The Mathews County School Board on Tuesday night appointed Charles Forrest to the position of high school teacher. Forrest’s name was never mentioned. Instead, the vote, which came after a lengthy closed session, was held on the list of professional appointments included in the school board packet, and Forrest’s name was the only one on the list.
The vote was split, with only three of the five members supporting Forrest’s reappointment. Board member Ginger Richards, who was not present but joined the meeting electronically, voted nay, saying she did not support the appointment. Board member John Priest abstained, saying he was “still torn.”
The action followed several months of upheaval in county schools. Forrest had been placed on administrative leave following an incident where a Mathews High School student was injured while under Forrest’s supervision. A hearing to consider his dismissal was held in March, with the school board eventually voting to keep him on.
The matter resurfaced over the summer, with a panel of Virginia Board of Education holding a hearing to consider whether to revoke Forrest’s teaching license. In late September, the full state board voted by a 7-1 margin against taking that action.
THMS field trips
During discussion of overnight field trips requested by Thomas Hunter Middle School, school board member Jeanice Sadler raised objections to a proposed April trip to Costa Rica for seventh and eighth grade students to be led by science teacher Jerry Ligon. Sadler said she believed that such a trip would be more dangerous than travel agents have said it would be.
Thomas Hunter Middle School principal Laurel Byrd explained that the school sponsors a field trip to another country every other year, and that the travel company being used does such tours worldwide. The local tour group would hook up with other student groups for a large tour, she said.
Fundraising has already begun for the trip, said Byrd, with the White-Hudgins Charitable Trust awarding a $10,000 grant. She said that parent chaperones typically go, with normally eight to nine students and four to five parents. Activities are scheduled for each day, she said, and the tour company is very stringent about safety.
Hodges pointed out that a governor’s school trip had been planned to Baja Mexico, but the tour company had scrapped that trip due to safety concerns.
Sadler requested more information about the trip, and the board voted 3-2, Richards and Priest dissenting, to delay a vote on the matter until next month.
The board did, however, unanimously approve an overnight field trip to the annual Beta convention.
In other actions, the board:
—Recognized Lee-Jackson Elementary School Principal Andrew Greve for having achieved PhD status;
—Unanimously approved a Title IV, Part A Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grant application;
—Unanimously approved the following appointments to the community advisory committee: Emily Betz, Mary Bligiotis, Barbara Fleming, Ray Hunley, Sharon Taylor, Karen Norris, Eric Robinson, Walt Sampson, Amy Dubois and Anne Stewart;
—Adopted governance norms and protocols on a 4-1 vote, with Sadler dissenting;
—Unanimously approved the Mathews County Public Schools Comprehensive Plan;
—Unanimously approved an amended school board policy after making several more amendments regarding training and certification requirements for those making decisions about students who have suffered concussions; and,
—Made the following coaching appointments for the 2017–2018 school year: James Hutcheson, JV boys’ basketball; Josh Schiable, head wrestling; Joe Silvus, assistant wrestling; John Corrigan, scholastic bowl; Larry Brown, robotics; Robert Thomas, varsity softball; C.K. Ambrose, varsity soccer; Chris Collins, JV soccer; LaDonna Crain, girls’ tennis; Kathryn Scott, boys’ varsity and JV basketball cheer and girls’ varsity and JV basketball cheer; Brian Moore, baseball field maintenance; Annika Becker and Mary Bigger, Odyssey of the Mind.