LOW MOOR — The Alleghany Highlands Public Schools Division will soon be carrying
out planned work projects on buildings as part of preparations for the consolidation of
schools in the fall.
The work will gradually evolve over the spring and summer, and the projects are being
planned to minimize disruptions in classrooms. Some of the work is slated to begin
before the end of the 2022-2023 school year in May.
“You will likely see some of the exteriors of certain buildings being painted along with
certain high-traffic restrooms and similar spaces. We are also planning to replace
fixtures in several areas. Educating our students is our top priority, and these work
projects are being planned to minimize disruption to classroom instruction when we
can,” said Kim Halterman and Melinda Snead-Johnson, leaders of Alleghany Highlands
Public Schools.
When the 2023-2024 school year begins in August, students in grades 6-8 will attend
one middle school, located at the current Covington High School building. The middle
school will be named Covington Middle School. Grades 9-12 will be housed at the
current Alleghany High School building in Valley Ridge. The building will retain the
Alleghany High School name.
“The public may see some visible changes in the near future as we get ready for the
movement of students in the fall. The movement of students will primarily involve
secondary students. Please keep in mind that our transitions also include planning for
additional Virginia Preschool Initiative (VPI) opportunities, the needs of our special
education students, and similar important considerations. No massive renovations are
necessary to meet basic educational needs in our buildings, but we are working to
prepare to welcome students to different facilities in some cases next year,” Halterman
and Snead-Johnson said.
Beginning June 5, AHPS facilities will not be available for public use due to the
preparations for fall. All buildings are expected to be unavailable for use by the public
until late summer. Even though facility use will be restricted, AHPS is working diligently
to support athletics and recreation league needs.
“Our administrators are working closely with the school board to develop an orderly
transition plan. The months ahead are going to be somewhat challenging, but we are
confident that we have a great team and an orderly plan in place,” Halterman and
Snead-Johnson said.
The Alleghany Highlands Public Schools Division was formed on July 1, 2022, when
Alleghany County Public Schools, Covington City Public Schools, and Jackson River
Technical Center merged. The school division serves approximately 2,700 students,
and it is jointly funded by Alleghany County and the City of Covington. Updates about
the school division are regularly posted on Facebook at AHPublicSchools. The school
division’s web address is www.ahps.k12.va.us.
