February 5, 2021
NewsDaily NewsFebruary 5, 2021

February 17, 2021, VSBA Title IX Best Practices in Training & Compliance
With claims of sexual harassment and sexual misconduct hitting newsstands everywhere, Title IX coordinators and other senior staff need to be confident in their knowledge and enforcement of their divisions’ policies. Prevention and thorough investigations are the best ways to…

March 17, 2021, VSBA March Hot Topic
Join us as we gather virtually for an informative and important conference. This conference will be focusing specifically on multiple hot topics in education. You will hear from three leaders in public education throughout the event speaking on the topics of Race and Equity…

Virginia’s largest school systems vow to reopen classrooms for all by March
Two of Virginia’s largest school systems have vowed to reopen classrooms for all students by mid-March, as pressure mounts from elected officials and irate parents — many facing their 11th month of virtual learning during the coronavirus pandemic — and evidence suggests that…

Isle of Wight wants to raise sales tax to fund school construction. Virginia Senate says county can vote.
Isle of Wight could be the next county to raise its local sales tax to fund school construction as legislators continue to spar over how to fund desperately needed school projects. The Virginia Senate approved a bill Wednesday afternoon in a 31-8 vote to allow the county to raise the…

Governor Northam indicates school may run into summer
Governor Ralph Northam told the Washington Post Thursday that summer school may be in the cards for at least some Virginia students this year, in an effort to help them catch up after months of often-virtual learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. He said he would announce…

Health director not ‘overly alarmed’ about 11 student, staff cases in Chesterfield elementary schools, parents push for more data
Within two days of elementary schools resuming live classes in Chesterfield, nearly a dozen elementary school students and staff have tested positive for COVID-19. According to Chesterfield County Public School’s online data, six elementary staff members and five…

Student Art Returns To OASIS For First Friday
Every year, OASIS Fine Art and Craft dedicates its upper level gallery space to showcase the work of local art students for one month. But one week before news of the pandemic shut Virginia’s schools down, Broadway High School’s was the last student show to open at…

Henrico school board makes decision on in-person learning plan
The Henrico County School Board has voted on a plan that will allow students to return to in-person learning. The board voted 4-1 in favor of students returning to the classroom; Brookland District board member Kristi Kinsella voted no. “I understand the toll this pandemic has had…

APS welcomes CTE students back to the classroom
On Wednesday, Arlington County Public Schools Career Center welcomed back their first cohort of students to return to in-person instruction twice a week. Career and Technical Education (CTE) students were phased in early for hybrid instruction because their studies…

Marshall Academy Holds Open House Tonight
Marshall Academy, a governor’s STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) academy, will host its annual academy open house for prospective students on Thursday, Feb. 4, from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. The virtual program includes an academy program overview from 6:30…

Bedford County School Board votes to return varsity sports after losing fall season
Bedford County student-athletes will finally be able to get back on the playing field soon. The school board voted to bring back varsity sports beginning with a make-up season for fall sports. This decision comes after the school board was split on whether or not to allow student…

Accomack School Board Presents 21-22 Fiscal Budget
The Accomack County School Board conducted a public hearing Tuesday night to consider the proposed budget for the 2021-22 fiscal year. The proposed budget of $55,796,298  is $3.9 million above the previous year’s budget. However, that figure includes additional state…

‘A wake-up call’: Lynchburg school board member shares COVID-19 experience
When Lynchburg City School Board member Atul Gupta received his positive COVID-19 test result this week, he was frustrated. “I escaped it for almost 10 months, and when the vaccine was here, I got it,” Gupta said. “It’s heartbreaking, that you were almost there and got it right…

Pulaski County Schools back in class with intentions to move to five days in-person
During the holiday season, Pulaski County Public Schools had transitioned to four days of in-person learning a week, with one day of virtual learning. The district had to pull back to a 50% virtual/50% in-person schedule due to a lack of substitutes. Thursday, Feb. 4 was the first day…

Amid pandemic, Virginia Beach schools’ proposed budget calls for raises for teachers
mid a pandemic that upended public school funding last year, Virginia Beach Schools Superintendent Aaron Spence proposed an $828.8 million operating budget that focuses on the same bread-and-butter issues listed as priorities in previous years. The proposal, which was…

VSBA Student Essay Contest
The Virginia School Boards Association is holding a personal essay/speaking contest where the winner will have an opportunity to present before an audience of more than 300 school board members and administrators at the 2021 Virtual VSBA Conference on Education held July 20…