COURTLAND
The Southampton County School Board on Monday evening approved the 2017-2018 Special Education annual plan as well as the local plan for Career and Technical Education Perkins Funds.

Dr. Tonia Taylor, director of special education and student services, first certified that the school division has developed local policies and procedures for the provision of special education and related services, which are kept current. Supt. Dr. Gwendolyn Shannon signed the certification and the board OK’d it.

Taylor also stated that the annual plan for 2016-2017 has been fully put into effect. The school division has complied with all assurances and provisions. The Title VI-B Flow Through money paid the salaries of special education personnel.

To show the maintenance of effort, the local education authority is required to spend at least the same amount it did the year before. The estimated total is $4,797,895.26, which is local and state monies.

CTE Director Linda Adams said the 2017-2018 local plan and budget were discussed during advisory committee meetings on Feb. 7 and March 29. The budgeted amount is $43,975.73, which are used to improve existing career and technical education programs. These include required professional development ($2,500), state-approved equipment and activities for special populations.

During the report on instruction, the board and public were reminded of the Kindergarten Fair, which will take place on Tuesday, April 25, from 4 to 6 p.m. in Southampton High School. This will be open for all future kindergarten students in the county next school year.

Registration takes place on Wednesday, April 26, from 3:30 to 6 p.m. at Capron, Meherrin, Nottoway and Riverdale elementary schools.

In other board business:

• Jaime Harrell reported on the Fiscal Year 2016-2017 budget expenditures for the past month, noting that the balance for instruction is $6.89M with 63.51 percent spent; student transportation at $1.22M with 57.15 percent spent; operations and maintenance at $1.06M with 61.97 percent spent; and administration, attendance and health at $421,147 with 64.47 percent spent;

•  The SkillsUSA group was granted an overnight trip to Fredericksburg for a state competition. The money comes from Career and Technical Education budget; and

• Student enrollment was reported at 2,590. Capron won the banner for student enrollment at 95.36 percent. Southampton High had the highest student/teacher attendance at 92.7 percent.