School board cuts ribbon for Northwood Office

10 17 School Board Cuts Ribbon on Northwood office scaled
School Board Chair Gina Paine cuts the ribbon to officially open the new Pulaski County School Board offices at the old Northwood Elementary School. (William Paine photos/Patriot Publishing)

 

By WILLIAM PAINE

Patriot Publishing

Board members and staff for Pulaski County Public Schools were joined Tuesday by town and county officials for a ribbon cutting ceremony to officially open the school board’s new offices at the former Northwood Elementary School.

The Pulaski County Chamber of Commerce provided the ribbon and the oversized scissors, while the Pulaski County High School Band provided the music for the occasion.

Northwood Elementary was built in 1950 and had 103 students that year ranging from kindergarten to the fifth grade. Northwood closed in 2005 due to school consolidation, but was renovated and became the new home for the Southwest Virginia Governor’s School from 2006 to 2023.

In September 2024, the school board voted to relocate the Central Offices to the Northwood building and in July 2025, the PCPS central office was moved from Washington Ave. to Northwood.

10 17 School Board room scaled
“This was what we would call the cafe gymatorium, because it served as the cafeteria, the gymnasium and the auditorium. Now it’s our school board office,” said PCPS Superintendent Rob Graham. “We can hold really large meetings in here.”

“This space represents a significant investment in the future of our school system and our community,” said President of the Pulaski County Chamber of Commerce Sean Pressman. “The time, effort and resources that went into this renovation reflect a clear commitment to providing a space that supports the important work done here every day … Congratulations to everyone who’s had a hand in bringing this project to life. It’s something that our entire community can be proud of.”

“We know a little something about renovations in Pulaski County,” said County Administrator Jonathan Sweet. “This is one of almost a dozen schools that have been renovated or repurposed. We’d like to commend you and congratulate you on a job well done in retrofitting an old school and repurposing it for continued public use … It’s probably one of the most cost-effective re-uses for a school for a public purpose. So, congratulations.”

Sweet presented a “housewarming” gift to the school board from the county, which board members unwrapped on site.

“This is the first map that was drawn of Pulaski County circa 1864,” said Sweet. “It’s a replica of the map that is in the Library of Congress.”

“This is usually where I say shop local,” said Pulaski Town Manager Todd Day, as the audience chuckled. “We’re glad to have you here and just like last night (at the homecoming parade), we hope our hospitality will treat you well. Just let me know if there’s anything I can do.”

“It was in January that we had some leaks in the School Board Office at 202 North Washington Avenue,” said School Superintendent Rob Graham. “We thought, where could we move? We started this process in March. I didn’t think we’d move in for two years, and we were here before our students started in August. So, kudos to everybody that worked on this for making this place just absolutely fantastic. It’s such a warm and inviting School Board office. It’s the best school board office I’ve ever been in. The best part of all this, it was a little bit under a million dollars to renovate this place and we paid for it all in cash. That’s a testament to the relationship we have with our board of supervisors.”

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This classroom was renovated to become a modern conference room. The built in wooden wall cabinets are from the original 1950 elementary school. Notice how the ceiling is lowered to allow for ductwork but raises as the ceiling meets the wall to allow the windows to remain uncovered.

“Northwood first opened its doors in 1950,” said School Board Chairwoman Gina Paine. “It was done so in a joint bond referendum for $331,000 and it was a joint bond because the old Riverlawn was being built at the same time. So that means both schools were each constructed for about $150,000 and they’re still standing. Think about that … we’ve renovated it to make it a 21st century building that can continue to grow with the needs of our students and allowing us to better serve them.”

Samantha Edwards, Executive Director of the Pulaski County Chamber of Commerce, then brought out the ribbon and the big scissors so that Paine could make the cut to officially open the new school board offices. After the was ribbon cut, attendees toured the building. Snacks were provided by the high school Culinary Arts Program.

10 17 school board Superintendents Office scaled
Pulaski County School Superintendent Rob Graham stands in his new office at Northwood. This room served as the principal’s office during the Northwood Elementary/SWVA Governor’s School period. Assistant Superintendent’s offices are in adjacent rooms. Large classrooms on the second floor were subdivided into 4 office spaces, two with windows looking out and two interior offices.