<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/2020/12/March-Hot-Topic-Brochure.pdf">March 17, 2021, VSBA March Hot Topic</a>
Join us as we gather virtually for an informative and important conference. This conference will be focusing specifically on multiple hot topics in education. You will hear from three leaders in public education throughout the event speaking on the topics of Race and Equity…

<a href="https://roanoke.com/news/local/education/salem-school-board-approves-expanded-reopening-plan/article_14fde270-80ff-11eb-93e2-c7de1f0cabd4.html">Salem School Board approves expanded reopening plan
</a>The Salem School Board on Tuesday unanimously approved the next iteration of Salem City Schools’ reopening plan. Starting March 22, third through 12th grade students will be able to attend in-person classes four days per week, an increase from the existing two-day plan…

<a href="https://roanoke.com/news/local/education/franklin-county-school-classrooms-to-reopen-5-days-a-week/article_00a37642-80f4-11eb-bf48-97447d81255d.html">Franklin County school classrooms to reopen 5 days a week
</a>The Franklin County School Board wants all of the district’s schools to hold in-person classes five days a week starting March 29. The votes taken by the board to set that scheme in motion were the most anticipated decisions made during an especially eventful meeting held Monday…

<a href="https://www.pilotonline.com/news/education/vp-nw-chesapeake-schools-budget-20210308-masmuxrpwzf77jvsyqfjpdfcle-story.html">Chesapeake School Board votes to raise teacher pay, with starting salary going to $47,000
</a>Chesapeake School Board members voted Monday night to accept a $634.8 million spending plan for the next year that includes increases to teacher starting pay and moving the rest of the city’s children to full-day kindergarten. Board members unanimously signed off on the…

<a href="https://vadogwood.com/2021/03/09/rural-virginia-education-roundtable-with-sam-rasoul/">‘We Need Help’ : Teachers From Rural Virginia Share Their Challenges
</a>In Dickenson County, 40% of homes don’t have adequate internet. Buchanan County has one Chemistry teacher and one Physics teacher. Across rural Virginia, school districts operated on bare bones budgets even before the pandemic. Now the problem’s gotten worse, as teachers…

<a href="https://www.dnronline.com/news/coronavirus/mid-april-return-for-county-students-4-days-a-week-proposed/article_fb6fef72-50a2-5ed8-b5b6-b74026982117.html">Mid-April Return For County Students 4 Days A Week Proposed
</a>At a School Board meeting Monday, Rockingham County Public Schools Superintendent Oskar Scheikl proposed that more students head back to the classroom for in-person learning beginning in mid-April. Scheikl acknowledged that there are logistical considerations that…

<a href="https://www.dnronline.com/news/harrisonburg/city-schools-expanding-arabic-liaison-position/article_b56695b4-071c-54fb-9752-d71d7d940c7f.html">City Schools Expanding Arabic Liaison Position
</a>The need for a full-time home-school liaison for Arabic-speaking students in Harrisonburg City Public Schools has prompted the proposed creation of an expanded position to serve this population of students. For the past 15 years, HCPS has had a part-time Arabic liaison and a…

<a href="https://dailyprogress.com/news/local/education/charlottesvilles-younger-grades-return-to-school-after-a-year-away/article_7785a664-8076-11eb-985e-4b014d48acfa.html">Charlottesville's younger grades return to school after a year away
</a>Archer Suttle gave his first day back to in-person classes at Burnley-Moran Elementary a seven out of 10. The highlights were lunch, recess, specials and writing. Lunch was also the weirdest part of the day. As one of several pandemic-related changes this year, students are eating…

<a href="https://www.asumag.com/planning-design/new-construction/article/21157314/middle-school-under-construction-in-rustburg-va">Middle school under construction in Rustburg, Va.
</a>The Campbell County (Va.) district has broken ground on a new Rustburg Middle School in Rustburg. The Lynchburg News &amp; Advance reports that the $41.3 million building, which is being constructed behind the site of the existing school, is projected to be ready for students…

<a href="https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2021/03/08/montgomery-county-public-schools-welcomes-students-with-new-changes/">Montgomery County Public Schools welcomes students with new changes
</a>Hauling in air purifiers, dividers and tents, Montgomery County Public Schools welcomed students back with many changes. Equipped with disinfectant wipes, socially distanced desks and passing a fire inspection, tents were installed outside at each school. Each tent can hold…

<a href="https://www.wfxrtv.com/news/local-news/school-districts-across-southwest-central-virginia-hold-school-board-meetings-ahead-of-northams-in-person-learning-deadline/">School districts across southwest, central Virginia hold school board meetings ahead of Northam’s in-person learning deadline
</a>Numerous school districts around southwest and central Virginia will hold school board meetings on Tuesday evening. This comes ahead of Gov. Ralph Northam’s March 15 deadline for public schools to offer in-person learning options. Many of the school divisions are set to…

<a href="https://www.13newsnow.com/article/news/local/mycity/newport-news/nnps-buspatrol-school-bus-stop-arm-cameras/291-2cc3f8e1-5fc0-4989-8899-c3a9dadc11ba">Newport News Public Schools adding stop-arm cameras to school buses
</a>Newport News Public Schools is partnering with BusPatrol to make things safer for its students. All 340 Newport News school buses will get stop-arm cameras. The cameras will take pictures when someone drives past a school bus that has its stop sign and red lights activated. A…

<a href="https://fredericksburg.com/news/local/education/fredericksburg-school-system-to-broadcast-internet-into-students-homes/article_17e2cd01-9beb-514d-96d7-9575b804ff19.html">Fredericksburg school system to broadcast internet into students' homes
</a>Fredericksburg City Public Schools is poised to begin broadcasting free high-speed internet directly into some students’ homes. The division will use the Citizens Broadband Radio Service, a wireless spectrum that the Federal Communications Commission has made available for…

<a href="https://www.wavy.com/news/health/coronavirus/some-hampton-roads-schools-may-start-before-labor-day-to-address-covid-19-learning-loss/">Some Hampton Roads schools may start before Labor Day to address COVID-19 learning loss
</a>The traditional post-Labor Day start for school systems in Hampton Roads could come to a halt this fall. Several school districts on the Virginia Peninsula, including Newport News, Hampton, Williamsburg-James City County and York County, have presented their school boards with…

<a href="https://www.insidenova.com/headlines/potential-covid-19-outbreak-investigated-at-osbourn-park-high-school/article_8d130880-8037-11eb-8a92-ff10a9c80f68.html">Potential COVID-19 outbreak investigated at Osbourn Park High School
</a>State health officials are investigating a potential COVID-19 outbreak at Osbourn Park High School in the Manassas area. In a letter to families Friday, Osbourn Park Principal Lisamarie Kane said the potential outbreak is linked to positive coronavirus cases "involving athletics…

<a href="https://www.vsba.org/news/vsba-launches-school-board-u/">VSBA School Board U</a>
School Board U is an area of the VSBA website filled with learning opportunities for school board members to explore important topics related to your service on the school board. Complete certain courses and earn a certificate for your hard work. For more information visit the member section of the VSBA website. School board members and division staff, please check your email to find the log in and password information or contact VSBA.

<a href="https://www.vsba.org/meetings-conferences/title-ix-workshop/">2021 VSBA Title IX: Best Practices In Training &amp; Compliance
</a>With claims of sexual harassment and sexual misconduct hitting newsstands everywhere, Title IX coordinators and other senior staff need to be confident in their knowledge and enforcement of their divisions’ policies. Prevention and thorough investigations are the best ways to…