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…
Franklin County fifth-grade teacher named 2021 Virginia Teacher of the Year
A local elementary school teacher has earned the state’s highest honor for teaching. Anthony Swann, a fifth-grade teacher at Rocky Mount Elementary, was named the 2021 Virginia Teacher of the Year during a virtual ceremony on Thursday night. “First of all, I’d like to thank God for…
Gov. Northam directs more than $220M in CARES Act funding to Virginia’s schools
More than $220 million in federal funding is being allocated to Virginia’s public schools. Governor Ralph Northam announced Thursday, October 8, that funding from the Coronavirus Aid, Recovery, and Economic Security (CARES) Act will go to support COVID-19…
Supervisors divert $360K in CARES money from Culpeper schools
Culpeper parents facing economic challenges due to the myriad implications of children being at home for virtual learning could, incredibly, get money from the county government to help out. That’s if a loosely organized initiative pans out. At its meeting Tuesday, the Culpeper Board of…
As students return, school officials report 22 staff and faculty COVID cases since August
As Chesterfield County students begin heading back to the classroom for in-person instruction, school officials are reporting at least 22 documented COVID-19 cases since teachers returned on Aug. 31. According to school spokesman Tim Bullis, all cases reported so far involve…
Plans are hazy, but Norfolk could bring students back in person Nov. 4
Norfolk could bring some children back to school Nov. 4, but many details are up in the air. The timeline Superintendent Sharon Byrdsong and staff proposed to the school board Wednesday has all elementary school students back in classrooms for part of the week by mid-November…
Students of color at Alexandria’s T.C. Williams High speak out as name change is considered
Students of color at T.C. Williams High School in Alexandria, Virginia, are sharing stories of their school experiences — and what they say are racial inequities. Several spoke Wednesday night at the first of what will be three virtual student forums this month. The forums are part of a…
High school government teachers in Martinsville and Henry County work to help students register to vote during the pandemic
One of the hallmarks of high school government classes is when students register to vote. Government teachers at Bassett, Magna Vista and Martinsville High Schools all said they help students each year understand how to register, to go through that process and then…
Teacher group pushes back as Newport News outlines plan to return to classrooms
The School Board decided the benefits of bringing some children back to classrooms is worth the risk — and some members suspect the relative lull in coronavirus cases might the kids’ best chance to learn in-person this year. Some Newport News teachers, on other hand, see a…
Haas recommends more in-person classes for Albemarle students
The Albemarle County School Board on Thursday will hear a proposal Thursday to move the division to Stage Three of its reopening plan, meaning preschoolers through third-graders could go to class twice a week starting Nov. 9. School Superintendent Matt Haas discussed his…
Lynchburg school board OKs employee bonuses
All Lynchburg City Schools employees will receive bonuses for their continued work during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Lynchburg City School Board unanimously voted at its Tuesday meeting in favor of using a portion of the division’s $4.1 million fund balance from the 2019…
Coronavirus pandemic making it harder to find teachers at Virginia Beach public schools
Teacher shortages remain an issue this school year, and officials at Virginia Beach City Public Schools say the coronavirus pandemic isn’t making things any easier. According to figures from the division, there are more than 170 unfilled positions throughout the division and nearly half…
Change of plans: Prince William Co. Schools move to phased-in return to the classroom
Wednesday afternoon brought dueling protests outside the administration building for Prince William County Public Schools, with teachers pushing to delay the return to the classroom as a group of parents rallied in opposition to virtual learning. Then came the school board meeting…
Roanoke receives national recognition for reading program, high school students offer math tutoring
tar City Reads, Roanoke’s collaborative grade-level reading campaign, recently received national recognition for its Feed and Read program, according to a news release. Roanoke was one of 16 Pacesetter winners across the nation, a designation given by the Campaign for…
Spotsylvania Schools recognized as one of Virginia’s best employers
This year, Forbes Business Magazine partnered with Statista, a market research company, for the Forbes second annual ranking of America’s best employers by state. Spotsylvania County Public Schools (SCPS) made this year’s America’s Best Employers by state list; ranking 37…
October 28, 2020, Title IX Best Practices in Training & Compliance, Level 2 Training
Registration is now open for the NEW VSBA Title IX Level 2 Workshop in conjunction with Sands Anderson PC. New Title IX Regulations went into effect in August and require training for staff people who fill several roles in the Title IX process, including Investigators and Decision…