<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.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://www.pilotonline.com/news/education/vp-nw-virginia-beach-police-reassigned-10-school-officers-due-to-shortage-0406-20210407-wmsrcndhrjbxzm2wfjobvlelbe-story.html">Virginia Beach police reassign 10 school resource officers because of staffing shortage, board member says</a>
Police will reassign 10 officers from Virginia Beach schools to perform other priority duties due to a staffing shortage. School officials sent an email to board members Friday about the department’s decision to reallocate its officers. Victoria Manning, a city school board member…

<a href="https://roanoke.com/news/local/parents-call-on-montgomery-county-school-district-to-improve-anti-racist-policies/article_95e488f0-9732-11eb-af51-8b15a525c720.html#tracking-source=home-top-story-1">Parents call on Montgomery County school district to improve anti-racist policies</a>
Daphne Yao’s daughter once drew a portrait of herself for an art class. When a male classmate got a glimpse of her daughter’s work, he derisively told her that her own eyes were much smaller than the ones on the drawing, Yao said. The boy was reprimanded for his comment…

<a href="https://swvatoday.com/news/article_68ae60e4-9715-11eb-a3aa-fb47ccc53738.html">Residents voice opposition to upcoming LGBTQ school policy</a>
A group of Wythe County residents concerned about a Virginia law that requires school boards to adopt policies to protect transgender students recently spoke during a Wythe County Board of Supervisors meeting, asking supervisors to not support such a policy. Local minister Donn…

<a href="https://www.pilotonline.com/news/education/vp-nw-norfolk-facility-planning-20210407-7d2kxeuanfat3hul5c5mg2ufwa-story.html">Norfolk has been talking for years about closing or rebuilding schools. But little has been done.</a>
Three years ago, a consultant told Norfolk’s School Board it should consider closing or consolidating more than a quarter of the city’s elementary schools. Save for one suggestion that was carried out closing Poplar Halls Elementary and combining Fairlawn Elementary and…

<a href="https://www.princewilliamtimes.com/news/local-teachers-staff-on-track-for-a-5-pay-raise/article_3c8ef59e-97c6-11eb-ad37-f332d6d54496.html">Local teachers, staff on track for a 5% pay raise</a>
Despite the pandemic, or maybe, in part, because of it, Prince William County teachers and staff are on track to receive their largest annual raise in more than a decade. The Prince William County School Board is committed to giving its teachers and staff a 5% raise next school year…

<a href="https://www.wsls.com/news/2021/04/06/two-drivers-one-student-hospitalized-after-southwest-virginia-school-bus-crash/">Two drivers, one student hospitalized after Southwest Virginia school bus crash</a>
A student and two drivers were taken to the hospital after a bus crash in Southwest Virginia, according to Virginia State Police. Authorities said the accident happened at 7:45 a.m. in the 2000 block of Lee Highway in Smyth County. The Smyth County school bus had 17 kids on…

<a href="https://newsadvance.com/community/new_era_progress/news/watch-now-amherst-high-schools-theater-stays-active-during-pandemic-records-competition-play/article_c2da98a6-9267-11eb-baac-97b38b6c4984.html">Watch Now: Amherst high school’s theater stays active during pandemic, records competition play</a>
An out-of-this-world experience has come to Amherst County High School’s drama program for a spring production of “The Aliens Have Stolen Our Wives,” an original play written by ACHS instructor Patricia Emmert and her husband. The challenges of COVID-19 have led Emmert…

<a href="https://rrecord.com/art-teachers-leading-community-effort-to-create-a-loveworks-sign/">Art Teachers leading community effort to create a LOVEworks sign</a>
Lancaster County primary and middle school art teachers are seeking community participation in the creation of a LOVEworks sign. “Everyone in our community is needed to be a part of this collaborative art experience,” said primary school art teacher Kendra Hunt. A grant from the…

<a href="https://fcnp.com/2021/04/06/mclean-student-wins-va-journalist-of-the-year/">McLean Student Wins VA Journalist of the Year</a>
McLean High School senior Marina Qu has been named the 2021 Virginia Journalist of the Year by the Virginia Association of Journalism Teachers and Advisers. Qu serves as editor-in-chief of The Highlander newsmagazine and The Tartan literary magazine; she has been on both…

<a href="https://wtop.com/business-finance/2021/04/farmer-trading-cards-are-back-at-loudoun-county-public-schools/">Farmer trading cards are back at Loudoun County public schools</a>
Loudoun County Public Schools students in Virginia have the chance to collect Farmer Trading Cards starting this week. Trading cards feature actual Loudoun County farmers in a program to get kids interested in pursuing a career in agriculture. This is the fifth year…

<a href="https://www.timesvirginian.com/news/article_715ddff2-97bb-11eb-a3d2-37f04bb892c0.html">ACPS budget given to county</a>
The 2021-22 fiscal year budget of the Appomattox County Public School District was approved at the March 25 meeting of the school board and forwarded Friday to Appomattox County Administrator Susan Adams for county review. The school board and Appomattox County…

<a href="https://roanoke.com/news/local/petition-drive-begins-to-put-referendum-on-ballot-to-elect-roanoke-school-board/article_5d38dc42-96e0-11eb-83dc-5baf429deb93.html">Petition drive begins to put referendum on ballot to elect Roanoke School Board</a>
A Democratic activist has launched an effort to make Roanoke’s seven-member school board an elected body. Luke Priddy must collect more than 6,500 signatures by July 14 to place a referendum on November’s ballot that would ask voters whether the selection method for…

<a href="https://www.wavy.com/news/local-news/accomack-county/accomack-schools-moving-to-four-days-of-in-person-instruction-per-week/">Accomack schools moving to four days of in-person instruction per week</a>
Accomack County Public Schools are expanding in-person learning to four days a week for hybrid students. All pre-K through 5th grade students will transition to four days on April 19, while middle and high school following on April 26. Students who chose virtual instruction will…

<a href="https://www.farmvilleherald.com/2021/04/students-of-the-month-recognized-11/">Students of the Month recognized</a>
Each month during the monthly meeting, the Cumberland School Board recognizes the Student’s of the Month for each school. The following students were recognized at the April School Board Meeting, held Thursday, April 1. Aaliyah Randolph, third grade student at…

<a href="https://conta.cc/39NgF4w">VSBA 2021 Newsletter, Issue 3
</a>Read the latest issue of the VSBA Newsletter to learn about upcoming events, read a synapse of the regional meetings that have taken place, and read about legislative updates.

<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…