John Littleton

Littleton Named To State Special Education Advisory Committee   Low Moor, VA (March 24, 2023) - John Littleton of the Alleghany Highlands Public Schools Division Board has been appointed to the Virginia Department of Education’s Special Education Advisory Committee.  Littleton represents Superintendents' Region VI on the state committee. Region VI includes school divisions in the Alleghany Highlands, the Roanoke Valley, the New River Valley, and Southside Virginia.  Littleton was appointed to the Alleghany Highlands School Board in 2022 by the Alleghany County Board of Supervisors. He was originally appointed in 2020 to serve on the Alleghany County School Board. The Alleghany Highlands Public School Division was created when Alleghany County Public Schools, Covington City Public Schools, and Jackson River Technical Center merged on July 1, 2022. Littleton serves on the Local Special Education Advisory Committee for Alleghany Highlands Public Schools. The local advisory committee provides parents and other school board appointees a say in how the school division provides services to students with disabilities. In Alleghany Highlands Public Schools, any stakeholder may attend the committee meetings, and meetings are routinely announced on the school division’s Facebook page and its website.   The committee provides reports and recommendations to the school board as necessary. Significantly, the group reviews the school division’s special education plan before it is presented for school board approval.  “I feel that Mr. Littleton will be a great voice on the state’s Special Education Advisory Committee. Mr. Littleton brings a wealth of knowledge about students with disabilities to this position and he will do a great job representing Region VI,” said Dr. Jason Conaway, director of special education for Alleghany Highlands Public Schools.  Members of the VDOE’s Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC) are appointed by the Virginia Board of Education. Among other responsibilities, the state’s Special Education Advisory Committee is tasked with developing long-range plans and strategies for meeting the needs of students with disabilities. “The VA SEAC has a long history of advocating for the needs of students of Virginia and listening to community stakeholders from across the state. John will be a great asset and bring support to the current committee members. It is a great honor for our community to have his representation at the state level,” said Kim Halterman and Melinda Snead-Johnson, leaders of AHPS. Littleton and his wife, Amanda, reside in the Falling Spring area of Alleghany County. Their son, Jase, attends Mountain View Elementary School. In addition to serving on the Local Special Education Advisory Committee, Littleton is a member of AHPS’ administrative budget and redistricting committees. The budget committee has had key input in the school division’s budget proposal for 2023-2024. The redistricting committee is working to rezone the elementary schools attendance areas. Halterman and Snead-Johnson say that in these roles, Littleton is accustomed to balancing various viewpoints and keeping student growth and success in focus. The Alleghany Highlands Public Schools Division serves approximately 2,700 students, and it is jointly funded by Alleghany County and the City of Covington. The school division regularly updates its events and activities on Facebook at AHPublicSchools, The division website can be visited at www.ahps.k12.va.us.

* * * * *