Alleghany Highlands School Division Superintendent Kim Halterman

AHPS Superintendent Working to Help At-Risk Youth in State   Low Moor, VA (Jan. 26, 2023) - Kim Halterman, superintendent of Alleghany Highlands Public Schools, is a member of a Virginia Department of Education committee that aims to address issues affecting at-risk youth. Halterman was appointed to the Superintendents Judges Liaison Committee last year. She represents Region VI of the Virginia Department of Education’s superintendent’s geographic regions. One superintendent and one judge are selected to serve from each of VDOE’s eight regions. Region VI covers the Alleghany Highlands, the Roanoke Valley, and Southside Virginia.  Previously, Superintendent Ken Nicely of Roanoke County Public Schools served on the committee. He is now appointed to a different regional leadership role. Nicely's family is originally from Covington and the Crows area of Alleghany County. The Superintendents Judges Liaison Committee was organized by the state superintendent of public instruction in cooperation with the Supreme Court of Virginia in 1995. Its purpose is to facilitate open communication between school division superintendents and juvenile and domestic relations court judges. The committee also discusses state resources that can support students and families. “I am blessed to be able to join this committee, and our meetings are very informative. Many fine resources are available to support students statewide, and it is an honor to be able to learn more about these services,” Halterman said.   The Superintendents Judges Liaison Committee meets twice a year to review and receive information concerning programs supporting at-risk youth and laws affecting that population. Agenda items for meetings typically include truancy prevention, effective re-enrollment practices, General Assembly activities, and school health. The committee also discusses matters such as weapons in schools, bullying, drug abuse, gang prevention, social media activities, disproportionality, and mental health issues. “All of us in AHPS are so pleased with our community’s support for the safety and security of our students and staff.  Participating in these conversations also allows us to share practices from our area that could support others in the future,” Halterman said.   Halterman, a second-generation educator from her family, became the first-ever superintendent for Alleghany Highlands Public Schools last July. The Alleghany Highlands Public Schools Division was created on July 1, 2022, through the merger of Alleghany County Public Schools, Covington City Public Schools, and Jackson River Technical Center. An Alleghany High School graduate, Halterman was appointed in March 2021 as superintendent of Alleghany County Public Schools. She has more than 20 years of experience in public education. She served as a teacher in Botetourt County and as an assistant principal and principal at both the elementary and secondary levels in Bedford County. Before joining Alleghany County schools, Halterman worked for the Virginia Department of Education in its career and technology education division.  Halterman was valedictorian of the Alleghany High School Class of 1997. She attended Roanoke College in Salem, studying psychology, sociology, preschool through secondary education, and health care, also graduating as valedictorian. She earned a master’s degree in educational leadership and policy studies from Virginia Tech. She also possesses two graduate certificates from the University of Virginia, one in human resources leadership and one in health care administration.   She is the daughter of Lana C. Kidd, a long-time teacher in Alleghany and Botetourt counties, of Alleghany County and the late Daniel F. Kidd, an electrician at the former Hercules plant in Covington.   “I am truly excited by the progress in our region. It is important for us to focus on the positive and build on our strengths, and when the work requires a little extra from all of us, I often reflect on how excited Dad would have been to see us all working together and succeeding,” Halterman said. “He would be so pleased to see individuals from the schools, the local governments, and from the community itself participating in statewide conversations, no matter their specific role, and would remind us all to share a word of welcome from the mountains.”   The Alleghany Highlands Public Schools Division serves approximately 2,700 students.

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