<a href="https://www.vsba.org/resources/coronavirus_covid_19/" data-cke-saved-href="https://www.vsba.org/resources/coronavirus_covid_19/">VSBA Resources related to COVID-19 </a>
Visit the dedicated Coronavirus resource page on the VSBA website to see the latest updates and resources.

<a href="https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2167963561274705424" data-cke-saved-href="https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2167963561274705424">Tuesday, September 29: VSBA Webinar Top 5 Things Every School Division Should Be Asking About Cyber-security</a>
Join VSBA and Millennium Enterprise Corporation for this live webinar. We will be discussing the top 5 questions school board members should be asking in regard to school division cybersecurity. You don’t want to miss this informative webinar. Register now and submit your…

<a href="https://www.winchesterstar.com/winchester_star/handley-students-create-the-schools-first-black-student-union/article_37001b9a-083d-5b2f-b639-709d959c0a6e.html" data-cke-saved-href="https://www.winchesterstar.com/winchester_star/handley-students-create-the-schools-first-black-student-union/article_37001b9a-083d-5b2f-b639-709d959c0a6e.html">Handley students create the school's first Black Student Union</a>
As a young Black woman, Eunice Mejiadeu hasn’t always felt like she belonged at Handley High School. She has friends of color who feel the same way. “When we look at Handley, there’s not really this, I guess a safe place to come together. There’s a lot of self-isolation,” said the 17…

<a href="https://martinsvillebulletin.com/news/local/education/school-districts-go-through-elaborate-review-before-deciding-to-return-to-classes/article_bd75a0fb-574b-5ef1-b1d3-a5f45b3b55a1.html" data-cke-saved-href="https://martinsvillebulletin.com/news/local/education/school-districts-go-through-elaborate-review-before-deciding-to-return-to-classes/article_bd75a0fb-574b-5ef1-b1d3-a5f45b3b55a1.html">School districts go through elaborate review before deciding to return to classes</a>
The decision this week to send Henry County Public Schools students back to classrooms on Oct. 12 is similar to decisions being played out in school board meetings around the region. You know likely that Martinsville City Public Schools Board voted earlier this month to review its…

<a href="https://godanriver.com/news/local/education/pittsylvania-county-schools-resumes-in-person-teaching-on-monday-the-teachers-group-says-the-district/article_7c9e3708-9eb6-5886-9937-b658f7959edc.html#tracking-source=home-top-story" data-cke-saved-href="https://godanriver.com/news/local/education/pittsylvania-county-schools-resumes-in-person-teaching-on-monday-the-teachers-group-says-the-district/article_7c9e3708-9eb6-5886-9937-b658f7959edc.html#tracking-source=home-top-story">Pittsylvania County Schools resumes in-person teaching on Monday. The teachers group says the district isn't ready.</a>
After a lot of deliberation and patience, Pittsylvania County Schools will welcome select groups of children back into classrooms on Monday — the first step in the district’s plan in hopes of returning all students to a more normal learning environment amid the COVID-19 pandemic…

<a href="https://richmond.com/news/is-it-safe-for-students-to-return-to-school-experts-say-the-answer-isnt-clear/article_ffdf2a75-1842-552a-a424-be827a6fa200.html#tracking-source=home-top-story" data-cke-saved-href="https://richmond.com/news/is-it-safe-for-students-to-return-to-school-experts-say-the-answer-isnt-clear/article_ffdf2a75-1842-552a-a424-be827a6fa200.html#tracking-source=home-top-story">Is it safe for students to return to school? Experts say the answer isn't clear cut</a>
As Richmond-area public schools enter their fourth week of instruction, some districts that began virtually are inching toward bringing students back into the classroom even as COVID-19 school employee cases continue to tick up. Officials grappling with these decisions must do…

<a href="https://www.pilotonline.com/news/education/vp-nw-portsmouth-technology-center-20200927-m5eg6yn4ffbhra3mjpibwi7npa-story.html" data-cke-saved-href="https://www.pilotonline.com/news/education/vp-nw-portsmouth-technology-center-20200927-m5eg6yn4ffbhra3mjpibwi7npa-story.html">13,000 devices. Hundreds of tech support questions. How Portsmouth is helping families through virtual learning.</a>
When Portsmouth decided to start the first nine weeks of school virtually, the district’s director of information technology wanted to make sure one thing happened: Any parent who called needing tech support would reach someone on the phone. Dean Schlaepfer knew his team…

<a href="https://www.wvtf.org/post/pandemic-teacher-shortage-hard-data-hard-find#stream/0" data-cke-saved-href="https://www.wvtf.org/post/pandemic-teacher-shortage-hard-data-hard-find#stream/0">Pandemic Teacher Shortage? Hard Data is Hard to Find</a>
In Virginia Beach, 70 teachers have resigned since August. One educator told local officials recently that teachers are at a tipping point. But look statewide, and it’s difficult to pin down the numbers. The Virginia Education Association, which represents teachers, doesn’t keep track…

<a href="https://www.nbc29.com/2020/09/28/baker-butler-elementary-school-nationally-recognized-closing-achievement-gaps/" data-cke-saved-href="https://www.nbc29.com/2020/09/28/baker-butler-elementary-school-nationally-recognized-closing-achievement-gaps/">Baker-Butler Elementary School nationally recognized for closing achievement gaps</a>
Closing the achievement gap between students is critical for school systems everywhere. Now, one Albemarle County Public Schools (ACPS) is being nationally recognized for what it is doing to help kids learn on an equal footing. “We’ve worked hard for a number of years to really help…

<a href="https://www.fox5dc.com/news/some-teachers-worried-about-being-first-wave-back-to-school" data-cke-saved-href="https://www.fox5dc.com/news/some-teachers-worried-about-being-first-wave-back-to-school">Some teachers worried about being first wave back to school</a>
As some school districts prepare to start in-person learning, parents will still have the option to keep their student all virtual. But many teachers won't have the choice to stay home and it's prompting worries about the future and potential impacts to reopening plans. On Tuesday…

<a href="https://wset.com/news/local/amherst-county-high-school-to-remain-open-amid-positive-covid-19-case" data-cke-saved-href="https://wset.com/news/local/amherst-county-high-school-to-remain-open-amid-positive-covid-19-case">Amherst County High School to remain open amid positive COVID-19 case</a>
An individual at Amherst County High School has been diagnosed with COVID-19. Amherst County Public Schools said it has implemented contact tracing procedures in collaboration with the Central Virginia Health Department to determine the status of continued in-person…

<a href="https://www.nbc12.com/2020/09/27/chesterfield-public-schools-searching-those-interested-education-field/" data-cke-saved-href="https://www.nbc12.com/2020/09/27/chesterfield-public-schools-searching-those-interested-education-field/">Chesterfield public schools searching for those interested in education field</a>
Chesterfield County Public Schools is hosting a ‘career changers’ job fair for those interested in the education field. The virtual information session is on Friday, Oct. 16 at 9 a.m. Participants will need to register for the session ahead of time at this link. A bachelor’s degree with…

<a href="https://www.wric.com/news/local-news/colonial-heights-public-schools-reports-two-new-covid-19-cases/" data-cke-saved-href="https://www.wric.com/news/local-news/colonial-heights-public-schools-reports-two-new-covid-19-cases/">Colonial Heights Public Schools reports two new COVID-19 cases</a>
Colonial Heights Middle School and Lakeview Elementary both have reported a new case of COVID-19 in their school building. The school district informed their community on Facebook “out of an abundance of caution and transparency.” The school district says that VDH does…

<a href="https://www.wfxrtv.com/health/coronavirus/positive-coronavirus-case-reported-from-floyd-county-elementary-school/" data-cke-saved-href="https://www.wfxrtv.com/health/coronavirus/positive-coronavirus-case-reported-from-floyd-county-elementary-school/">Positive coronavirus case reported from Floyd County elementary school</a>
Floyd County Public Schools announced Sunday that a person associated with Check Elementary School has been diagnosed with coronavirus. However, as of Sunday, Sept. 27, the school district says the person has not been on school premises for the last nine days…

<a href="https://www.loudountimes.com/news/loudoun-school-board-criticizes-proposed-thomas-jefferson-admissions-changes/article_1f1bc11a-0192-11eb-b584-6338e995292c.html" data-cke-saved-href="https://www.loudountimes.com/news/loudoun-school-board-criticizes-proposed-thomas-jefferson-admissions-changes/article_1f1bc11a-0192-11eb-b584-6338e995292c.html">Loudoun School Board criticizes proposed Thomas Jefferson admissions changes</a>
On behalf of the Loudoun County School Board, Chairwoman Brenda Sheridan (Sterling District) penned a letter Saturday to the Fairfax County School Board expressing concern with potential changes to the admissions process at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science…

<a href="https://www.wtkr.com/news/high-school-art-teachers-reflect-the-message-black-lives-matter-through-painted-mural" data-cke-saved-href="https://www.wtkr.com/news/high-school-art-teachers-reflect-the-message-black-lives-matter-through-painted-mural">High school art teachers reflect the message 'Black Lives Matter' through painted mural</a>
"Black Lives Matter." It is a chant and message that has been heard over the last couple of months across the nation during demonstrations against the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, among others, trying to shed light on the issues of racism and social justice…

<a href="https://www.fox5dc.com/news/prince-william-county-public-schools-announces-aggressive-in-person-learning-plan" data-cke-saved-href="https://www.fox5dc.com/news/prince-william-county-public-schools-announces-aggressive-in-person-learning-plan">Prince William County Public Schools announces aggressive in-person learning plan</a>
In Northern Virginia, Prince William County Public Schools is gearing up for a massive return to the classroom. It’s "Return to Learn" portal opened up for parents on Monday. As we saw with Fairfax County Public Schools, there have been no specifics on the metrics guiding the…

<a href="https://www.vsba.org/meetings_conferences/vsba_annual_convention/" data-cke-saved-href="https://www.vsba.org/meetings_conferences/vsba_annual_convention/">November 18-20, VSBA Virtual Annual Convention</a>
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…

<a href="https://www.vsba.org/meetings_conferences/superintendent_evaluation_workshop/" data-cke-saved-href="https://www.vsba.org/meetings_conferences/superintendent_evaluation_workshop/">October 7, 2020 VSBA Superintendent Evaluation Workshop</a>
Are you prepared to evaluate your superintendent? The Guidelines for Uniform Performance Standards and Evaluation Criteria for Superintendents developed by the Virginia Department of Education provide a wealth of information regarding the requirements. Filtering through this…