In Virginia, county school boards are composed of one member from each district in that county, and sometimes include an at-large member. They are elected for four-year terms and oversee the school district by setting the policies and choosing the leadership of public schools, among other duties. The Orange County School Board has five members, one for each district. 

In District One, Rod Hawkins is running against Sid Trimmer. Both are longtime educators. Trimmer taught electricity and building trades in high schools throughout central Virginia, while Hawkins taught at Prospect Heights Middle School in Orange County from 1978 to 2020.  

Charlottesville Tomorrow designed a questionnaire for the candidates based on more than 160 responses we received to a voter survey. They provided answers below.

Responses have been lightly edited for grammar and fact checked by a Charlottesville Tomorrow reporter.

Orange County Public Schools already has a strict cell phone policy in its district, and is now exploring policies regarding the use of AI. What is your opinion on using AI for instruction?

Rod C. Hawkins: I believe that AI can be used very efficiently in the preparation for instruction. As for direct instruction, I believe that teacher guided instruction is still the most valuable tool we have in the learning process and certainly the most critical with our younger students.

Sid L. Trimmer: I think, if it is used, it should be monitored very closely. What would this do to a grading standpoint? As a teacher for 37 years, I want the students’ work, not someone else’s or AI’s work. Maybe in some applications it would be useful — in electives such as career and technical education for instance.

OCPS made headlines in 2024 when a six-year-old brought a loaded gun to class, sparking debates about school safety. What strategies would you prioritize as a school board member to protect students?

Hawkins: Every year I see our school system making improvements to ensure the safety of our students. We must continue to provide programs to make our students, teachers, and parents more aware of behavior that might threaten the safety of our schools. Adults and children need to be alert when they see and hear of threats that could manifest itself in the schools. If they perceive a threat, they must know to communicate it to the proper authority. These things must be taught and reviewed with the entire community in order to be effective. It definitely needs to be a community effort.

Trimmer: Armed resourced officers would help, if not already being used. Emphasize to our students that if they see something or suspect something, go to the authorities. Pass laws that would hold parents accountable for such offenses.

On May 20, 2024, the Orange County School Board voted 3-2 to disaffiliate from the Virginia School Boards Association, a decision that cuts expenses and allows the board to chart its own course on policy and training, but also means giving up legal support, policy guidance, and statewide advocacy. What is your perspective on this decision, and how do you see its impact on the district?

Hawkins: I would like to see us rejoin the Virginia School Board Association. The cost of being part of this organization is fairly minimal when compared with other budget items. The benefits, some of which you listed in the question, are well worth the cost. The organization has been criticized as being to liberal. There are many counties more conservative than Orange that still use their services because of the resources they provide. We are one of a few that do not belong to the association. They provide information and resources that we can choose to use if it benefits our school system.

Trimmer: I believe local schools should be able to make their own decisions, not based on what the Virginia School Board Association (VSBA) recommends. If the VSBA writes a recommendation and the local school system wants to change it to meet their needs, such school system will lose their protection from the VSBA. It could be a waste of funds for the local school district. Not all schools have the same needs.

Like many rural districts in Virginia, Orange County struggles with teacher retention. What ideas do you have to address this issue?

Hawkins: We are able to attract new teachers because we have fairly competitive salary steps* for our first 3 years. We must increase the salaries of our teachers in the middle steps .After 3 years, we are losing many teachers to surrounding counties because they can make thousands of dollars more. In essence, we are training new teachers for the benefit of our neighboring counties. There are other important factors in keeping teachers. Teachers must know they are supported by the administration. As teachers, their safety is as important as the students. They need to know that their input is valued in the decision making process. They need a stable and structured environment in which to work.

*Editor’s Note: According to the salary scales posted on the Orange County Public Schools website, teachers in their first four years of teaching will receive an annual income between $55,156 to $56,233 for the 2025-2026 school year.

Trimmer: When you have counties with deep pockets like we see in Northern Virginia, it is tough to keep our teachers here in Orange County. Their pay scales are sometimes $20K higher. Orange County can not afford those high salaries, so maybe we could come up with some type of incentives to keep them here, such as better insurance benefits, increasing the pay scale in the middle years (5-10 years) more, or reducing the work load, especially for our new teachers. Hiring couples was a strategy that Greene County used. Some of them worked for Greene County for decades, raised families there, and were strong community members.

Funding for school districts in Virginia is changing rapidly, with less money coming from the state government, and federal support also possibly disappearing. What are some of the ways you are thinking about maintaining funds and services for your school division in this shifting landscape?

Hawkins: This is a difficult question for every school system, especially in this political environment. We need to research any available information on what is working in other places. We must be open minded to all input and advice from our government officials and agencies, and our constituents. This problem can’t be solved by the School Board or Board of Supervisors. This has to be solved by a cooperative and unified community that is truly concerned about the education of our children.

Trimmer: First of all, we need to look at how efficient the school system is using their funds. We need to take a look at our outside maintenance contractors to see how we could cut costs. Use our career and technical programs such as electrical and HVAC, carpentry and plumbing for routine maintenance. I taught building trades and electrical for 37 years, my students built concession stands at the sport fields, did electrical work throughout the school system, and we also built 21 homes, which was a self sustaining project. And look at ways to cut costs without taking anything away from students and faculty.

Are there any other pressing issues facing Orange County Public Schools that you would like voters to know about?

Hawkins: Any decision that I have to make will be based on what will give our students and teachers the safest and best teaching and learning environment that we can provide.

Trimmer: Did not respond.

More about the candidate and issues

• More information about Rodney Hawkins and Sid Trimmer’ campaign finance information on Virginia Public Access Project

Here are key dates and deadlines in the 2025 elections

Friday, May 2, 2025	Early voting for primaries begins weekdays at local registrar’s offices.
Tuesday, May 27, 2025	Deadline to register to vote or update an existing registration for the primary election. You can still vote in the primary if you miss this deadline by registering at the polling place and casting a provisional ballot. You do not have to be a member of a political party to vote in that party’s primary election. However, you can only vote in one party’s primary election each year.
Friday, June 6, 2025, 5:00 p.m.	Deadline to apply for your ballot to be mailed to you. Requests must be received by your local registrar’s offices by 5 p.m.
Friday, June 6, 2025, 5:00 p.m.	Deadline to apply online for an absentee ballot using the Citizen Portal.
Saturday, June 7, 2025	Local voter registration offices open on Saturdays for early voting for primaries.
Saturday, June 14, 2025, 5:00 p.m.	Early voting for primaries ends at local registrar’s offices.
Tuesday, June 17, 2025	Primary Election Day!
Friday, Sept. 19 to Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025 5:00 p.m.	Check with your local registrar’s office for early in-person voting.
Friday, Oct. 24, 2025, 5:00 p.m.	Deadline to apply with your local registrar’s office for a ballot to be mailed to you.
Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025	Election Day!

We will update this list periodically as deadlines approach or we receive new information.

Register to vote, check your registration, find your polling places and apply to vote absentee at the Virginia Department of Elections here. Remember, even if you miss registration deadlines, you can register through Election Day and vote using a provisional ballot.

Need to know if you’re eligible to vote? Here are resources from the Virginia Department of Elections.