LOW MOOR — Alleghany Highlands Public Schools are seeing a mostly smooth transition in the first year as a fully consolidated school division.
Very detailed planning for the full consolidation of schools began last fall when school administrators worked with the school board to develop a strategic timeline for the transition. Much of the focus was on Alleghany High School and Covington Middle School, which saw the biggest impacts from the consolidation.
Covington Middle School, which was formerly Covington High School, now houses students in grades 6-8. Alleghany High School serves students in grades 9-12.
Adjustments are still being made as the school year is underway, and school officials are going to great lengths to thank parents for their flexibility and patience. School officials are also crediting communications and collaboration between the schools and the community for a smooth transition. The date of today’s release, August 30, 2023, is the sixth day of the school year for students.
“We are so proud of the AHPS staff, students, families, and community leaders who have been so helpful in the planning for and the opening of schools this year,” said Kim Halterman and Melinda Snead-Johnson, leaders of AHPS.
Student dismissal procedures at Covington Middle School are a prime example of the adjustments school officials are making to ensure a smooth transition. With the help of the Covington Division of Police and other local law enforcement, the traffic pattern around the school during arrival and dismissal times has helped provide for an orderly and safe flow of vehicles.
Covington Middle School students and staff have also worked collaboratively to learn locations in the building and help students transition between classes. However, on the opening day of school, a photograph was posted on social media that led the public to believe that hallways in the school were consistently crowded during class changes.
The photo was taken as students used one of the main exits to leave the school during the normal 3:40 p.m. dismissal time. The corridor leading to the exit cleared within three minutes. However, as an added measure to help promote safety and convenience, the dismissal of students is now phased. Students who are being picked up for transportation in private vehicles are released first, followed by bus riders and student-athletes. The instructional day has not been shortened in the process of phasing dismissal.
“All of the students in the Covington Middle School building are new to the building, and they are learning the locations of stairs, hallways, and classrooms,” Halterman and Snead-Johnson said. “We know we all can be creatures of habit, and in talking with the CMS administrators, we believe that in some instances, students may have been returning to areas with which they felt most familiar – rather than perhaps the most efficient path of travel – as they moved about.”
Additional directional markers have been placed on hallway walls and in other areas to help avoid crowding. Students have also been reminded to open additional doors when more than one exit is available rather than simply following the person in front of them to the same door.
Educational facilities are designed, maintained, and evaluated with the safety of occupants in mind. The buildings are inspected annually by the State Fire Marshal’s Office to ensure they are in compliance with applicable codes.
“We want to openly encourage families to contact the school if they have a question about their child or the school itself,” said CMS Principal Karen Staunton. ‘While sometimes the school division is made aware of a related social media post, the school division does not have the resources to search Facebook or other platforms for questions and concerns. For the most efficient help, AHPS wants to encourage all families to contact their child’s school. This allows the school to provide information quickly, to brainstorm solutions when needed more efficiently, and to make sure students have what they need to navigate their day.”
The Alleghany Highlands Public School Division was created in July 2022 through the merger of Alleghany County Public Schools, 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 news and events are regularly updated on Facebook at AHPublicSchools and the division website www.ahps.k12.va.us.