With approximately 70 kindergarteners currently spread out among three classes at Lee-Jackson Elementary School, the Mathews County School Board unanimously approved hiring a fourth teacher to alleviate overcrowding at that grade level.

The school board action came during Tuesday night’s monthly meeting, which was held in the Mathews High School media center. The meeting began with several pleas to hire a fourth kindergarten teacher during the public comment period.

While the school board has given the go-ahead to hire a new teacher, it will take some time before the changes are instituted.

“Realistically, we’re looking probably at the end of the first nine-week marking period” before the new kindergarten teacher will be in the classroom, superintendent Nancy Welch said following the meeting.

The personnel vacancy has to be advertised, candidates interviewed and the kindergarten classrooms all need to be restructured to accommodate the addition of this fourt...