynesboro High School administrative team. In her previous roles, she has established positive relationships with faculty, students, parents and the community. She has a record of planning student and staff events, coordinating activities with other school divisions and working with other staff members to enhance instructional programs. Her high energy, unique organizational skills, and self-motivation will contribute to her ability to have a positive impact as a leader for Waynesboro High School.”
She and her husband Jamie reside in Fishersville.
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The Waynesboro School Board will appoint Dr. Kathy Tucker as acting administrator for the new Wayne Hills Center at its Tuesday, June 14, School Board meeting.
The Wayne Hills Center will house all of Waynesboro’s preschool classes, as well as the Waynesboro High School Phoenix Program. Dr. Tucker has recently been serving as a consultant with Ann Miller, elementary coordinator for Waynesboro Schools, in the planning of a division wide preschool program, which combines all preschool classes from the elementary schools including the Headstart Program. Her new position will begin July 1, 2011.
Dr. Tucker has a bachelor of science degree in early childhood education from James Madison University. She also holds a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction and a doctorate in administration and leadership from the University of Virginia. She has previously worked in Augusta County Schools with extensive experiences as a classroom teacher, differentiation specialist, a coordinator for the Shenandoah Valley Headstart Program and an elementary principal. She has served as an adjunct professor for the education department of Mary Baldwin College from 2009 to the present.
Assistant Superintendent Vermell Grant said “Tucker will be a great resource to our staff at the Wayne Hills Center. She is easy to talk to and brings a warm, engaging style to our administrative team. The entire school division will benefit from her expertise in curriculum and instruction and her diverse professional background. Dr. Tucker exhibits a love for students and great understanding of the teaching and learning process. Parents and staff will find her insight valuable and beneficial. We are very pleased to have Dr. Tucker join Waynesboro Schools and provide leadership support for this new initiative.”
She is the mother of three grown children and resides with her husband, Lowery, in Greenville.
