July 2024
SUPERINTENDENT MEMO
2023-2024 Accomplishments
Dear Cougar Family,
Pulaski County Public Schools (PCPS) had a fantastic 2023-2024 school year. Check out these impressive accomplishments!
· PCPS will have the highest state ranking in terms of SOL pass rates that it has ever had since the Virginia SOL assessment program began. In addition, PCPS has the fifth largest increase in SOL scores from last year to this year in the Comprehensive Instructional Program Consortium made up of over 50 school divisions in Virginia.
· PCPS developed a strong and valuable relationship with the Pulaski County Board of Supervisors and County Administrators. We certainly appreciate all the support they provide us on a daily basis.
· PCPS saw a decrease in student behaviors during the 2023-2024 school year as well as a decrease in chronic absenteeism and increase in overall school and division attendance.
· PCPS was able to provide all employees with a 5% raise for the school year 2024-2025 coupled with a low increase in insurance premiums for those on the PCPS insurance plan.
· PCPS had multiple Virginia High School League State Champions in academics and athletics.
· PCPS DECA was invited to attend the Thrive Leadership Academy and the International DECA Conference. FBLA had five students qualify to attend the National FBLA Conference and FFA earned a National Superior Chapter Award.
· PCPS had a great partnership with Stride Tutoring that led to significant increases in benchmark scores from the first grading period to the third grading period.
· PCPS faced a major cyber-attack on the school division, but did not close schools for one day nor pay any money to ransomware thieves while rebuilding the entire instructional technology infrastructure.
· PCPS was fiscally responsible during the 2023-2024 school year as documented by end of the year purchases including two school buses, two school division vehicles, a tractor for the maintenance department, providing each PCPS school with an additional $32,000 to be spent on student instructional resources while still being able to carry forward a substantial amount of money to be used for future capital improvements.
· PCPS completed multiple facility projects including fences around the elementary playgrounds, roofing projects at Critzer Elementary, Snowville Elementary and Pulaski County High School, new doors at PCHS and the creation of vestibules in each of the elementary schools to help provide an additional layer of safety.
· PCPS added additional SROs at the secondary level and installed SARA (Situational Awareness and Response Assistant) that empowers educators with a tool that enables them to send, receive and record information regarding school safety issues by pressing a button on their desktop computer or laptop.
· The 2024 graduating class secured approximately $1.500,000 of money in scholarships for post-secondary opportunities.
· PCPS offered free breakfast and lunch to all students during the school year and has created summer feeding programs to help those with food insecurities while school is not in session.
· PCPS secured grants totaling over $1,000,000 dollars and are waiting to hear from three more grants (RUS, COPs and Innovative Schools grants) that could bring an additional $1,000,000 to the school division. One of the approved grants was titled Jobs for Virginia Graduates, which allows us to hire a Jobs for Virginia Graduate Teacher focused on propelling marginalized students toward graduation and college or career opportunities.
· At this point in June, PCPS is very close to having filled all employee vacancies for the 2024-2025 school year.
We have wonderful momentum as we head into school year 2024-2025. Best wishes for a wonderful summer. We look forward to seeing our students again on Wednesday, August 14, 2024. Go Cougars!
Sincerely,
Mr. Robert Graham
Superintendent