LOW MOOR — The Alleghany Highlands Public School Board approved several calendar revisions for the 2022-2023 academic year on Monday, Feb. 13, 2023. The revisions are designed to better position the school division for the full consolidation of schools in the fall.
Changes to the academic calendar on March 20, April 17, May 15, and May 24 will allow the AHPS staff to focus on important work in preparation to serve students in the 2023-2024 academic year, which begins in August.
“These changes will allow our AHPS staff to participate in important team-building activities in preparation for the full consolidation of schools in the fall. The calendar adjustments will also enable us to better prepare for the physical aspects of preparing our buildings for the movement of middle school and high school students in the fall,” said Kim Halterman and Melinda Snead-Johnson, leaders of Alleghany Highlands Public Schools.
In the fall, students in grades 9-12 will attend one high school, which will be located in the current Alleghany High School building on Mountaineer Drive in Valley Ridge. Students in grades 6-8 will attend middle school in the current Covington High School building. The joint middle school will be called Covington Middle School.
The team-building activities for staff will occur through a partnership between AHPS and The Alleghany Foundation. The Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides financial support to area nonprofits and local government entities to improve the quality of life in the Alleghany Highlands, has been working with the AHPS since August 2022 to help staff connect and celebrate the successes of the joint school division.
“The Foundation is a valuable partner and we are grateful for the financial support it is providing for continued team building among our staff,” Halterman and Snead-Johnson said.
Before making the calendar adjustments for the current school year, the AHPS staff worked with the school board on planning to ensure that the school division will meet the required instructional hours for the 2022-2023 school year.
“In approving the calendar revisions Monday night, the school board also gave us adequate time to work with our schools and effectively plan for spring activities such as testing, school-wide celebrations, and field trips,” Halterman and Snead-Johnsoin said.
Here is an outline of the calendar changes approved by the school board:
— March 20: Schools will dismiss 3½ hours early rather than the two hours on the original calendar. All school meals will be provided. The early dismissal will allow staff in secondary schools to participate in team-building activities. Remaining staff will be given additional time to prepare for the 2023-2024 school year.
— April 17: Will be designated as a virtual learning day for students in grades 6-12. The virtual learning day will allow secondary teachers to participate in further team-building activities and prepare for the physical movement of high school and middle school students. All students in grades 5 and under will attend school in person as usual.
— May 15: Virtual education day for students in grades 6-12. This change will allow for further team-building activities among secondary staff, and prepare for movement of students in the fall. All students in grades 5 and under will attend school in person as usual.
— May 24: All schools will dismiss 2 hours earlier than the normal release time. All school meals will be provided. This will allow staff to prepare for moving. May 25 also remains a 2-hour early dismissal day.
“We know that the months ahead will bring unique challenges, but they also bring unique opportunities. We are truly excited about the possibilities that consolidation will continue to bring to AHPS. We are also looking forward to the team-building activities that will be provided in the coming weeks. We have a solid team in place, and we want every member of our team to be fully prepared for the exciting times ahead,” Halterman and Snead-Johnson said.
Alleghany Highlands Public Schools was created on July 1, 2023, through the merger of Alleghany County Public School, Covington City Public Schools, and Jackson River Technical Center. The school division serves approximately 2,700 students, and it is jointly funded by Alleghany County and the City of Covington. AHPS events and happenings are regularly posted on Facebook at AHPublicSchools.