<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="http://nkccnews.com/local-news/2021/03/28/charles-city-public-schools-receive-500000-grant-from-dmme/">Charles City Public Schools receive $500,000 grant from DMME
</a>Charles City County Public Schools received a $500,000 grant from the Solar Enhanced Energy Savings Performance Contract Program at the Department of Mines, Minerals, and Energy (DMME). In a Mar. 26 press release, the project, which includes the 712.5 kilowatt ground…

<a href="https://richmond.com/news/local/chesterfield-county-public-schools-opens-new-crestwood-elementary-school-with-covid-19-safety-protocols/article_46b8a460-0a18-5d63-9385-2e1e6a9c59d3.html">Chesterfield County Public Schools opens new Crestwood Elementary School with COVID-19 safety protocols
</a>Crestwood Elementary School students and teachers are finally going back home. For the past two school years, Crestwood has made a temporary home in trailers at Bon Air Elementary so a new school could be built on its grounds. Chesterfield County Public Schools is opening the…

<a href="https://www.southwesttimes.com/2021/03/school-board-forwards-budget-to-bos/">School Board forwards budget to BOS
</a>The Pulaski County School Board, after carefully considering the requests of each school within the system, has put together a proposed budget for the 2021-22 school year that will require an additional $534,126 to accomplish three goals. All of those goals include pay raises for…

<a href="https://www.dailypress.com/tidewater-review/va-tr-kw-schools-meals-distrib-0319-20210329-epgpyzcewvewtf5rxr77qsbd4i-story.html">King William Public Schools distributes nearly 200,000 meals amid the pandemic
</a>According to a recent U.S. Census Bureau study, roughly 18 million Americans reported they sometimes or often do not have enough food to eat each week. Of that number, 14% said they are responsible for feeding their children. Amid the pandemic, the problem has grown…

<a href="https://www.timesvirginian.com/news/article_b489ab02-9163-11eb-9719-5b818671ae04.html">Three AES students win school’s cooking contest
</a>Students in the Advanced Learners’ Program at Appomattox Elementary School recently competed in a cooking contest. Due to COVID regulations, students created videos of themselves cooking a favorite recipe at home. The videos were submitted for judging, and…

<a href="https://www.emporiaindependentmessenger.com/news/article_fa96b8c0-90b8-11eb-aa2f-6facd28fabcd.html">Greensville County Superintendent Evans to present budget to Emporia, Greensville County
</a>On Wednesday, March 31, Greensville County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Kim Evans will present the proposed GCPS FY 2022 budget in a joint meeting with the County Board of Supervisors and the Emporia City Council. Evans previously reviewed the proposed FY 2022…

<a href="https://www.dnronline.com/news/city-schools-getting-creative-with-outdoor-classrooms/article_faac6ddf-ba4c-5ea2-94f5-9bcd285e616e.html">City Schools Getting Creative With Outdoor Classrooms
</a>When you think of outdoor classrooms, you probably picture tables or desks under a pavilion or covering of some kind. And you’d be right, at least partially. While traditional outdoor classrooms resemble, in large part, indoor classrooms, Harrisonburg City Public Schools is thinking…

<a href="https://richmond.com/news/local/varina-school-board-rep-asks-board-chairwoman-to-step-down-after-offensive-dr-seuss-post/article_b004c0ef-45ff-5a4b-8ee9-aae75e1bb48a.html#tracking-source=home-top-story-1">Varina School Board rep asks Board chairwoman to step down after offensive Dr. Seuss post
</a>Alicia Atkins, the first Black woman elected to the Henrico County School Board, has asked a white colleague to step down as board chairwoman over a pattern of behavior Atkins said is harmful and perpetuates systemic racism. Atkins on Monday said she was moved to ask…

<a href="https://roanoke.com/news/local/performing-arts-supervisor-not-coming-to-roanoke-county-after-new-information-found/article_3d52a4b4-9017-11eb-be37-0ff4c952a72c.html#tracking-source=home-top-story-1">Performing arts supervisor not coming to Roanoke County after 'new information' found
</a>Just three days after announcing a new supervisor of performing arts, Roanoke County Public Schools “is not moving forward” with the hiring, a spokesman confirmed Sunday. The school division did not provide an explanation for why Nathan Street will not take the position starting…

<a href="https://www.wtvr.com/news/local-news/christine-van-savage-teacher-of-year">After just three years in the classroom, she just won teacher of the year honors
</a>Thankful for all of her hard work, Colonial Heights teachers and staff congratulated 7th-grade math teacher, Christine Van Savage for earning Division Teacher Of The Year. "My passion, I have determined, is teaching children," Savage said. The 58-year-old teacher with a love for…

<a href="https://roanoke.com/entertainment/community-bhs-student-among-top-winners-in-national-art-competition/article_71cd39de-90cb-11eb-a12c-13655dd9cbd5.html">BHS student among top winners in national art competition
</a>The Fine Arts Center for the New River Valley has announced that several students from Southwest Virginia have been recognized at the national level by the Scholastic Art &amp; Writing Awards. Among this year’s winners is Blacksburg High School student Karen Villanueva…

<a href="https://augustafreepress.com/augusta-county-students-win-regional-honors-in-virginia-school-boards-association-art-contest/">Augusta County students win regional honors in Virginia School Boards Association Art Contest
</a>Local school board members were treated to an impressive display of creativity and judges faced some tough decisions in selecting the 2021 winners in the Virginia School Boards Association’s Valley Regional Art Contest. Student art from the elementary, middle, and high…

<a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/students-successfully-lobby-state-law-excusing-school-protest/story?id=76736167">Students successfully lobby for new state law excusing them from school to protest
</a>Middle and high school students across Virginia will soon be excused from school to participate in a protest or civic event thanks to a bipartisan group of students from Virginia Young Democrats and Virginia Teenage Republicans who joined forces to successfully lobby for the…

<a href="https://www.vsba.org/meetings-conferences/budget-training/">2021 Budget Workshop, May 6, 2021
</a>Join us for the VSBA’s Budget Training workshop to learn more about the importance of The Board’s Role in Developing the School Budget. In this virtual workshop, based on member requests, board members will learn their role in the budget process and how it relates to the…

<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…