Accomack School Board ignores Governor Youngkin’s mask Executive Order

By Linda Cicoira

   Superintendent Chris Holland of Accomack County Public Schools reviewed school happenings for the county board of supervisors Wednesday night including announcing the school board’s action to continue mandating the wearing of masks for all students, staff, and visitors, despite Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s new policy that lifted the state order.

   The school board action was taken Tuesday night amid what the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association is calling the fifth surge of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was also reported at the school session that significant numbers of students have been absent from nine of the 11 schools. The students were not necessarily said to be out due to COVID. About 980 of the more than 4,800 children served by the division have missed school. Figures for the other two schools, Metompkin Elementary, where the supervisors meet, and Tangier Combined, were not available.

    Holland thanked the supervisors for $19 million in local funds for the current fiscal year. The official said the division managed to keep schools open when many schools elsewhere had to close.

     “Students want socially to be going to school,” Holland continued. They also want to be involved in sports and other events. “We have been holding off with recreational things until these surges go down,” he said. “We cannot do it without you all. I’ve enjoyed working with you all. With the pandemic, it’s been tough. We want to thank you all. I know you all don’t get thanked enough.”

     Holland also reported that engineers are working on plans to either remodel the former Accomac Primary School, or design a new building. Either way, there will be facilities available to the supervisors, who have also had studies made over the years for possible uses for the empty school, Holland said.

     The second floor of the county office building is used by both school and county administrators. The goal is to get the school division in their own building to free up space for county departments. The supervisors were hoping the school workers would move to the building now being used as the library in Accomac. That service will move to Parksley when the new library is completed.

     Holland said a new program, “Learning on Wheels,” is being planned. Two special education buses would be used to bring books to children in communities across the county. Welding, metal trades, and drafting classes are also being planned for the program.

     Holland mentioned a variety of purchases that have been made including 400 hotspots for areas where students have trouble with internet connections, bonuses for bus drivers and cafeteria works, 76 Chrome notebooks, new metal roofs at several schools, repairing bathrooms at Nandua Middle School, a “facelift” for Tangier school, and heat and air units at both Chincoteague schools.

.