Superintendent's Newsletter
March 2023
Happy Spring,
I know that January and February was a marathon for our students and staff without a break, but Spring Break is right around the corner, and I know we are all looking forward to some much-needed rest! Although I am happy to welcome in spring and the beautiful weather that comes with the season, I had hoped for at least a few snow days this winter.
In this newsletter I would like to highlight the following:
- Central Office Staff Spotlights
- 2024-2026 Draft Calendar Feedback Form
- Andrew Seibel, National FFA President
- Botetourt County: Quality of Life Survey
- Class of 2023 Graduation Information
- Mark Your Calendars! Important Quarter 4 Dates
- Keep Your Contact Information Current
The end of the year will be here before we know it. Thank you to our parents, families, staff, and community that support Botetourt County students as we work together to prepare them for a bright future! #BetterTogether
Sincerely,
Staff Spotlights:
In an ongoing effort to introduce our community to the remarkable individuals behind the scenes, I am pleased to spotlight two of our central office directors: Beth Allen, Director of Technology, and Tim McClung, Director of Human Resources & Health Services. I cannot begin to enumerate what these two employees take care of and oversee, but I am grateful for their hard work and commitment to our school division.
Beth Allen has served Botetourt County Schools for over 30 years as a teacher and instructional technology leader. Select the image above to meet Ms. Allen.
Tim McClung was recently the principal at Central Academy MS and transitioned to his new role as Director of Human Resources & Health Services in July 2022. Select the image above to meet Mr. McClung.
2024 - 2026 Draft Calendars
The draft 2024-25 and 2025-26 school calendars are now available for review and public comment. They are located on the BCPS Calendar Page and included below for your convenience. If you would like to provide feedback or suggestions for improvement, click the link or image below.
Recent Calendar Changes
Speaking of calendars, the school board approved the following changes to the 2022 - 2023 and 2023 - 2024 calendars at the March 9 board meeting. These changes are reflected on the calendar page of the BCPS website.
NEW! on the 2022 - 2023 Calendar:
- Schools will be closed on April 10, 2023. Enjoy the 4-day weekend!
NEW! on the 2023 - 2024 Calendar:
- The Parent/Teacher Conference Day originally scheduled for October 9, 2023 has been moved to October 16, 2023.
- Schools will be closed on March 5, 2024 due to primary elections. This will be a Teacher Workday or In-Service day.
Andrew Seibel: National FFA President
Several Botetourt County Public Schools graduates have made regional and national headlines in the past few years. Most recently, Lord Botetourt HS graduate and current Virginia Tech sophomore, Andrew Seibel, became president of the National FFA Organization. He was recognized at the Botetourt State of the County event and continues traveling all over the world representing the organization. We are proud of the work he is doing and wish him all the best in the remainder of his presidency.
Use the images and links below to learn more:
Botetourt County Parks & Recreation and Libraries do so much to enrich the lives of our students, their families, and our community. They are seeking input from the community as they plan for future programming. The survey only takes about 5 minutes and is open through Friday, March 17, 2023. Click the image or link below to complete the survey today; they are eager to hear from our community!
Botetourt County Parks & Recreation and Library System Quality of Life Survey
Class of 2023 Graduation Ceremonies
Graduating students, I can't wait to celebrate with you at your upcoming graduation ceremonies in May. The end of the school year will be here before you know it, but until then, stay the course and finish strong!
Information on the LBHS and JRHS graduation ceremonies is provided in the images below. Your schools will provide further details as we approach graduation.
Mark Your Calendars!
Quarter 4 Important Dates:
- March 10: Quarter 3 End, 2-hour early dismissal
- March 12: Daylight Saving Time Start
- March 16: School Board Work Session
- March 23: Public Hearing: Proposed 2023-24 Budget
- March 27-31: Spring Break (no school)
- April 7: Schools Closed (Good Friday)
- April 10: Schools Closed (NEW change approved at March 9 School Board meeting)
- April 13: School Board Meeting
- April 15: Botetourt Youth Extravaganza (Daleville Family YMCA)
- May 11: School Board meeting
- May 14: Mother's Day
- May 22: LBHS Graduation (Salem Civic Center @ 7:00 PM)
- May 23: JRHS Graduation (James River HS @ 7:30 PM)
- May 24: Quarter 4 End, last day of school
- May 25-26: Teacher Workdays
- May 29: Memorial Day
Communication:
Has your contact information changed recently? Let your child's school know! Keeping your contact information and school messenger preferences current is essential. In addition, we post information to our division website and social media (Facebook and Twitter).
Click the image for a refresher on how to set your school messenger preferences.