The Mathews County School Board revived an old tradition this week, breaking bread with county supervisors in order to discuss the proposed school budget in a relaxed setting.

Tuesday night’s joint budget work session/dinner at Thomas Hunter Middle School was a convivial affair, as Superintendent of Schools Nancy Welch opened the meeting with a presentation of the current draft of the 2016-2017 school budget—a $14 million budget that calls for an increase of $454,586 in the county’s share (from $7.35 million this current year to $7.8 million in the proposal). The biggest driver for the increase in the 2016-2017 budget is a 2 percent increase (plus step) for all employees.

The budget calls for several new positions—a media specialist for Thomas Hunter Middle School, a reading specialist at Lee-Jackson Elementary, two special education teacher assistants, a maintenance position—many of which had been cut several years ago as a result of the recession. Also...