Second round of improvements on way to county schools

By JIM TALBERT\Staff
TAZEWELL – Stimulus funds will be used to make more improvements to schools in the county.
Dr. Brenda Lawson, superintendent of schools presented the board with a plan to spend $1.7 million upgrading several schools. Lawson said the money would be distributed as equitably as possible among the three areas of the county.
The money would be used for improvements and repairs to elementary, middle and high schools.  Air conditioning for Graham Intermediate School, Tazewell Middle School and the library areas at Tazewell and Richlands High Schools is part of this round of renovations.
Cafeterias will be upgraded at several schools and there will be locker replacement projects at all three middle schools. Abbs Valley Elementary will get new windows from the upgrade.
Richlands Middle School will also have a sidewalk replaced with the stimulus funds. Lawson told the board that bids would be taken on the work and it would get underway as soon as possible.
She said the work should be completed by the end of June of this year. She said the school system has $1.8 million remaining in its stimulus account.
[In other action the board:]
*Met in executive session to discuss personnel and students with no action taken.
*Suspended one student for 10 days and reinstated three others. They also approved a request from the sick leave bank.
*Recognized county winners in the state middle school art and writing contest.
*Heard from Chairman Mike Dennis concerning the evaluation of the division superintendent.
*Heard from Robbie Hamilton of the Tazewell fire Department concerning problems with fire hydrants at Tazewell area schools.
*Heard from Charles Simpson, director of environmental services that the county saved $247,028 from its contract with Trane Energy during the past year.
*Accepted the low bid of $63674 for wheel chair lifts at Richlands Elementary School.
*Approved the sale of three school buses declared surplus property.
*Approved the first reading of Virginia School board Policy updates for October.
*Received the 2010-2011 budget requests from individual schools.
*Received a progress report on the six year plan from assistant Superintendent Christine Kinser.
*Voted to approve the contract with Virginia School Board policy services.
*Approved the personnel list as presented by the superintendent.
*Adjourned until Dec. 14 at 5:30 p.m.