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The Wise County School Division is comprised of six
elementary schools, three middle schools, six high schools, an alternative
school, and a career-technical center. From 17 sites, the schools offer a full
range of K-12 programs serving approximately 6,800 students. A Title I funded
program for four-year-olds is operating in each primary school. Each secondary
school offers a range of courses suitable for the students who plan to continue
education after high school or for those who plan to go directly into the
workforce. All schools in Wise County are accredited by the Virginia Board of
Education and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Aggressive
leadership by administrators, teachers and coaches has made Wise County students
highly competitive, both academically and athletically, with students in other
school divisions throughout the state.
From a 2001-02 budget of $55,000,000, the school division
employs a full and part-time staff of approximately 1,100 persons, 580 of whom
are teachers. The total pupil-teacher ratio for Wise County Schools is
approximately 14:1. The salary scale for teachers progresses from a beginning
salary of $26,750 to a maximum of $50,630. The expenditure per pupil in Wise
County for school year 2001-02 was approximately $7,000.
In cooperation with the Virginia Department of Education, Wise
County operates a distance learning center for public school students in
Virginia as well as other states. The Wise County Electronic Classroom became
operational in the Fall of 1987 and now serves more than 50 school divisions
throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia via satellite. Students from several
other states are also enrolled in courses through the Electronic Classroom.
Course offerings include Calculus, AP Dual-Enrollment English, AP United States
History, AP United States Dual-Enrollment Government, Latin I, and Latin II. The
course offerings delivered via the electronic classroom not only strengthen the
overall secondary programs, but also establish partnerships with local and state
educational agencies and institutions of higher education.
Fiber-optic interactive classrooms, administered by the
Southwest Virginia Education and Training Network, also enhance course offerings
for our high schools. These inter-active classrooms make it possible to share
expert faculty among our high schools and other regional high schools by
enabling students to enroll in remote classes delivered by full-motion
interactive video and audio. Students in all Wise County Schools benefit from
the convenience of these classes that expand the range of course offerings at
all high schools. The Wise County Public School System, in cooperation with the
Commonwealth of Virginia, opened the Wise County Vocational-Technical Center in
1942 to serve high school students choosing training in craft or trade. The
facility, located in Wise, was one of the first in the state. In its place today
stands a new, innovative Career-Technical Center that offers programs in
computer networking, printing, carpentry, masonry, industrial technology,
nursing, cosmetology, auto repair, pre-vocational courses, and other programs
for students with special needs.
The progressive nature of education in Wise County is apparent
in the "Program of Academic Challenge for Excellence (PACE)." PACE
provides a program of academic competition in the context of a sports program,
complete with tournament and trophies. School divisions throughout Virginia as
well as neighboring states have imitated the award-winning Wise County PACE
program. In addition to the academic competition segment of PACE, Wise County
Public Schools offers PACE Band for serious music students and PACE Art for
artistically talented students.
The infusion of technology into instructional programs has
been a priority in Wise County Schools. All schools have a well-developed and
expanding infrastructure with approximately 2,500 networked computers in
classrooms and administrative offices throughout the county. Local area networks
(LANs) form a 17-site WAN (Wide Area Network). Internet, instructional, and
administrative services are delivered over this network to computers at each
site. Computer labs accommodate programs like Writing-to-Read, Creative Writing,
keyboarding, business education classes, technology, mathematics, science, and
many on-line resources. Each school library is equipped with a computerized
system for checkout, record keeping, and inventory.
Special needs of students are the primary concern of all
instructional staff. Programs to meet individual needs are: the Regional
Learning Academy, the Transition Program, the Adult Education Program, the Wise
Skill Center, Special Education, Gifted and Talented programs, the Governor’s
School, and dual-enrollment programs with local colleges.
Wise County is the site of two institutions of higher
education –The University of Virginia’s College at Wise and Mountain Empire
Community College. The leadership of Wise County Public Schools and the two
colleges have worked cooperatively to provide Wise County students with many
learning opportunities.
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 Norton City Public Schools is a two-school system
serving the City of Norton, Virginia. John I. Burton High School, which opened
in 1954 and has been extensively renovated over the past decade, provides modern
educational facilities for students in grades 8-12. The instructional program
includes a comprehensive program of academic, technological, vocational, and
elective classes. The academic program includes honors-level classes in English,
biology, mathematics, and foreign language, as well as, Advanced Placement (AP)
English 11 and 12, AP United States Government, and AP Calculus.
The instructional program is enhanced through the Interactive
Television classroom with a class in French. The A. Linwood Holton Governor's
School, using the fiber-optic Interactive Television classroom, was approved to
begin classes in the fall of 1998. The vocational program includes
skills-development courses in business education, consumer homemaking, and
technology education. Students in grades 10-12 may also attend the Wise County
Vocational-Technical School for other vocational specialties. Electives include
a full range of fine arts opportunities including general and advanced art,
choral and instrumental music, and dramatics. The school also offers programs in
alternative education, gifted education, and special education.
The academic and vocational programs are supported by
well-trained faculty and staff. Four different micro-computer laboratories and
an extensive collection of computer software are available to enhance
instruction. Each classroom is networked by computer and television to the
library and the Internet. The school also includes an interactive television
laboratory networked to other Virginia school systems, community colleges, and
universities. Programs such as the Accelerated Reader Program and a Homework
Hotline supplement the instructional program.
 Norton Elementary School is a contemporary educational
facility for grades PK-7. The Core-Knowledge Pre-School is an early intervention
program that sets the stage for a strong academic program. Instruction,
emphasizing basic math and reading, is provided by a well-trained faculty and
extensive support staff. Parallel Block Scheduling in the primary grades
provides the structure for a comprehensive reading program. Instruction is
provided in both large and small groups, using interventions which help make
every student a successful reader. Students receive daily instruction in
language arts, mathematics, social studies, science, and health. Special
education and gifted programs are also offered to meet student needs.
Specialists provide instruction in art, choral and instrumental music, remedial
reading, guidance, library, physical education, and technology and life skills.
The school includes a science laboratory, two modern computer
laboratories, a multi-purpose room, reading-language arts laboratories, and
playground areas. All classrooms and computer laboratories are networked to the
library and to the Internet. Programs such as Reading is Fundamental,
Accelerated Reader, Saxon Phonics, Homework Hotline, Dropout Prevention, and the
After-School Program supplement the instructional program.
J.I. Burton High School and Norton Elementary School are fully
accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
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Wise County Christian School is a
non-profit, non-denominational Christian education facility offering grades
Pre-K - 12. In order to fulfill its goal of providing a quality Christ-centered
education, Wise County Christian School strives to provide the following:
- Christian philosophy of education in every subject
- Academic excellence in a Christian environment conductive
to learning
- Christian teachers, staff, administrator, and Board
- Daily devotions and Bible classes
- Good discipline that is firm and fair
- Strong moral and character training
- Patriotism consistent with God’s law
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Colleges and Universities
 Ranked among the nation’s top ten public liberal arts
colleges by U.S. News and World Report, The University of Virginia’s
College at Wise (UVa-Wise) offers undergraduate and professional programs in
the liberal arts tradition of Thomas Jefferson. UVa-Wise provides students with
all the advantages of a small private college, combined with the resources of
one of the nation’s most outstanding public universities. Talented faculty
guide students through fields of study, producing graduates who think critically
and communicate effectively.
Founded in 1954 on Jefferson’s principles of a liberal arts
education, UVa-Wise is the embodiment of his "academical village."
Inspired by Jefferson’s vision, local citizens worked with the University of
Virginia, the College’s parent institution, to establish a college in the
mountains.
Fully accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and
Schools, UVa-Wise offers baccalaureate degrees in 24 liberal arts and
professional programs of study. About 1,600 students study at UVa-Wise’s
350-acre main campus and at the College's Extended Learning facility located at
the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center in Abingdon.
Mountain Empire Community College is a high-tech,
student-focused higher education institution located on a beautiful 100-wooded
acre campus in Big Stone Gap. Mountain Empire is a 1998 recipient of the United
States Senate Productivity and Quality Award in recognition of its high-quality
educational programs, business and industry training, and community services to
residents of Wise County, the City of Norton, and the surrounding region.
Mountain Empire enrolls approximately 7,600 credit and
non-credit students annually. The College is fully accredited by the Southern
Association of Colleges and Schools and offers certificates and associate
degrees in over 40 occupational-technical and college transfer programs.
Distance learning is a high-quality, flexible option for today’s
non-traditional students who are unable to attend regular classes at on-campus
and off-campus sites. Old Dominion University offers courses on the Mountain
Empire campus and provides students the opportunity to continue their studies
and obtain bachelor and master degrees.
Mountain Empire provides pre-employment, start-up, and
retraining services for the area's workforce through the Center for Workforce
Development. Customized training is available to employers at their place of
business or at a convenient campus or off-campus location. The Small Business
Development Center provides information, in-depth counseling, and referrals for
existing and start-up businesses. Visit the College’s web site at http://www.me.vccs.edu.
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