The Shadow
ALLEGHANY HIGHLANDS, VA (VR) – The Alleghany Highlands Public Schools board used its April 21 meeting to recognize top teachers, support staff, and students, spotlight a new mentoring program, and approve one-time employee bonuses and key facility repairs.
The board opened with a long list of Teacher of the Year and Support Personnel of the Year awards from schools across the division, presented in partnership with the Chamber of Commerce.
Honorees included classroom teachers, paraprofessionals, custodians, office staff, and specialists from Callahan, Covington Middle, Mountain View, Jeter Watson, Sharon Elementary, Jackson River Technical Center, and Alleghany High School. Principals and supervisors described them as the “heart” of their schools, praising their work ethic, positive relationships with students, and willingness to go beyond job descriptions.
A sixth-grade division Spelling Bee champion, Amanda Sanchez Moreno, was recognized for winning the Alleghany Highlands Public Schools bee and competing at the regional bee at Radford University. Several school-level spelling winners and alternates were also acknowledged.
Mountain View Elementary shared an “instructional spotlight” on its new SOAR mentor program, led by school counselor Emily Mottley and school resource officer Sierra Cosby.
SOAR — which stands for Support each other, Open our hearts, Accept everyone, Rise together — pairs fourth- and fifth-grade students with adult mentors from the community.
Mentors meet students once a month over lunch to talk, play games, and work on confidence, goal-setting, and social-emotional skills.
Students told staff they like having a trusted adult to “talk about anything,” while mentors reported the program is rewarding and helps students open up over time. Local businesses and organizations have donated food and funds to support the effort.
On the financial side, the board approved one-time bonuses for all eligible employees, using state funds and local savings:
$1,500 for full-time employees in good standing who were employed January 1 and remain through June 1, 2026.
$500 for part-time employees in good standing on the same dates.
Administrators said the bonuses will be paid in the June payroll, are taxable, and do not count toward Virginia Retirement System benefits.
The board also voted to move forward, pending city and county approval, with three capital projects using existing capital funds, not new local money:
Sewer line repairs at Allegheny High School (about $120,000).
Asbestos abatement and restoration at Callahan Elementary (about $272,000).
Drainage improvements serving the AHS tennis courts, junior parking lot, and surrounding land (about $414,000).
Because each project exceeds $100,000, the division will seek formal approval from Alleghany County and the City of Covington under the school consolidation funding agreement.
Plans and policies
Board members also:
Approved the division’s Special Education Annual Plan and the 2026 summer school staffing plan.
Adopted the updated Career and Technical Education local plan and a VSBA Workforce Readiness Month resolution for April 2026.
Confirmed a list of hearing officers, mostly retired superintendents, to assist with grievance matters if needed.
Approved a new staff research and publishing regulation, made the policy committee a permanent board committee, and updated Food Services policy EFB, including a rule that a la carte items cannot be charged without funds in student accounts. Officials said free school meals for all students are unchanged.
The meeting closed with board members thanking staff, students, and community partners for their contributions, saying the awards, mentoring efforts, bonuses, and facility projects all point toward the same goal: strengthening Alleghany Highlands Public Schools and preparing students for long-term success.
