By a 3-0-2 vote with Carrie Coyner and Dianne Smith abstaining, the Chesterfield school board on Oct. 9 voted to ask the board of supervisors to transfer $3.37 million from construction projects at Enon and Beulah elementary schools to one at Manchester Middle School. According to a memo from interim school superintendent Donald R. Fairheart, a revised bid of $39.9 million from Kenbridge Construction Co. for the Manchester Middle project was $4.4 million over the projected bid of $35.5 million. Kenbridge was the only company to bid on the project. School district staff cited savings of $1.1 million and $2.5…
Browsing: Schools
ABOVE: Cole Shornak of Chester, center, was among the 21 students who recently completed the SVCC’s Power Line Worker Training Program. He is flanked by instructors Clyde Robertson and Brad Wyke at a Sept. 19 graduation ceremony. Chester resident Cole Shornak, a graduate of Thomas Dale High School, recently completed the Southside Virginia Community College’s Power Line Worker Training program. The 11-week program provides both classroom and hands-on training in safety, climbing techniques, electrical theory, aerial framing, rigging, operation of utility service equipment and for a commercial driver’s license. The college offers the Power Line Worker class in Blackstone at the…
LEFT: Haley Cofer performs with the L.C. Bird High School band during an exhibition at Thomas Dale High School on Oct. 2. RIGHT: Jacob Fogg directs the L.C. Bird High School band.
ABOVE: Tracey McDorman, a physical education teacher at C.C. Wells Elementary, instructs some fifth-graders. Becoming a PE teacher was a healthy change for Tracey McDorman. She is the physical education teacher at C.C. Wells Elementary, but McDorman started out teaching second grade at W.W. Gordon Elementary 12 years ago. After nine years at Gordon, McDorman was ready for something new, but she was not sure if she wanted to do a different grade level. A colleague suggested that she would like PE because she had always been active with her classes. McDorman has been at Wells for three years. Although she…
ABOVE: Clergy pray for school administrators Sunday. “What can you do for the children and staff of Chesterfield? You can pray. When you speak to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, you put protection around all of us.” With those words, incoming Chesterfield schools superintendent Merv Daugherty tried to encourage those in attendance at a Sunday evening gathering at Thomas Dale High School. The sixth annual “Praying for our Schools” event was organized for Chester Clergy by the Rev. Shawn Franco, lead pastor of Cornerstone Assembly of God. The hour-long event involved students, teachers, administrators, parents and others.…
HARRISONBURG – Michelle Leigh Hayes of Chester received her master of arts degree in school psychology from James Madison University on July 23. She will be continuing her education at JMU. Hayes is a 2013 graduate of Thomas Dale High School.
ABOVE: Bradbury is pictured with a U.S. flag his daughter gave him after she served in Iraq and Afghanistan. He is wearing football championship rings from Bird High School and a shirt from his daughter’s volleyball team. Dallas Bradbury is reluctant to talk about himself, but ask those who know him and they are eager to sing his praises. Bradbury performs duties as chaplain through the Fellowship of Christian Athletes at L.C. Bird High School. “He has an especially soft heart toward kids [who] are having a rough time, and he helps them and their families however he can,” his daughter…
The Thomas Dale High School Marching Knights are hosting this year’s All County Band Night Exhibition. All Chesterfield high schools will perform. The event is free to the community. It will take place Tuesday, Oct. 2 at 6 p.m. Concessions will be sold at the event. Recently the Marching Knights held their annual two-week camp to prepare their show for the season. During the camp, drum majors Shamar Matthews and Jacob Kern challenged their sections to a coin contest to raise money for Autism Speaks. The Marching Knights raised $736.13 for the nonprofit.
ABOVE: Imani Quiara Booth and Kennadi Kierra Terry CHESTER – The George Washington Carver Alumni and Friends Association recently announced the winners of two scholarships and announced plans to host a gospel music fundraiser. Imani Quiara Booth, who graduated from L.C. Bird High School, won the $1,500 William Albert “W.A.” Brown Memorial Scholarship. The scholarship pays tribute to Carver High School’s only principal, who served for 22 years. Booth is matriculating at Old Dominion University in the fall. Kennadi Kierra Terry won the $500 Tabula Rasa Incentive Award, which is given to a deserving Carver College and Career Academy graduating senior.…
Transportation problems were the focus of much of the discussion at last week’s Chesterfield school board meeting as at least eight people spoke about it during public comment. School district officials said the problems were related to a shortage of school bus drivers, including some who resigned in the two weeks before school started Sept. 4, and also as a result of implementing new start times and new bus routes. “It took two days to say transportation issues weren’t normal,” parent Erin Folkenroth said at the Sept. 12 evening meeting. She accused the district of “blatant lies” in regard to…