Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Less than 24 hours after a county supervisor said he didn’t feel the Prince Edward County Public Schools (PECPS) superintendent was capable of making the necessary changes to turn the school system around, County Administrator Doug Stanley was standing in front of the school board, working to set up a meeting to begin the process of communication between the two boards.

Stanley’s appearance at the school board’s regular monthly meeting Wednesday, June 9, was part of his regular quarterly communications plan but was no less timely as relations between the two boards appear to be at a low.

“I want you to know as a school board that I am 100% committed to supporting the needs of the school system,” Stanley said as he explained he would be moving his family to the area this summer and would have a son attending Prince Edward County Middle School. “Last night Supervisor Beverly Booth referenced the quote about it taking a village to raise a child. She said it takes a village to educate one as well. The board is committed to being a partner in this effort.”

Stanley offered to organize a meeting between Board of Supervisors Chair David Emert, Vice Chair Dr. Odessa Pride and himself along with PECPS Superintendent Dr. Barbara Johnson, school board Chair Lucy Carson and Vice Chair Beulah Womack.

The night before at the end of the Board of Supervisors’ Tuesday, June 8, meeting,

Supervisor Jim Wilck said he bet no changes would occur in the school system.

“The superintendent is not capable of doing what needs to be done,” Wilck said.

Stanley told the school board the hope is that the small meeting of the chairs and vice chairs would result in the setting of an agenda of discussion points that could be used to guide a future joint meeting between the Board of Supervisors and school board.

The Board of Supervisors recently had its first joint meeting with the Farmville Town Council in recent memory.

“One of the things that makes a good community is a good public education system,” Stanley told the School Board. “I feel my role as county administrator is to support you and provide you with the resources to do your job. I accept this challenge and look forward to working with Dr. Johnson and her staff in that endeavor.”