Dear Families,
I hope this email finds you well. At last night’s School Board meeting, I had the pleasure of introducing my proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2022.
Last year, at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, our team faced a grim economic outlook and was forced to make many difficult decisions in order to create a responsible financial plan. I am pleased to say that the fiscally sound approach we took to balance our budget last year, coupled with an accelerated local economic recovery, has enabled me to present a very exciting and optimistic budget proposal this year.
The proposed budget restores and enhances many of the budget priorities that we were forced to eliminate. More specifically, the budget makes a significant investment in the greatest HCPS asset — our dedicated and talented staff, who have worked tirelessly through the most challenging circumstances we have ever faced. Their unwavering service to our students, families, and community is truly remarkable. They are heroes who have risen to the occasion and worthy of more praise than I or anyone else can ever express.
This budget also restores and enhances our focus on supporting the ever-growing social-emotional, behavioral, and mental health needs of our students. Additionally, it supports our newest school, the Hanover County Online School, as well as the ongoing technology requirements that are a vital lifeline to all of our students, now more than ever. Through a combination of strong local support and careful evaluation of existing resources, I am confident that this budget places the highest priority on meeting our complex needs and advancing education in Hanover County. Above all, it places the highest priority on caring for and supporting our students, faculty, and staff.
Highlights of the budget include the following:
- 2.5% salary increase for all employees effective July 1
- An additional $1.14 million investment in Phase II of the teacher salary scale enhancement with pay increases up to 6.0% (inclusive of the 2.5% raise)
- Instructional Assistant salary scale enhancement
- Bus Driver salary scale enhancement
- Continued funding of increasing health care costs totaling $1.7 million
- 9 positions to support mental health, counseling, and behavioral management (refocusing existing resources)
- 10 administrative support staff for the Hanover County Online School (refocusing existing resources)
For a complete overview of the budget proposal, I encourage you to review my presentation from last night, which you can find here. You can also find the entire proposed budget here, which includes my letter to the School Board (pages 2-4) and a breakdown of the full-time teacher salary scale (starting on page 125).
The School Board will hold a public hearing on the budget at the School Board Office next Tuesday, January 26 at 7 p.m. More details on the meeting will be shared later this week.
Pending the School Board’s approval of my proposed budget, I will present it to the Board of Supervisors in February for further consideration on the School Board’s behalf. The School Board will adopt a budget in May after the Board of Supervisors adopts its budget. More detailed information about the timeline is included at the end of my presentation from last night.
Hanover County Public Schools continues to enjoy a deep-rooted tradition of excellence, and we remain a leader in public education. In addition to our dedicated faculty and staff, community partnerships have proven vital to upholding our strong tradition. Parents, volunteers, civic organizations, businesses, county leaders, the faith community, and more continue to be vital to our longstanding success. We are thankful for your continued support, as well as the opportunity to serve you, especially during these incredibly challenging times.
With deepest appreciation,
Dr. Michael Gill
Superintendent of Schools