By Heather Michon, Editor
The Fluvanna County School Board opened its Mar. 11 meeting by recognizing a series of student athletes and coaches from Fluvanna County High School for standout performances during the fall sports season.
Among those honored was cross-country coach Harlow Garrett, who was named both District Coach of the Year and All–Central Virginia Coach of the Year. School officials praised Garrett’s leadership during a season in which the boys’ cross-country team finished as state runners-up.
Several members of the cross-country program were recognized for earning All-District and All-Region honors. One athlete also qualified to compete at the Nike national cross-country meet in New York following the team’s strong postseason performance.
Members of the Fluvanna football program were also recognized for a successful season that Coach Mitchell Pace described as among the program’s best in roughly 25 years. Multiple players earned All-District honors for their performances on the field.
The board also recognized athletes from the school’s cheerleading program for district and regional honors, as well as members of the high school debate team who advanced in regional competition in both Student Congress and Lincoln-Douglas debate.
Budget Update
Following the recognitions, the board turned to routine business and updates on the school division’s budget outlook.
School officials said the division’s proposed fiscal year 2027 budget has already been submitted to the Fluvanna County Board of Supervisors as part of the county’s broader budget process. Administrators noted that final numbers could still change depending on the outcome of the state budget, which determines a portion of school funding for Virginia divisions.
Division leaders also discussed potential costs associated with curriculum updates and instructional materials as the state revises academic standards.
Staffing challenges were also raised during the meeting. Administrators said the division has had difficulty recruiting Tier II behavioral specialists, noting that school divisions across the region are competing for a limited pool of qualified candidates.
In other business, the board approved the academic calendar for the 2026–27 school year and adopted improvement plans for Central Elementary School and Carysbrook Elementary School.
