HARRISONBURG, VA (Rocktown Now) — Overcrowding is still a concern in Harrisonburg City Public Schools.

Tuesday night’s school board meeting included a look at enrollment numbers and discussion regarding the school division’s Capital Improvement Plan. That includes future renovations for the city schools, as well as a possible need for land acquisition and building a new elementary school.

In the meantime, though, Superintendent Dr. Michael Richards says the best response is to stay ahead of the curve.

“I think, what I’ve seen in my experience is, there’s sort of a tipping point, where you can manage overcrowding to a certain extent and you can mask it, and you can say “okay you know, we’re okay at this point” but there is a tipping point and HHS reached that several years ago,” Richards said at the meeting.

The board plans to talk with teachers and staff to gauge the real-life impact of overcrowding at their schools.

Another step closer to collective bargaining

The Harrisonburg School Board discussed a resolution at last night’s meeting that would allow collective bargaining among Harrisonburg teachers and staff.

Superintendent Dr. Michael Richards told the board that he recommended that provision be included in the resolution that staff will have a say whether they are a member of the Harrisonburg Education Association or not.

“Be if further resolved that collective bargaining is meant to allow all Bargaining Unit Employees, regardless of employee association membership, a voice in discussing/addressing the terms and conditions of their employment,” Richards explained. “And that any exclusive representative will invite and consider input from bargaining unit employees, member and non-member alike.”

Members of the Harrisonburg Education Association filled city council chambers to voice their support of the resolution and spoke during the public comment period.

The school board will meet in closed session next Tuesday to discuss the resolution with legal counsel.