GATE CITY — Weather days have added up for Scott County school students when it comes to the first day of summer.
According to county Schools Superintendent John Ferguson, days missed to snow, floods and other events have reached 13 as of Tuesday’s school board meeting.
Under the current division policy and state Department of Education guidelines, said Ferguson, the division can make up missed days at the rate of one additional day for each two missed for the first five days. After those five missed days, each lost day must be made up on a one-for-one basis.
The result is, April 14-16 have been cut from this year’s spring break and students will have to attend classes on May 26 — Memorial Day. Schools will dismiss on June 2 — assuming no more missed days.
On Ferguson’s recommendation, the board voted 5-0 to adopt the following dates for county high school graduations:
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Rye Cove, May 26
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Twin Springs, May 27
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Gate City, May 28
All three graduation ceremonies will start at 7 p.m.
Firm budget numbers are awaiting state budget action, the board heard during a public hearing on the budget process before Tuesday’s regular meeting.
Ferguson reviewed highlights from the Virginia budget bill passed Feb. 22 by the General Assembly at the board’s Tuesday meeting. Those include:
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A 3% teacher salary increase, with local match required to receive the state portion of the increase
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$1,000 bonus for all full-time contract employees to be paid by June
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Additional state4 money for special education programs
The bonuses, if the state budget is signed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin, would be allocated on the basis of $1,000 for full-time and $500 for part-time employees, Ferguson said earlier. He said the locality share of the raise has been approximately 20% to match the state 80% share.
According to state Department of Education and General Assembly information, Scott County’s projected average daily membership under the budget bill is 3,774, Ferguson said. That compares to the current school year’s ADM of approximately 3,825.
Board members also received items to consider from the school system’s salary/ fringe benefits committee. Committee representative Ashley Culbertson outlined seven recommendations from the committee:
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Salary step increases for all eligible employees and a 3% salary increase for all employees in the 2025-26 salary scale
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Maintaining current health insurance benefits at the lowest possible rates along with sick leave bank availability to eligible employees; assignment-free lunch for teachers and; issuing employee contracts as early as possible
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Possibility of supplements for retirees to offset health insurance costs until age 65 or until eligibility for Medicare
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Health insurance for bus drivers
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Increasing bereavement leave for the death of a parent, child and spouse from three to five paid days
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Policy allowing employees to donate sick days to employees in need
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Increasing business leave from three to five days per year.
The board also adopted the committee’s recommended 2025-26 school calendar, with provisions to set Standards of Learning testing dates in December and May upon confirmation from the state Department of Education.
The new school calendar includes an Aug. 15 start date for students, fall break Nov. 3-4, spring break March 30-April 2, 2026, and Good Friday off on April 3.
The last day of classes under the new calendar is May 22, 2026.