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Waynesboro School Board names Amber Lipscomb new chair, Nigel Stewart new vice chair

Rebecca Barnabi
Amber Lipscomb is chair and Nigel Stewart is vice chair of the Waynesboro School Board. Photo by Rebecca J. Barnabi.

At its regular meeting Tuesday night, Waynesboro School Board named Amber Lipscomb chair and new member Nigel Stewart as vice chair.

Stewart replaces Rick Wheeler who chose not to run for reelection in November’s election.

Lipscomb, a 2008 Stuarts Draft High School graduate, joined the board in 2023. She earned a master’s from JMU, taught at Kate Collins Middle School for six years and now teaches virtually.

In last night’s voting, previous chair Debra Freeman nominated Lipscomb, board member Erika Smith seconded the motion and Lipscomb was unanimously voted chair.

Board member Diana Williams nominated Stewart as vice chair, which Freeman seconded and Stewart was unanimously voted vice chair.

At the end of Tuesday’s meeting, the school board approved a contract with RRMM Architects for phase III of renovations at Waynesboro High School with the use of construction management at risk. By state law, according to Cassell, the designation is necessary because the building to be renovated will be occupied during construction. The board also approved a resolution to seek to hire a construction firm for the renovations.

In his superintendent report, Dr. Jeff Cassell said the renovations will be a multi-phased project, which is beginning slowly but will reach a fast pace before completion.

“We reached a contract, I think, is very favorable,” Cassell said of RRMM.

Last week, Cassell and Waynesboro Schools Assistant Superintendent Dr. Ryan Barber met with RRMM and discussed a conceptual design for renovations, which will include demolition of part of the original 1936 school.

“It’s a lot to put in a small space and to do so efficiently and economically,” Cassell said of the future design for demolition of approximately 25,000 to 30,000 square-feet and new construction of 95,000 to 105,000 square feet.

This week, the school system will issue a request for qualifications for a construction firm and then a schematic design will be created.

“It’s going to be in the $50 million range,” Cassell said.

After 30 days, the school system will narrow down its choices to three construction firms. After another 30 days, hopefully by the school board’s March or April meeting, Cassell said he hopes to have a construction firm chosen. After details of renovations are discussed, Cassell said he will bring conceptual designs to the school board’s February or March meeting.

Budget season for the 2025-2026 school year has begun and Cassell’s proposed budget is $53,416,261. Last year’s was $51,964,820.

Waynesboro Schools may expect $29,260,000 from Virginia, an increase of $1.3 million from 2025. From the federal government the school system may expect $2,900,333, a decrease of $24,000 from last year. Local funding is expected to be $506,000 more at $20,344,500.

Cassell said that a JLARC study has recognized that public schools are underfunded. He said he cannot speculate on how Waynesboro Schools would spend the approximately $1.4 million in additional funding for 2026.

The Virginia General Assembly meets for 45 days in the current session and public schools may expect a state budget by late to mid-February.


Rebecca Barnabi

Rebecca Barnabi

Rebecca J. Barnabi is the national editor of Augusta Free Press. A graduate of the University of Mary Washington, she began her journalism career at The Fredericksburg Free-Lance Star. In 2013, she was awarded first place for feature writing in the Maryland, Delaware, District of Columbia Awards Program, and was honored by the Virginia School Boards Association’s 2019 Media Honor Roll Program for her coverage of Waynesboro Schools. Her background in newspapers includes writing about features, local government, education and the arts.