All Lunenburg County schools were fully accredited with no conditions this past year. Standards of Learning (SOL) test data shows a majority of students in the district passing, and also significant year over year growth. The school won a Workplace Readiness Award and Central High earned the Highest Achievement Award from the Virginia Board of Education. But there’s one key issue. In order to keep that going, Lunenburg schools need to retain quality teachers. And they can’t do that without some salary increases to stay competitive. 

That’s been the clear statement Lunenburg Superintendent Dr. Sharon Stanislas has made as we move through budget season. It’s been raised first with the school board and also with the board of supervisors. Specifically, Stanislas is asking for a $751,398 overall increase for salaries, in addition to the 3% increase required by the state. Since all districts have to give that 3%, it won’t help Lunenburg draw closer to some of the other districts in the region. More than that is needed. 

“We cannot maintain the current staff, who are performing highly, when salaries are not competitive,” Stanislas told the school board during their Feb. 5 meeting. 

What does the Lunenburg County data show? 

So when we’re talking about performing high, here’s what we mean. Two years ago, only 61% of Lunenburg students passed their writing SOL tests. This time around, that number spiked to 94%. There are other smaller gains, but still growth in each category. In reading, 65% of students passed, compared to 61% two years ago. In History, the percentage went from 56% to 59%, while in Math, the numbers rose from 56% to 62%. And finally in Science, another increase, with 67% of students passing, compared to 63% two years ago. 

Central High teachers also deserve recognition for the school’s achievement. Central was one of just 92 schools across the state to earn the Virginia Board of Education’s Highest Achievement Award this year. The annual award is given out to recognize schools that excelled in all areas. Every year, the Board of Education gives out two sets of “Exemplar” awards. The first is to recognize growth, to honor schools that improved from year to year. There were 49 on that list for 2024. The second is to pay tribute to schools like Central High that excelled across the board. 

In order to make this second list, a school has to perform higher than the state standard in reading, math and science in the Standards of Learning tests. That goes for all student groups across the school. Also, the school in question has to be rated better than the state average in the graduation and dropout rate, as well as chronic absenteeism. And based on scores, pass rates and data from this past school year, Central High certainly qualifies.  

Nothing is set in stone, when it comes to teacher raises or the budget in general. That will be decided over the next few months, as the school board and board of supervisors go over local funding.