Education

    Unlike District 3, District 2 is seeing a three-way race to fill the seat vacated by David Vaden.

    Jennifer Merritt, who was appointed to the seat by the school board, is being challenged by Charlotte Maxey and Jason Johnson.
    Merritt is a free-lance journalist who writes for Lancaster Farming, a weekly agricultural publication. She said it has three regional editions.
    “I write for the southern edition,” she said.

    Following two incidents last year at Jefferson Forest High School, and other recent cases at the county’s other high schools, Bedford County Public Schools has implemented training sessions this year to help prevent the sexual misconduct of teachers, coaches and other employees with students.
    Tim Parker, director of human resources for the school system, said the training came after the Department of Education suggested all public school systems take a look at their policies on that issue and prevention training for staff.

    By next year, the grading scale being utilized in Bedford County Public Schools could be changed to a 10-point scale.
    The school board is considering a recommendation by school staff to change from the 7-point scale to the 10-point scale, beginning in the 2013-2014 school year. That, according to staff, would give administrators time to work with teachers to understand the new scale and grading system.

    Volunteers from area businesses and local organizations packed a meeting room in the county administration building Thursday with one goal in mind—packing bags full of school supplies for students set to start school this week.

    In all, the Pack the Bag effort yielded some 200 book bags and supplies that were delivered to area schools in time for the first day of school Monday, according to Denise Kennedy, a social worker with the Department of Social Services.