<a href="https://www.vsba.org/resources/initiatives/equity-in-education-month/">March is VSBA Equity in Education Month
</a>In an effort to encourage equity in education, the VSBA Board of Directors has designated the month of March as VSBA Equity in Education Month. For more information on the month-long webinar series, a copy of the governor’s proclamation and additional resources follow the link above.

<a href="https://www.vsba.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/April-Hot-Topic-Brochure.pdf">VSBA April Hot Topic Conference, April 13, 2021</a>
Join us virtually for the 2021 VSBA April Hot Topic Conference. This conference brings together dynamic speakers addressing issues that are important and relevant to every school division. This year we will be discussing the important of collective bargaining. Attendees will hear from…

<a href="https://roanoke.com/news/botetourt-school-board-approves-budget-with-raise-for-teachers/article_b9c809d2-8dbd-11eb-a68a-fb97ebe85b93.html">Botetourt school board approves budget with raise for teachers
</a>Botetourt County’s public school teachers should receive an average 5% raise beginning in July, the county school board decided unanimously Thursday. That raise, which combines a 3% across-the-board raise with with a one-step increase, is part of the division’s proposed $65.2…

<a href="http://www.sovanow.com/index.php?/news/article/halifax_schools_budget_with_teacher_staff_raises_clears_first_step/">Halifax schools budget with teacher, staff raises clears first step
</a>The Halifax County School Board voted 7-1 Monday to approve the proposed 2021-22 school budget to send to the Halifax County Board of Supervisors to incorporate into the county budget. ED-8 trustee Walter Potts cast the lone vote against the $68.2 million package. The…

<a href="https://www.theprincegeorgejournal.com/news/middle-school-cooking-show-bringing-families-closer-together/article_4ab07e1e-8b13-11eb-a7ab-d7b25848c0d8.html">Middle school cooking show bringing families closer together
</a>After being a science teacher for over a decade, Lisa Boiteau started teaching Family Consumer Sciences at J.E.J. Moore Middle School following a beloved teacher’s retirement. The reason: the joy it would bring to her students that would extend to their families at home…

<a href="https://smithfieldtimes.com/2021/03/23/virginias-first-lady-visits-windsor-elementary/">Virginia’s first lady visits Windsor Elementary
</a>Virginia First Lady Pamela Northam and state Secretary of Education Atif Qarni are on a road trip to observe the reopening of the commonwealth’s public schools — which included a stop at Windsor Elementary School March 17. As of that week, all but four of the state’s 132 public…

<a href="https://newsvirginian.com/news/local/waynesboro-students-organize-stop-asian-hate-march-and-protest/article_ac54db2a-8dc9-11eb-84a0-1b9ddb7b7c2d.html#tracking-source=home-top-story-1">Waynesboro students organize Stop Asian Hate March and Protest
</a>Local high school students have organized a Stop Asian Hate March and Protest for Saturday afternoon at Staunton's Gypsy Hill Park. Waynesboro High senior Delaney Duff, head organizer of the event, said the march’s goal is to bring community awareness to the problems those in…

<a href="https://newsadvance.com/news/local/education/more-lynchburg-elementary-students-to-receive-increased-in-person-learning/article_10c0d53c-8ca8-11eb-bac6-07929fe8f2b9.html">More Lynchburg elementary students to receive increased in-person learning
</a>Lynchburg City Schools has announced it will increase in-person learning for its third through fifth graders. Beginning April 20, third through fifth graders currently in hybrid learning will begin attending school in person four days per week — an increase from the current two-days-per…

<a href="https://www.farmvilleherald.com/2021/03/class-of-2021-has-been-defined-by-pandemic/">Class of 2021 has been defined by pandemic
</a>One year ago, high school seniors had much of their final semester ripped away from them by the coronavirus pandemic. Proms, senior nights and even graduation ceremonies were flipped upside down and sometimes canceled entirely as the community grappled with a global…

<a href="https://www.nbc12.com/2021/03/24/students-return-in-person-learning-heres-how-your-schools-covid-case-count-central-va/">As students return to in-person learning, here’s how to track a school’s COVID-19 case count in Central Va.
</a>With more and more students across Virginia heading back to class in-person, here is a breakdown of how you can track COVID-19 cases and outbreaks at your child’s school. The 12 On Your Side Investigators uncovered that public reporting and parental notification vary…

<a href="https://www.wric.com/news/local-news/hanover-county/hanover-county-teacher-wins-biology-educator-award/">Hanover County teacher wins biology educator award
</a>A teacher from Hanover County Public Schools was given an award naming her as one of the top biology teachers in the greater mid-Atlantic region. Alice Scheele, a Patrick Henry High School biology teacher, was honored with the 2020 National Association of Biology Teachers’…

<a href="https://newsadvance.com/community/new_era_progress/news/equity-lesson-rolls-out-in-amherst-county-schools/article_8b62e85c-882a-11eb-bfd5-97423f445ed5.html">Equity lesson rolls out in Amherst County schools
</a>After a two-month delay, Amherst County’s high school and two middle schools are proceeding with a lesson plan on topics such as equity, social justice, stereotypes and bias on March 31 and April 1. The equity lesson has drawn a slew of public comments, mostly from Amherst…

<a href="https://richmond.com/news/local/henrico-county-schools-revises-mitigation-plan-will-maintain-six-feet-of-distance-between-children/article_c722e9c3-bac7-5b19-a0e8-0967b6bf8d73.html">Henrico County Public Schools changes some safety measures, opts to maintain six feet of distance between children
</a>The Henrico County Public Schools health committee recommended on Thursday that the division maintain its policy of requiring 6 feet of social distance for in-person instruction to prevent the spread of COVID-19 after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said…

<a href="https://dailyprogress.com/community/greenenews/lifestyles/virtual-learning-successful-for-some-students-parents/article_0f6f3536-8cb5-11eb-aadf-8f07e3e21ab0.html">Virtual learning successful for some students, parents</a>
Throughout the pandemic, many students have struggled with isolation from friends and loved ones, with uncertainty in daily lives including attending school in hybrid or virtual learning environments and with fears over the many changes to daily life due to COVID-19. For some…

<a href="https://www.wdbj7.com/2021/03/25/alleghany-and-covington-joint-schools-committee-starts-survey-on-new-school-names/">Alleghany and Covington Joint Schools Committee starts survey on new school names
</a>The names of Alleghany High School and Covington High School could become a thing of the past. The Joint School Services Committee in charge of working out the details on the merger of the two systems has started an online survey of the community on new names for the schools…

<a href="https://www.wavy.com/news/local-news/newport-news/warwick-high-students-advance-to-international-event-for-future-health-professionals/">Warwick High students advance to international event for future health professionals
</a>Students and staff at Warwick High School in Newport News are the first in our region to win a statewide competition for future health professionals. Now, these students participating in the Governor’s Health Sciences Academies, or HOSA, are preparing for an international event…

<a href="https://wested.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ELbOlgpzRY-Y76Oz647f9w">Addressing the Impact of COVID-19 through Summer Learning and Enrichment Webinar Monday, March 29
</a>Please join the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and the Center to Improve Social and Emotional Learning and School Safety at WestEd for a virtual discussion on Addressing the Impact of COVID through Summer Learning and Enrichment. Summer learning and…

<a href="https://u3352875.ct.sendgrid.net/ss/c/qiFDLNv_nH48tAE0aRgYbzN7mWhM2jHRaapUU29SJunMNZEvcBx_2F1s7MKoShYZ944rUXHjig0is7q1L2DjeIjtLYf_4c0vPq3hOeY1TZI/39h/zUahEOrOTB2IV6Sbi3JiuA/h17/vP_1jqhY20xxPs7NvPjY71aia4t3T0mutWn60GUt1dM">2021 VSBA Business Honor Roll Open Now
</a>Local businesses have the power to shape community attitudes about public schools. Every spring, the VSBA Business Honor Roll provides a way for local school divisions to recognize local businesses for their support, especially as schools face increasing budget uncertainty…