October is VSBA Bullying Prevention Month
In an effort to promote awareness of school bullying, the VSBA Board of Directors has designated the month of October as VSBA Bullying Prevention Month. Childhood bullying is a significant problem nationwide. It can cause school absenteeism, mental and physical stress…
November 18-20, VSBA Virtual Annual Convention
The VSBA Annual Convention is the largest and most anticipated VSBA meeting of the year. While this year our Annual Convention may look a little different, and we won’t get to see your smiling faces in person, we hope you’ll find our event schedule to be just as enriching and…
City Teachers Sweep Economic Education Awards
Michaela Minore and Cesar Gonzalez have won the top prize statewide in an economic education competition for a project developed at Skyline Middle School. In “Career and Personal Finance (Online Learning Modules),” students explored potential future paths, the education…
Winchester School Board approves more in-person learning for its youngest students
Prekindergarten through first-grade students in Winchester Public Schools will be able to attend in-person classes four days a week instead of two starting Nov. 16. The city School Board unanimously approved the change Monday night. “I do believe this is the right decision…
Hampton after-school program gets a STEM Boost from Flying Classroom
A small group of Hampton students gathered Monday afternoon around a stack of boxes outside Barrington Irving’s plane at Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport. Irving cut into one of them and pulled out a box. The boxes are from Flying Classroom and contain…
Tour brings Va. schools chief to Tazewell County
Virginia’s superintendent of public instruction stopped Monday in Tazewell County as part of a tour to see how the Virginia Department of Education can support school systems during the ongoing pandemic. Superintendent Dr. James F. Lane spoke withe local media while he was…
Nelson finally returns to athletic activities, but still no sport-specific instruction
Nelson County students will not be allowed in school buildings for academic instruction until at least January, but those who play sports now have a chance to participate in some in-person activities. Following a unanimous vote of the Nelson County School Board at the beginning of…
The Pumpkin Patch
With field trips on hold for students in Bedford County Public Schools (BCPS), students at Bedford Elementary had the field trip brought to them last week. Under the leadership of first grade teacher Beth Isner, students were treated to their own personal pumpkin patch. In…
Pittsylvania County Schools to be closed Thursday
Due to the forecasted impact of Hurricane Zeta, Pittsylvania County Schools will be closed on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2020. Employees follow Plan C. The National Weather Service has issued a tropical storm warning through Thursday for both Danville and Pittsylvania County. Hurricane…
Central Virginia schools cancel/change learning model ahead of expected inclement weather
Some schools in Central Virginia are making changes to their learning model or canceling school ahead of expected inclement weather as remnants of Hurricane Zeta move through the region. Buckingham County Public Schools will operate on a virtual learning model on…
Richmond school board to start discussions on learning plans for second semester
The Richmond Public Schools Superintendent says the school board will begin discussions about a back to learning plan for the second semester on Nov. 2. At a news conference Wednesday afternoon, Superintendent Jason Kamras announced those discussions with the…
Back to Learning: Henrico families and staff receive more info on in-person/virtual learning plans
Henrico County Public School (HCPS) families and faculty got more of an idea of how learning will take place during two virtual town halls scheduled Tuesday. On Oct. 22, the HCPS school board voted 4-1 to expand in-person learning opportunities for the second nine-weeks of…
‘Hung out to dry’: School boards, not the state, are deciding how to reopen, sparking fierce local debates
A little over a week after Gov. Ralph Northam announced plans for a phased reopening of Virginia’s K-12 schools, Virginia Beach Superintendent Aaron Spence wrote a frustrated email to a top official at the state’s Department of Education. “This variance option — and the…
Courtland High School students’ podcast reflects what life is like for teens during the pandemic
Julia Hayden and Alyssa Defrancisco learned that it doesn’t take much to get people talking about the COVID-19 pandemic. “I’ve learned that all these people we’re interviewing—they all have something to say and they want to be heard,” Hayden said. “You don’t see that at first…
Tensions over Chesapeake schools are running high. Board meetings have become a flashpoint.
In the past several months, Chesapeake Public School Board meetings have become a flashpoint for one issue: how to return students and teachers back to school during a pandemic. Parents, students and teachers have come out to the podium — the meetings have remained…
October 30, 2020 Women in Leadership Virtual Discussion: Women of Color on the School Board
Please join us for a frank and courageous conversation about serving on a school board as a women of color. Hear from our three panelist and tell your story as well. Panelists: Karen Anderson Holman, Winchester, Virginia, Joyce Morley, DeKalb, Georgia, Ruth Veales…
November 5, 2020, Education Foundations Workshop
The Virginia School Boards Association would like to invite you to a workshop for school board members, education foundation professionals, volunteers and those interested in starting an education foundation in your school division. The workshop will feature education foundation…