The Shadow
LOW MOOR, Va. (VR) – In a meeting marked by transitions and significant policy discussions, the Alleghany Highlands School Board elected new leadership, debated the district’s 2026 calendar, and advanced several housekeeping and informational items aimed at maintaining clear guidelines during a period of continued regional consolidation.
The board began the year with a reorganization as required by district policy, moving this formal reset from its traditional July cycle to January for
the first time. After a moment of silence and the Pledge of Allegiance, Chair nominations were opened with the floor yielding candidates, including Arritt and Lanford.
Board members voted by roll call, ultimately electing Lanford as the new school board chairman. Lanford’s vision for his term was clear: “One of my goals is to bring us together as a board. When we break the huddle, we all need to be on the same play.” He emphasized the challenge for the new board, which saw the board’s newer members voting as a bloc for the leadership positions, prevailing over more veteran members.
The board then turned to the selection of vice chair, electing Woodson after nominations and a subsequent roll call vote. Karen Willis was named clerk, and the board affirmed Sherman B. Callahan, Fred Vaughn, and Shannon Furman as superintendent designees, tasked with stepping in should the superintendent or first alternate be unavailable.
A substantial portion of the meeting was dedicated to consideration and approval of the district’s official 2026 school board calendar, a key administrative tool that lays out board meeting dates and major milestones for the academic year. Several members voiced concerns about the scheduling challenges posed by the new reorganization time in January, contemplating whether meeting twice in the first month made sense for staff and board alike.
Calendaring issues extended into broader conversations about inclement weather, parent-teacher conferences, and the prioritization of instructional days. The administration proposed that, to optimize instructional time, the February 16 parent-teacher conference/professional development day be converted to a student day, with March 20 potentially shifting from a workday to conference time. “We basically exhausted all our bank time in the first semester,” Superintendent Halterman noted, “so we’re real fortunate that we don’t have anything this week.” The board made clear its commitment to ensuring that lost instructional time due to weather is made up, potentially requiring future calendar adjustments and timely communication to parents.
Community engagement received renewed focus with reminders that parents can always request conferences, including video calls, to accommodate different needs and work schedules. Plans were laid to ensure this flexibility is fully explained on the division’s calendar website and other public materials.
In the policy arena, the board addressed required annual conflict-of-interest disclosures and reaffirmed its use of the Virginia School Board Association’s Code of Ethics and Conduct. The code, which has been a staple in Alleghany Highlands and mirrors statewide best practices, was reaffirmed with discussion about potential future updates to the communication section, which will be taken up at a later work session before being blended into the final document.
The comprehensive plan, which guides long-term district strategy, goes beyond the shorter-term capital improvement and a “wake-up-in-the-morning goals,” strategic plan was also presented and approved as required by law.
The superintendent praised broad participation from central office and advisory councils, noting minimal changes and encouraging continued feedback from board and community members. Access to agendas and foundational documents was also discussed. Board members cited a need for more consistent uploading and accessibility of items like the policy manual and upcoming calendar on live public agenda links, with the superintendent’s team tasked to resolve technical issues.
In other business, the board discussed whether to alter the traditional agenda structure to promote greater community participation, particularly by placing high-interest items in accessible portions of the meeting for visitors. The possibility of adding further budget meetings and work sessions to help the board delve deeper into key operational discussions was also raised. The board concluded with action items that included clarifying deadlines for legal disclosures, fixing online document access, improving parent conference communications, and adjusting published agenda items for clarity.
End-of-meeting remarks saw a round of appreciation. The board and superintendent thanked outgoing leadership, commended staff and faculty for teamwork and adaptability, and celebrated everyone’s return for the new school year.
“It takes the whole village…to make it work, and I’m proud to say I’m part of this village,” Board member Littleton said.
After a motion to adjourn was made and seconded, new and returning members expressed optimism. The hope is that the new leadership team, guided by clear policy and strong community connections, will unite the board and lead the division effectively in the coming year.
