Hanover County Schools prepare for pre-Labor Day return

HANOVER, Va. (WWBT) - It’s a pre-Labor Day start for Hanover County students, which means teachers and staff are starting the clock sooner to ensure buildings and classrooms are ready.

“So a compressed summer for our staff in order to make the preparations for a two-week earlier start than normal, but the buzz is most certainly in the air, and we are excited,” said Michael Gill, Hanover County Schools Superintendent.

On their return, Superintendent Gill says, students will notice a host of renovations to auditoriums, gyms and restrooms across the division.

“All of this preparation is, that first day of school, we do welcome our students back, and we’ve already kind of eluded to the fact that the amount of work that has to go in, the monumental lift, if you will,” said Superintendent Gill.

Gill says they need not only school volunteers but also bus drivers. They’re down 43.

But Gill says they aren’t suffering like other divisions regarding teacher vacancies.

“From a staffing standpoint, I’m really excited. I actually checked with our Human Resources department right before speaking, we are down to only three teaching vacancies left for the entire school division, and we expect to have all of them filled before the first day of school,” said Superintendent Gill.

Next year, Hanover will welcome its first new school building built since 2008. Ashland Elementary, which is part of a school consolidation plan, is set to open next August.

“That’s an exciting project that is going on right now, and looking forward to the opening of a new school,” said Superintendent Gill.

Kindergarten students, those in first grade, sixth grade and ninth grade, will start Monday, Aug. 21. Then all students return by Aug. 22.

Copyright 2023 WWBT. All rights reserved.