July 20, 2021, VSBA Conference on Education
Join hundreds of school division leaders from across Virginia at the 35th Annual VSBA Conference on Education. We are pleased to have Governor Ralph Northam in attendance, with our afternoon keynote presentation from the Aldrin Foundation! There will also be a time for…
Neighbors, teachers and students hold rally for a new George Wythe High School
Saturday morning, an energized crowd of students, parents and city leaders rallied together at the entrance of George Wythe High School, demanding that all school board members vote in favor of the compromise that could see a new George Wythe built by 2024. Pastor Robin…
Virginia county offering students scholarships for getting COVID-19 vaccine
Some middle and high school students in Prince Edward County have the chance to be rewarded for rolling up their sleeves and getting the COVID-19 vaccine. The county’s board of supervisors has approved five $1,000 scholarships for students who have been vaccinated….
21 Virginia high school students named National Cyber Scholars
Twenty-one Virginia high school students have earned the titles of National Cyber Scholar after winning a rigorous 48-hour competition designed to evaluate aptitude in combating cyber threats, and showcase the best of what Commonwealth of Virginia schools have to offer. The…
Bristol Virginia school officials reflect on challenging year
When 116 Virginia High School seniors accept their diplomas tonight it will conclude an unparalleled year for the Bristol Virginia school division, which bucked national trends and offered a full year of in-person classes amid the throes of a global pandemic. After two…
Va. school named for Confederate soldier renamed for ‘Hidden Figure’ Katherine Johnson
The “shoot for the stars” posters oft seen in primary schools may become a little more literal next school year for some students in Fairfax County. The former Sidney Lanier Middle School, once named for the poet and Confederate States Army soldier, has been renamed in honor of…
Patrick County Public Schools to offer in-person and virtual options for 2021-22
Patrick County Public Schools’ officials are looking forward to the return of a regular school year, starting Aug. 10. But they have a backup plan for families not ready for that, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. The schools “will open Aug. 10 for our students five days a week for in…
Chesterfield County School Board ended 7 teachers contracts after a whirlwind school year with no public discussion
Seven teachers with Chesterfield County Public Schools will not return this coming school year after a School Board vote, a decision that drew a sharp rebuke from the county’s teachers union after an unprecedented school year in a district with more than 100 teaching openings…
After months without an update, Richmond schools will resume discussion of police in schools
Richmond Public Schools will move forward this summer with a discussion on police in schools after months without an update. Danielle Pierce, a spokesperson for the division, said SROs — school resource officers — in RPS will be included in a larger discussion this summer on…
Daily school resource officer presence should end, says Arlington Co. superintendent
Arlington County, Virginia, Superintendent Francisco Duran has recommended changing the focus of safety and punishment in public schools by eliminating the daily presence of county police officers. During a Thursday school board meeting, Duran presented his suggestions for…
Pandemic teaching has been ‘lesson in improv comedy’ for Middle School Teacher of the Year
If you’re a teacher and you’re in the middle of being evaluated, and then the superintendent walks in and tells you that you’re the city-wide middle school teacher of the year, it’s a safe bet that the evaluation went well. For Ginny German, a sixth-grade English teacher at Col. Fred…
Vinton area schools bid farewell to retirees
Several faculty and staff members at Vinton-area schools are retiring at the end of the 2020-2021 school year. Julia Link and William McBride have retired from William Byrd High School. Link, a biology teacher, has spent her entire teaching career of 27 years at WBHS…
Federal funding restrictions could force Va. schools to spend millions improving buildings that should be replaced
Virginia schools received nearly $2 billion from the federal government in its latest round of COVID-19 relief funding for public education. But while current guidance allows that money to pay for pandemic-related improvements — including new HVAC systems, window repairs or…
June 24, 2021, The Importance of Civility
Join VSBA for a live webinar with Executive Director Andrea Messina from the Florida School Boards Association as she shares why civility within the board room is so important. As we all know, variance in personal opinions result from different expectations, goals, beliefs, or…