April 2022 Newsletter
Child holding a crayon thank you sign standing against white background
You've given us hope for brighter days ahead.
Greetings!


You responded resoundingly, throwing your full support behind our students and staff.

While significant staffing and funding challenges remain, we are thankful to report that city and school officials have worked together to fully fund the schools' budget request for FY2023.

During its April 7 budget work session, Staunton City Council agreed to:

  • close the funding gap in our FY2023 budget;
  • adopt a more reliable revenue-sharing formula based on actual audited revenue instead of revenue projections; and
  • continue support for capital projects at Shelburne Middle School and a new operations facility that will true up our funding shortfall from FY2021. 


We recognize that our no-frills $15 million budget for the upcoming year still doesn't make our schools whole with adequate staffing and other critical needs. The city is facing similar challenges. However, we are encouraged that the new revenue-sharing formula will put school funding on an upward trajectory that will be sustainable and equitable in future budgets, starting in FY2024.

We appreciate City Council's response to the crisis in public education, and we are grateful to you, our community, for your extraordinary support!
Time to Speak Out Protest Stand Up Clock Words 3d Illustration
Contact Your State Representatives
You can continue to advocate for funding for SCS and all of Virginia's schools at the state level.

Ask the Virginia General Assembly to lift the support staff cap. The support staff cap eliminated dozens of positions in SCS during the Great Recession, and funding for those jobs was never restored. Those vital positions included instructional assistants, which are critical to a well-supported classroom.

Why We #LoveSCS
Our students, teachers, and administrators recently shared some excellent thoughts about the importance of great teachers and the remarkable educators we are fortunate to have in Staunton City Schools.

New Administrators at Shelburne, Staunton High
Some highly experienced and familiar faces in SCS will transition to new roles in the 2022-23 school year. We congratulate the following staff:
Shelburne Middle School Principal Jennifer Morris is moving to the division's leadership team as an instructional supervisor. Mrs. Morris is a 29-year educator who will bring vital instructional expertise to the Central Office.
Lisa Warren, currently an assistant principal at Staunton High School, has been promoted to the principalship at Shelburne. A 15-year educator, she brings exceptional leadership and counseling experience to the role.
Our 2018 Teacher of the Year, Donte' Montague, has been promoted to assistant principal at Staunton High. He is currently an outstanding fourth-grade teacher at Ware Elementary and has been an educator for eight years.
Top News & Events
Party in the Park! on May 1
SCS will host Party in the Park!, a music extravaganza, at the Gypsy Hill Park Bandstand. The event will feature the bands and choirs from Staunton High, Shelburne Middle, and Bessie, McSwain and Ware elementary schools. It is free, open to the public, and runs from 3-7 p.m. Food trucks will be on-site for attendees to purchase dinner. We hope you'll join us for an evening of fun!
Shelburne Bands Get Superior Rating, Visit JMU
In March, both the 7th- and 8th-grade bands received the highest possible rating during their district band assessment festival. The bands received an impressive "superior" rating for their performances.

The 7th-grade band also had the opportunity to travel to James Madison University (JMU) to perform a concert for the university's music education students. Students received an expert clinic by Professor Amy Birdsong and then had a breakout session with a JMU specialist on each instrument. The experience helped them prepare for the district band assessment.
And the SCS 2022 Dawbarn Award Winners are ...
We are proud to congratulate SCS educators Melody Puffenbarger, Samantha Sterrett, and Dr. Jelisa Wolfe on receiving the Dawbarn Education Award! The Community Foundation of the Central Blue Ridge gives recipients a $10,000 cash award to recognize their meaningful impact on students' lives.

Cute Congratulations Card with Hooray_ Congrats_ Yay Text. Perfect for Graduation.
Congratulations to our Employees of the Year!
Bessie Weller
Support Staff of the Year
Leon "LJ" Johnson
Instructional Assistant
Bessie Weller
Teacher of the Year
Diane Kester
1st Grade
McSwain
Support Staff of the Year
Abby Smith
School Nurse
McSwain
Teacher of the Year
Amy Montoya
4th Grade
Ware
Support Staff of the Year
Aaron Barmer
Custodian
Ware
Teacher of the Year
Sara Linhares
4th Grade
Shelburne Middle
Support Staff of the Year
Cynthia Fitzgerald
Custodian
Shelburne Middle
Teacher of the Year
Holly Moody
World Language
Staunton High
Support Staff of the Year
Sheila Smith
Instructional Assistant
Staunton High
Teacher of the Year
Lori Peltonen
Librarian
Maintenance Dept.
Support Staff of the Year
Danny Clifton
Maintenance Worker
Transportation Dept.
Support Staff of the Year
Lesley Ott
Driver
Commonwealth Center for Children and Adolescents
Teacher of the Year
Lauren Orndorff
Art & Music
Shenandoah Valley Juvenile Detention Center
Support Staff of the Year
Audra Sandridge
Secretary
116 West Beverley Street
Staunton, VA 24401

Phone: 540.332.3920

www.staunton.k12.va.us