<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://www.insidenova.com/headlines/chicagos-chief-education-officer-to-lead-prince-william-county-schools/article_6ad00710-8cf7-11eb-97e8-ef53a4ee7280.html">Chicago's chief education officer to lead Prince William County schools
</a>The Prince William County School Board has announced the hiring of LaTanya McDade, currently the chief education officer for Chicago Public Schools, as the next superintendent of Prince William County Public Schools. McDade, who will become the first African American…

<a href="https://www.fauquier.com/lifestyles/the-other-wesley-rose-from-slavery-and-inspired-a-legacy-of-teachers/article_4b1c81da-8c22-11eb-80ec-3bbdc78f38eb.html?fbclid=IwAR2fegy-N7oRhP3zooGq9TyXBO5ndRRlG5fP6UQpehjEEzUlUjWYePdx294">'The other Wesley' rose from slavery and inspired a legacy of teachers
</a>Charles Wesley Lewis’s family has been teaching the children of Fauquier County for five generations. “Education is the family business,” Lewis said. “Pursuing a higher education is the family culture. It is not a matter if you are going to teach, but what you are going to teach…

<a href="https://www.whsv.com/2021/03/23/page-co-public-schools-explains-outdoor-or-indoor-graduation-plans/">Page Co. Public Schools explains outdoor or indoor graduation plans
</a>On Monday night, Page County Public School leaders shared their plan for an outdoor or indoor graduation ceremony for seniors at Luray High School and Page County High School. After Gov. Ralph Northam issued guidelines for graduation ceremonies last week, school leaders…

<a href="https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2021/03/24/campbell-county-high-school-parents-organize-proms-as-health-leader-says-decision-is-just-not-safe/">Campbell County high school parents organize proms as health leader says decision is ‘just not safe’
</a>As Virginia loosens COVID-19 restrictions, parents of high school seniors in our area are organizing proms. Parents of students at Rustburg and Giles high schools are taking it upon themselves to keep the tradition alive. However, one local health leader says she’s not ready…

<a href="https://www.localdvm.com/news/virginia/school-officials-and-leaders-weigh-in-mobilized-meal-programs-a-year-in-the-pandemic/">School officials and leaders weigh in mobilized meal programs a year in the pandemic
</a>It’s been a year since schools across the Commonwealth first pivoted to virtual learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Leaders from across the state joined No Kid Hungry Virginia to ensure each student still receives regular meals. School leaders joined No Kid Hungry Virginia for a…

<a href="https://www.pilotonline.com/government/local/vp-nw-portsmouth-budget-proposal-20210323-kzczfur5vrhgjmzzi7obf7y5rm-story.html">Portsmouth plans more money for workers and schools, even as overall spending drops
</a>Portsmouth’s government could spend more on schools next year and give most city employees raises — while still cutting expenses overall. Interim City Manager LaVoris Pace and city staff presented their fiscal 2022 budget proposal in a video posted on social media Monday…

<a href="https://hburgcitizen.com/2021/03/24/school-board-to-send-more-students-back-to-class-next-month/">School board to send more students back to class next month
</a>More elementary and middle school students will be back in city classrooms in a month, after the Harrisonburg School Board voted unanimously in a special meeting Tuesday to approve the next phase of the division’s reopening plan. This third phase will open in-person learning to all…

<a href="https://www.wavy.com/news/local-news/virginia-beach/virginia-beach-schools-equity-policy-draws-support-opposition-following-board-member-comments/">Virginia Beach schools equity policy draws support, opposition following board member comments
</a>It was another long and controversial night at the Virginia Beach school board meeting. Recent comments made by a board member about the division’s equity policy had a lot of people talking. Dozens of people signed up to speak after board member Vicky Manning recently…

<a href="https://roanoke.com/news/local/northam-lifts-some-restrictions-but-roanoke-area-health-director-says-proms-still-not-safe/article_d3984766-8bf4-11eb-beb9-9bbbc9f80d2f.html#tracking-source=home-top-story-1">Northam lifts some restrictions, but Roanoke-area health director says proms still not safe
</a>Gov. Ralph Northam lifted some COVID restrictions to allow more people to gather socially and for high schools and colleges to host graduations, but the Roanoke Valley’s top public health official said proms cannot be held safely. Dr. Cynthia Morrow, director of the Roanoke City…

<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/23/us/virginia-70-year-old-wallet-trnd/index.html">A Virginia school district is returning a woman's wallet almost 70 years after she lost it in her high school gym</a>
A Virginia school district was able to track down a former student to let her know that they had found her lost wallet, almost 70 years after it went missing. A contractor found the wallet in some ductwork in the rubble of the old Poquoson Middle School gym, which was torn down…

<a href="https://www.dailypress.com/news/education/dp-nw-gloucester-sales-tax-debt-20210323-6tjnfmwjsrhgrawnn7fkeb6m4q-story.html">Gloucester voters OK’d a tax for school construction. The budget proposal has some of those funds going elsewhere.
</a>In November, almost 62% of Gloucester County voters voted for a sales tax increase. The 1% increase was set aside for school construction and renovation, and with budget season approaching, proponents were waiting to see what the county could do with the money. But…

<a href="https://www.winchesterstar.com/winchester_star/winchester-school-board-oks-90-3m-budget-with-5-staff-raises/article_bc3ec174-b1fe-5517-a590-6f7870571ea5.html#utm_source=winchesterstar.com&amp;utm_campaign=%2Fnewsletters%2Fheadlines%2F%3F-dc%3D1616583619&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_content=headline">Winchester School Board OKs $90.3M budget with 5% staff raises
</a>The Winchester School Board unanimously approved a $90,316,214 budget for fiscal 2022, which includes a 5% pay bump for all division employees and a $61,996,161 operating budget. To help fund the spending plan, $31,600,406 is being sought from City Council — an increase…

<a href="https://roanoke.com/news/local/education/roanoke-county-school-board-race-begins-to-take-shape/article_a2cd7664-8b32-11eb-b135-e7f8ec0c7c74.html">Roanoke County School Board race begins to take shape
</a>With less than three months until the filing deadline, it’s already clear that at least one Roanoke County School Board race will be contested come November. David Linden and Jerry Canada are both running for the Hollins District seat, the district’s first contested race since the school…

<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…