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Superintendent Olwen Herron presented her proposed 2018-2019 school year budget and changes to next year’s program of studies at the Williamsburg James County Public Schools School Board meeting on Feb. 20.

Herron said her budget proposal focused on employee compensation and student needs. A three percent increase in teacher’s salaries is included in the budget. Herron said this budget item was created because WJCC currently has the second to lowest teacher salary in the region. This budget item will cost the division a total of $2,976,484.

The budget proposal also includes hiring three more English as Second Language teachers and four special education teachers. In the past ten years, there have been 512 ESL students and 213 special education students enter the school system. Hiring additional teachers is part of Herron’s effort to make sure every student receives the resources they need to become successful.

The budget proposal also includes athletic safety concussion protocol, two new buses and New Horizon course offerings. There will be a public hearing on the proposal on March 6.

At the previous work session on Feb. 6, Herron presented her proposed program of studies for the 2018-2019 school year. This proposal had major changes to world language options, including the removal of the German cinema, Spanish cinema and French cinema courses.

Herron said since her presentation she had gotten a lot of feedback about the language course changes. Not wanting to ignore the community’s input, Herron altered her program of studies proposal to not include any changes to language classes. Herron said she wanted to take a year to re-work and delegate language course changes, rather than rush a decision.

The program of studies for 208-2019, without any changes to foreign language courses, was passed by the board unanimously.

Want to attend the next meeting?

The school board will meet again for a work session at 6:30 p.m. on March 6, at the School Board and Central Office Annex in room 300 on 117 Ironbound Road.