Welcome back to Extra Credit, a weekly roundup of education-related news from across Southwest and Southside Virginia.
I’ve spent several days this week with education reporters and industry leaders from across the country at the Education Writers Association’s annual national conference in Baltimore, and I’m excited to bring back some ideas to our region — but for now, check out some of these newsy items from schools and universities in our communities.
Have a story idea, tip or think there’s something I missed? Email me at meghan@cardinalnews.org.
Thanks for reading!
What’s inside
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library brings free books to Roanoke children
Children under 5 across the Roanoke and New River valleys can now get free books through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.
The program is one of the country music star’s best-known philanthropic initiatives. It provides children in five countries from birth to age 5 with one new, age-appropriate book each month delivered to their home at no cost.
Previously, children in Bedford, Botetourt, Craig, Franklin, Giles, Floyd, Montgomery, and Pulaski counties and the city of Salem were eligible for the program, but Roanoke and Roanoke County were not covered, according to Roanoke City Public Schools spokesperson Claire Mitzel.
Now, an initiative spearheaded by the Junior League of the Roanoke Valley in partnership with Roanoke City Public Schools and Vinton Baptist Church aims to expand access to children across the region. The organizations aim to enroll 1,000 local children in the program over the next three years. Nearly 11,00 children under the age of 5 live in Roanoke and Roanoke County.
“An investment in our children is an investment in the future of the Roanoke Valley,” said Shannon Shaffer, president of the Junior League of the Roanoke Valley, in a news release. “For nearly 100 years, the JLRV has invested in initiatives that strengthen our community and create opportunities for future generations. Through One Thousand Bright Futures, we are proud to help place books into the hands of local children and support a foundation for learning.”
Within the first 24 hours of registration opening earlier this month, more than 155 children had already registered for the Imagination Library of Roanoke.
“Early literacy is the foundation upon which all other learning is built, and access to books from a young age is critical to inspiring a lifelong love of reading,” RCPS Superintendent Verletta White said in a statement. “We are grateful to the Junior League of Roanoke Valley, in partnership with the Roanoke Public Library Foundation and E3: Elevate Early Education, for their generational investment to make this possible for every child in Roanoke City. This is legacy work that will benefit our community for decades to come.”
A community kickoff event celebrating the launch of the new campaign will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. July 7 at the RCPS Community Empowerment Center at 40 Douglass Ave. N.W. Roanoke Valley families who attend can register for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, tour the Community Empowerment Center, enjoy refreshments and sweet treats from Scoop — the Freedom First ice cream truck — and take home a free set of books.
Children who participate in the program have the opportunity to build a personal library of up to 60 books by their fifth birthday. To sign up your child, visit https://imaginationlibrary.com/check-availability/.
Lynchburg students debut full-service food truck
Last month, nearly 100 customers were treated to lunch from the Lynchburg Express when the student-run food truck opened its windows for the first time.
Heritage High School culinary arts students prepared Chicago-style hot dogs and street tacos and served them in downtown Lynchburg.
Lynchburg City Schools unveiled the student-designed and student-operated food truck last fall. It’s equipped with a fully operational commercial kitchen and is made possible by a partnership with Intuit and Lynchburg Beacon of Hope.
The new food truck program aims to help career and technical education students “develop the technical, financial, and entrepreneurial skills needed to run a business,” according to a news release.
“Equipped with robust CTE offerings, expert instructors, and strong partnerships with local companies, LCS specializes in preparing students for successful careers,” Robbie Dooley, supervisor of CTE for Lynchburg City Schools, said at the time. “The opportunity for students to run a fully functional food truck business elevates our program to the next level.”
Both E.C. Glass and Heritage High schools offer culinary arts classes. The Lynchburg Express is slated to make appearances at more community events later this year.
Montgomery County Public Schools names new leaders
Montgomery County Public Schools has named two new principals and a new human resources director.
Glen Chilcote, interim principal of Kipps Elementary School, has been selected as principal of the school. Chilcote has served the Kipps community for more than 16 years, according to a news release, as well as led the division’s fine arts programs as administrator of fine arts.
Kelly Roark, currently an assistant principal at Auburn High School, has been selected as the next principal of Gilbert Linkous Elementary School. Roark has previously served as principal of Prices Fork Elementary and Christiansburg Elementary schools over her 25 years with Montgomery County Public Schools.
The division also recently hired Roanoke City Public Schools’ chief human resources officer, Dominick McKee, to lead its HR efforts.
In Roanoke, McKee oversaw recruitment, staffing, employee relations, compensation and professional development. He previously worked for Montgomery County schools from 2019 to 2021.
“Dominick knows Montgomery County Public Schools and understands the important role our employees play in supporting students,” said Superintendent Kelly Guempel in a statement. “His experience in both human resources and school leadership will serve our division well, and we are excited to welcome him back to MCPS.”
All three will assume their roles effective July 1.
UVA Wise to launch workforce development pilot programs
The University of Virginia’s College at Wise will launch two new workforce development and training programs focused on hospitality and tourism thanks to a $230,000 grant from the Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority.
The funding will help the college establish two-year pilot programs: a hospitality and tourism management trainee pilot and the culinary, restaurant and event management pilot, according to a news release.
The programs will combine hands-on instruction with college credits, real-world service experience and partnerships with employers.
“The University of Virginia’s College at Wise is interested in establishing a two-year pilot program to provide UVA Wise students with work-based learning experiences in the VCEDA region, in collaboration with employers in the region,” Jonathan Belcher, executive director and general counsel of VCEDA, said in a statement. “The VCEDA funding will enable UVA Wise to add expanded experiential and extracurricular learning opportunities that create an accessible pathway into the workforce while helping employers address critical staffing challenges.”
The college aims to have at least 30 student trainees complete the hospitality program and 30 students in the culinary program by the end of the initial pilot.
The trainee program will require students to complete at least 75 hours of work and work-related preparation each semester in addition to attending weekly classes led by a hospitality and tourism instructor, according to Gurkan Akalin, chair of the department of business and economics at UVA Wise.
The new programs complement the bachelor’s degree and undergraduate certificate programs in hospitality and tourism management that started in 2024. Since the launch, more than 100 students have enrolled through the 2026 spring semester.
The grant funding comes from the VCEDA Coalfield Workforce Development and Training Fund. The authority serves Buchanan, Dickenson, Lee, Russell, Scott, Tazewell and Wise counties and the city of Norton.
“UVA Wise is proud to partner with VCEDA in expanding career-building, hands-on opportunities in the hospitality, culinary and tourism fields,” UVA Wise Chancellor Donna Henry said in a statement. “At UVA Wise, we know that expanding experiential learning opportunities for our students creates pathways into the workforce and strengthens our region. VCEDA’s grant will help us do that in new ways.”
