The Central Rappahannock Regional Library (CRRL) hosted the 2025 Fredericksburg Regional Spelling Bee on Saturday, March 1, at James Monroe High School.
The competition, sponsored by Access Eye, Fredericksburg Host Lions Club, and the Kiwanis Club of Fredericksburg, featured 14 division winners from across the region.
Emerging as the 2025 Fredericksburg Regional Spelling Bee Champion was Draven Williams, an 8th grader at Dixon-Smith Middle School in Stafford County. Williams secured the championship title by correctly spelling the word “wobbulator”, a term defined by the Merriam-Webster Unabridged dictionary as “a testing device for radio sets in which the frequency is varied periodically and automatically over a predetermined range.”
With the victory, Williams will advance to the 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee, set to take place in May, where he will compete against top spellers from across the country.
Coming in as runner-up was Ryan Gould, a 7th grader from Montross Middle School in Westmoreland County.
Budget Breakdown & Funding Challenges
The $503.1 million budget represents an increase of $8.3 million in state revenue based on the General Assembly’s budget, bringing the division’s total anticipated increase in state funding to $18.9 million. However, despite the added funds, the projected funding shortfall now stands at $18.3 million.
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Stafford County Public Schools are ushering in a new era of leadership, announcing the appointment of several new principals, including the founding principals of two new elementary schools. Additionally, the district has hired a new Executive Director of Transportation, John Wilcots, who brings experience from one of the nation's largest school districts to tackle local transportation challenges.
New Principals to Lead Stafford’s Expanding Schools
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Stafford County's Board of Supervisors and School Board will hold their respective meetings on Tuesday, February 25. Both meetings will be streamed live, with agendas available online.
Board of Supervisors Meeting – 5 p.m.
The Board of Supervisors will review the transportation biannual update, focusing on the Transportation Master Plan and various state and federal grant programs.
Transportation Master Plan Overview
- Phase 1 ($225 million):
- Four projects under construction: Berea Church Road, Route 1 at Telegraph/Woodstock, Staffordboro Boulevard sidewalk, and Route 1 at Courthouse Road ($57 million total).
- The Courthouse Road project has a $3.2 million shortfall. However, Berea Church Road and Telegraph Road projects are under budget, with surplus funds moving into contingency.
- Eight projects in the engineering phase totaling $168 million.
- Phase 2 ($600 million+):
- Includes four projects in engineering and 12 roadway and 33 bike/pedestrian projects in planning.
- Major areas of focus include Kings Highway, Chatham Heights, Mine Road, and Greenspring Drive.
- Phase 3 ($1 billion+):
- Proposed projects include a new north-south corridor west of I-95, running parallel to Route 1, and widening Courthouse, Mountain View, and Shelton Shop roads.
State Funding: almost $292 million, an increase of $10.5 million from last year
Departmental Savings: $890,000 in savings from departmental budgets
New School Staffing: $914,000 to staff new schools being built in the county
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Stafford County Public Schools (SCPS) will hold a public hearing on its proposed Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) budget on Tuesday, February 25, 2025. The hearing will occur at 7 p.m. during the School Board's monthly business meeting at the School Board Chamber, 31 Stafford Avenue, Stafford. A work session will precede the meeting at 5 p.m.
Community members can sign up to speak in advance via an online form available until 4 p.m. on the meeting day. Afterward, in-person sign-ups will be available until 6:50 p.m. Written comments may be submitted via a digital public comment form by 6:50 p.m. on February 25.
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A winter storm bringing snow and strong winds will force schools in Stafford County, Fredericksburg City, and Spotsylvania County to close on Thursday, February 20, 2025.
Stafford County Public Schools will be closed, with all 12-month staff operating on a two-hour delay. As a result of this closure, Friday, March 21, 2025, will now be a regular, full instructional day for students to make up for the lost classroom time.
Fredericksburg City Public Schools (FCPS) will also be closed on February 20. It will be a Code Blue/Remote Learning Day. Students should not report to school but should participate in teacher-planned learning opportunities. All employees should work from home. Essential workers should contact their supervisor for report times.
All Spotsylvania County Public Schools are closed Thursday, February 20, 2025. CODE 3: Remote learning day for students. 12-month employees CODE 1.
Weather ForecastÂ
According to the National Weather Service, a widespread band of snow showers is expected to push through the region Thursday morning, coinciding with the morning rush hour. This precipitation is associated with a potent upper-level trough moving through the area in the afternoon. Light snow accumulations are likely, with most areas expected to see less than an inch. However, given the frigid temperatures—ranging from the teens to the low 20s—slick spots on roads could create hazardous commuting conditions. A Winter Weather Advisory has been issued.
Winds will increase significantly as the system departs Thursday afternoon, with gusts reaching 30 to 50 mph, particularly in higher elevations. While wind advisories have not yet been issued, further updates may be necessary. Wind chills may approach Cold Weather Advisory criteria along the Allegheny Ridge, prompting additional weather precautions.
Parents and staff are encouraged to monitor official school communications for any further updates regarding schedule changes or additional closures.
North Stafford High School has launched an initiative, Reclaim Souls, to tackle chronic absenteeism through personal outreach. Teachers made over 300 phone calls and conducted over 100 home visits to encourage students with excessive absences to return to school. The school also introduced an attendance recovery program, offering after-school sessions three times a week for students to catch up on missed work.
Principal Dr. Dashan Turner emphasized the importance of daily attendance for academic success and student safety. The initiative includes outreach to Hispanic families, positive reinforcement strategies, and plans to expand multilingual communication efforts. Superintendent Dr. Daniel W. Smith praised the program as a model for other schools.
Here’s the full press release:
North Stafford High School (North Stafford) is taking bold steps to address chronic absenteeism and ensure students stay engaged in their education. Picture this: a team of dedicated educators, phones in hand, reaching out like classic telethon hosts. They’re doing it not to raise money, but to Reclaim Souls and bring students back to school. Instead of celebrity guests and pledge drives, North Stafford’s attendance initiative is all about reconnecting with families, one conversation at a time.
Recognizing that automated messages and broad outreach efforts were not enough to combat absenteeism, the school launched a personalized attendance initiative to directly connect with families and help students return to the classroom. Assistant Principal Lisa Allmond led Reclaim Souls, a telethon-style outreach effort that enlists volunteer teachers to call families of students with high absenteeism. To support this initiative, she arranged for daily building substitutes to cover classes, allowing teachers to focus on these crucial conversations. She also set up a dedicated computer lab with four telephones to facilitate outreach, ensuring as many families as possible received personal contact. Equipped with specific talking points, teachers emphasized the importance of consistent attendance and encouraged parents to commit to sending their children to school. At the end of the call, parents pledged their support to send their children to school.
The results were powerful. More than 300 calls were made to students who had missed seven or more days, and the administration further made personal home visits to more than 100 of those students who had missed 10 to 12 days this year already. Parents were also encouraged to enroll their children in North Stafford’s attendance recovery program, which operates on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 2:15 to 4:15 PM, providing students the opportunity to complete missed assignments, work on projects, and receive help from teachers.
Dr. Dashan Turner, NSHS Principal, stressed the importance of daily attendance, sharing that some students and parents underestimate the impact of missing school. “There are students who maintain good grades but have still missed 14 days of instruction. We need to show families that coming to school every day matters. It sets expectations for the real world and positions students for success,” he said.
Dr. Turner also emphasized that students are safer in school, where staff can provide necessary resources and support. “If we know about a student’s health concerns, we can help connect them with resources. But if parents keep them at home, we are at a loss. We can’t help fill the gap if students aren’t in the building,” he explained.
The school is also implementing positive reinforcement strategies, offering small rewards to students who show improvement in their attendance. Dr. Turner and his team encouraged the parents and students to sign up for attendance recovery, held every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday right after school. During these targeted recovery hours, students may come in and do missed work, projects, or assignments. They can also visit classroom teachers for homework help.
Recognizing the importance of engaging all student populations, Dr. Turner enlisted the help of Roxana Bandes Muldoon, the Director of Student Access and Opportunity, who led efforts to reach Hispanic families by setting up one-on-one appointments at school and in the community. Mrs. Bandes Muldoon helped reassure families that it is ok to send their child to school, and worked closely with the school counselor to provide appointments for families to come into school to receive additional support and guidance.
This initiative is far from a one-time effort. The school plans to analyze attendance data at the end of the month and launch another round of outreach near spring break. Future campaigns will expand to include the top five languages spoken in the community to ensure that more families receive direct and meaningful communication.
“This level of dedication to engaging families and improving student attendance is truly commendable,” said Daniel W. Smith, Ed.D., Superintendent. “The team at North Stafford has set a strong example of how personal connections and proactive outreach can make a real difference in a child’s life. Their efforts not only benefit their students but also serve as a model for schools across the state.”
Chronic absenteeism is a nationwide issue impacting student achievement and long-term success. According to Attendance Works, students who miss 10% or more of the school year, equivalent to just two days per month, are considered chronically absent. Research shows that chronic absenteeism is linked to lower academic performance, increased dropout rates, and long-term negative effects on employment opportunities.
The U.S. Department of Education observed that more than 16 million students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 school year, demonstrating the need for proactive attendance initiatives. Addressing absenteeism early can improve educational outcomes and ensure students have the support they need to thrive.
Dr. Turner summed up the school’s mission with a simple but powerful statement: “School is not an afterthought. Students have fears and struggles, but we can’t overcome them without education. North Stafford is a great place.Through all of our outreach – home visits, phone calls, and one-on-one conversations – we hope that message resonates with the community. We’re passionate, we love our kids, and we want families to know that.”
North Stafford invites local businesses to partner in providing tutoring, incentive rewards, or other support services to students in need. Interested businesses may contact Dr. Turner at [email protected].
The 2024-2025 MVHS MCJROTC Marksmanship Team | Photo: Aya Karouane
The Wildcat Battalion Marksmanship Team at Mountain View High School has secured a spot in the All-Service Championship—and they’re not stopping there.
Cadets Wallace Hogan, Brooke Hartkopf, Marisa McDonough, Elizabeth Gunn, and Caeleigh Brown, under the guidance of Sergeant Major Allen Tanner, are sharpening their skills as part of the Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC). Their hard work and dedication have propelled them to this impressive milestone.
Rigorous Training and Selection Process
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The Stafford County Board of Supervisors is considering a zero-tax-increase budget for 2025, which has drawn community members’ support and concern. During the February 4, 2025, meeting, parents and education advocates urged the board to fund Stafford County Public Schools (SCPS) fully, emphasizing the need for higher teacher salaries, facility repairs, and student resources.
Parents Demand More Investment in Schools
Speaking during the public comment period, Shannon Fingerholtz, a parent from the Hartwood District, called on the board to take responsibility for properly funding Stafford schools.
“Our students, our teachers, our staff, our community require a quality school system,” Fingerholtz said. “Quality means decently paid staff, buildings in good repair, and adequate materials. These all require funding.”
She emphasized that regardless of whether funding comes from local taxes, state allocations, or federal grants, it ultimately comes from the same taxpayers.
“I’ve heard multiple times about more money needing to come from the state, which sounds great and all. But what’s not explained to constituents is whether the money comes from the state, the federal level, or the county, all that money still comes out of the same pockets—all of ours.”
Fingerholtz also criticized what she described as misleading rhetoric surrounding education funding.
“So this year, let’s stop with smoke screens and call a spade a spade. I’m asking the board to own the responsibility to our educators and kids and not color the picture that it’s better for us if the money comes from the state or from donations or from the federal government. Because however you label the money, it’s really just coming out of our pockets.”
She urged the board to fully support the upcoming school budget request.
“The ask will be big. And I ask that when it’s presented to you, you will have the integrity to accept the responsibility and approve it.”
A Growing School System Faces Financial Strains
The funding debate comes as Stafford County Public Schools (SCPS) grapples with financial challenges tied to continued student enrollment growth and increasing demand for specialized services.
In a January 28 presentation, Superintendent Dr. Daniel Smith unveiled the school system’s funding request for fiscal year 2026 (FY26), calling for additional resources to support Stafford’s expanding student body. With 32,000 students—19.2% of the country’s population—enrolled in SCPS and an expected growth of 6,200 more over the next decade, the school division is struggling to keep pace with rising demands.
The system is also seeing a surge in students requiring specialized services:
- Students with disabilities under 504 plans have nearly doubled in the past decade, now comprising 21% of the student body.
- The English learner population has increased by 211%, with over 4,700 students requiring specialized support.
“These aren’t just numbers; these are real children whose success depends on the support we provide today,” Smith told the school board.
To meet these needs, the FY26 budget proposal includes:
- 36 new English learners and special education teachers to meet Virginia’s Standards of Quality requirements.
- A 3% pay raise for all staff to retain high-quality educators.
- Expanded business, healthcare, and IT specialty centers offer workforce-aligned career training.
- Facility upgrades to accommodate the county’s rapidly growing student body.
However, the budget request still faces a $14.2 million funding gap, with total proposed expenditures of $490 million and expected revenue of $470 million.
While the state has proposed $10.5 million in funding and the county board has earmarked $5 million, the superintendent warned that it is insufficient to meet all of Stafford’s growing educational needs.
“If we don’t make the right investments now, we’re putting the future of our students and community at risk,” Smith said.
A Look at Last Year’s Budget
The Board of Supervisors increased school funding by $13 million in the previous budget cycle, citing a continued commitment to education. That increase allowed for across-the-board pay raises for school employees and provided capital funding for ongoing maintenance projects.
The FY2025-34 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) also reflected the county’s focus on education infrastructure, with funding for:
- High School #6 is slated to open in 2026 (continuing development).
- Elementary School #18 (beginning construction).
- Elementary School #19 (starting construction in FY2025).
Board Members Debate Tax Policy
During board discussions, Rock Hill District Supervisor Crystal Vanuch reaffirmed her stance against any tax increases, citing the nearly 30% increase over the past three years.
“It is budget season, and I want to thank my two fellow conservative board members, Supervisor English and Supervisor Baumke, for, at the retreat, we made it very clear that we did not want to see a budget presentation that created a tax increase on our residents this year,” Vnuch said.
However, Board Chairman Deuntay Diggs pushed back on framing the budget discussion as a political divide, saying county priorities must be considered alongside tax policy: “We can sit here today and say no tax increase, but if certain things come back and there are certain things that we need in this community, we’re going to have to look at that—all of us.”
The Stafford County School Board will finalize its FY26 budget on February 25, 2025, and the Board of Supervisors will ultimately decide whether to increase funding, cut school spending, or raise taxes when it finalizes its fiscal year 2026 budget in April.
Stafford County Public Schools advise families and staff to practice good hygiene habits to reduce the spread of flu, colds, and other viruses as cases rise in the community.
Parents are encouraged to ensure children wash their hands frequently, avoid touching their faces, and cover their mouths when coughing or sneezing. The CDC and Virginia Department of Health recommend flu vaccinations for anyone six months and older.
Students should stay home if they have a fever over 100.4°F, vomiting, diarrhea, or other severe symptoms. They must be symptom-free for 24 hours without medication before returning to school.
Here’s the email to parents:
Dear Stafford Schools families and staff,
As you may be aware, influenza season has arrived in the area. It is important to remain mindful of seasonal illnesses, including the flu, colds, and other viruses that can spread easily in schools and the community. Practicing healthy habits can help reduce the risk of illness for everyone.
To help prevent the spread of flu, colds, gastro-intestinal, and viruses, please remember to practice good hygiene habits:
Wash hands frequently for at least 20 seconds.
Do not touch eyes, nose, or mouth.
Cover mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing. Use a paper tissue, or cough/sneeze into sleeves.
Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
The CDC and VDH recommend vaccinating anyone six months of age and older against the flu.
Please follow Stafford County Public Schools Health Services guidelines for staying home from school when sick:Fever greater than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or 37.7 degrees Celsius
Vomiting more than two times within 24 hoursDiarrhea
Nasal drainage that is yellow or green
Severe earaches (pain) or chronic productive (wet) cough
General malaise or feelings of fatigue, discomfort, weakness, or muscle aches
All students and staff should be free of fever, vomiting, and/or diarrhea for 24 hours without the use of medication to control these symptoms prior to returning to school. Staying home when you are sick will minimize the spread of infections and viruses in the classroom. Please visit http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/epidemiology/epidemiology-fact-sheets/influenza/ and https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/epidemiology/influenza-flu-in-virginia/ for more information.
