The return to school was a smooth one for Mathews County Public Schools, according to superintendent Nancy Welch, who provided a brief update during Tuesday’s school board meeting, which was held in the Mathews High School media center.
Enrollment is slightly above the figure the 2022-2023 budget was based on. As of Tuesday, there are a total of 921 students enrolled in pre-Kindergarten through 12th grades. Subtracting the 25 pre-K students (who do not count toward state funding) leaves Mathews with an Average Daily Membership of 896, which is six above the 890 ADM figure upon which the current budget is based.
The custodial staff did an amazing job getting the schools ready for the Aug. 29 opening, Welch said, with all the major building systems such as HVAC and water up and running on Day One. In recognition of their hard work, the custodians were presented certificates of appreciation at the start of Tuesday’s meeting.
Speaking of facilities, Welch said the HVAC installation at the Thomas Hunter Middle School gym is completed and the original window replacement job at the school is also done. Other work is ongoing, with estimates recently received for the exterior door for the Brooks Auditorium at THMS and the security vestibule door for Mathews Elementary.
In other news, the school board will hold a town hall meeting at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 29, in the MHS media center to give members of the public a chance to discuss any school-related issue they wish to bring before the board.
The school board and county supervisors will hold a joint work session from 6-6:45 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 11, in the MHS media center. This goal setting meeting is being held well in advance of the 2023-2024 budget process to allow the two boards to have a brief discussion on some upcoming items, such as the project to install HVAC units to cover the hallways of THMS.
Following a closed session, the board approved the retirement of Donald B. “Donnie” Hall Jr. as the division’s maintenance director (effective Nov. 30) as well as the resignation of MES teacher Sabina Newton (effective Sept. 9) and MES teacher assistant Nicole Bittner (effective Sept. 16).
Three teacher assistants were appointed to MES—Olivia Coons, Makayla Church and Christine Polesko, as well as mechanic Leslie Chandler. Larry “Wes” Griffith was appointed to handle football field maintenance and Kenna Schaller was named color guard coach.