The Fluvanna County School Board’s meeting on Oct. 12 focused on acknowledging accomplishments, looking ahead to future success, and welcoming a new face to the board. In early October, after short deliberation, William Hughes was selected to represent the Cunningham District.

“I hope I live up to the expectations of the community, as well as this board. I feel very positive about what’s happening in our school system. I’m glad to be part of the activity that’s taking place,” Hughes commented.

Fellow board members were equally optimistic about the selection of William Hughes. Barbara Gibbons of the Rivanna District proclaimed, “We’re sure he’ll be an asset.”

Camilla Washington, the representative for the Columbia District, stated that this was sure to be “ a fantastic year.”

The positive spirit of the meeting continued as reports regarding Fluvanna County High School were discussed. Graduation rates for the county are the highest in the area, and drop-out rates are the second lowest. Students in AP courses are scoring very well on exams. Many received 3s, 4s or 5s.

“A lot of times the school division will get negative press,” Washington stated. She was glad to finally hear reports which painted the school system in a positive light.

Fluvanna Middle School has been accredited for the 2011-12 school year and administrators are hoping to be more interactive with students and staff.

“Our goal is to be in every classroom every other day. We may not do a formal observation, but we’re there to support,” Assistant Principal Don Stribling said. He appreciates it when students and faculty invite him into the classroom, especially when it’s to show off a project they’re working on. Time is structured in the morning to make schedules more efficient. 

Assistant Principal Clint Estes remarked, “It’s about being accessible.”

Administrative staff at Fluvanna Middle is stressing the importance of recognizing good behavior and academic achievement. 

“Support is about bringing people up and positive reinforcement. It’s not an ‘us vs. them’. It’s ‘we’,” Stribling said. A new program called Zero Heroes has been established in order to reward the children whose good choices have made both their school and families proud. Rewards from the Zero Heroes program will be arriving in the mail within the next few weeks.

Though staff members are striving to reward those who make the right decisions, they realize that even bad choices can provide a positive learning experience.

“Middles-schoolers are about finding their voice ... and boy do they find their voice. Let them go. Let them have that voice,” Estes commented. “They’re gonna stumble. We know they’re gonna fall, but it’s not a negative.”

Mona Holmes, chairperson for Fluvanna County’s Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC), gave a presentation to the board about the harm of labeling people with disabilities, whether they be physical or mental. Labels can be hurtful and make someone feel limited in their capabilities. Instead, individuals with disabilities want to be treated like every other person.

The SEAC’s next meeting will be Nov. 8 at the middle school. It is open to the public and starts at 6:30 p.m. These meetings give parents the chance to meet other parents of disabled children and discuss ways of making sure their children’s needs are met.

One member of the community who believes in empowering children with special needs is Nancy Beum, a special education teacher at Central Elementary. She helps the special needs students in third-fifth grades manage a garden outside the school. The garden got its start nearly 10 years ago. Jen Valentine, the current assistant principal at Central Elementary, teamed up with the Master Gardeners of Fluvanna to create the garden for the older special needs children. Beum has been at the school for four years and takes her students out every week during the warmer months to look after the garden.

Seeing the positive impact it had on her students, Beum got the idea to create a greenhouse so students could continue their studies during colder weather. She submitted her idea to Dominion Power’s Dominion Foundation and was chosen to receive a $1,000 grant on behalf of Central Elementary. The check was presented to Beum by Greg Searcy, a 1985 graduate of Fluvanna County High School and manager of the Bremo Power Station. Sixty-nine schools from nine different states have received grant money from the Dominion Foundation for this school year. Thirty of those schools, including Central, are right here in Virginia.

Beum and the children plan to grow vegetables, herbs, annuals and other items they think will work well in the greenhouse. Students will be in charge of the typical duties associated with horticulture. Once the plants are grown, the students hope to have plant sales or donate their items to the less fortunate.

“I believe it will give them future skills, if not for employment, then for their own self-sufficiency,” Beum said.