<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/news/news-release-dr-michael-thornton-joins-the-virginia-school-boards-associations-superintendent-search-team/">News Release: Dr. Michael Thornton Joins the Virginia School Boards Association’s Superintendent Search Team
</a>The Virginia School Boards Association (VSBA) today announced that Dr. Michael Thornton is joining the association’s superintendent search services team. “We look forward to adding Dr. Thornton’s experience and expertise to the Virginia School Boards Association’s…

<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/03/31/fact-sheet-the-american-jobs-plan/">FACT SHEET: The American Jobs Plan</a>

<a href="https://www.chathamstartribune.com/news/article_48de45fa-924b-11eb-b464-dfd83df9c6e0.html">Virginia’s Teacher of the Year returns to Johnson Elementary
</a>Danville native Anthony Swann taught at G. L. H. Johnson Elementary for eight years at the start of his career and returned on Wednesday, March 24 as Virginia’s 2021 Teacher of the Year to speak to fellow teachers. Swann, a fifth grade teacher at Rocky Mount Elementary…

<a href="https://www.delmarvanow.com/story/news/local/virginia/2021/03/31/accomack-approves-budget-staff-pay-raise-no-tax-increase/4825241001/">Accomack approves budget with staff pay raise, no tax increase
</a>The Accomack County Board of Supervisors approved a 5% pay raise for county employees in the 2022 budget that also includes no tax or fee increases. Employees who did not receive a mandated pay raise from the state will get the 5% raise approved by the board at its March 29...

<a href="https://www.nbc12.com/2021/03/31/rps-awarded-grant-extend-grocery-delivery-most-vulnerable-families/">RPS awarded $150 grant to extend grocery delivery to most vulnerable families
</a>Richmond Public Schools, in partnership with No Kid Hungry and Market at 25th, has been awarded a $150,000 grant to continue their grocery delivery program to 150 of the most vulnerable families. The grant was awarded to RPS by No Kid Hungry Virginia. “We are so…

<a href="https://fcnp.com/2021/03/31/h-s-students-welcome-female-yemeni-students/">H.S. Students Welcome Female Yemeni Students
</a>On March 22, students from the local high school’s International Club met virtually with a group of female students from Hadhramout, Yemen, for cultural exchange. The event was arranged by Dr. Zennia Paganini, Public Affairs Officer for the U.S. Embassy to Yemen, according to the…

<a href="https://www.farmvilleherald.com/2021/03/cucps-staff-receives-svrtc-awards/">CuCPS staff receives SVRTC Awards
</a>Each year the Southside Virginia Regional Technology Consortium (SVRTC) hosts an awards banquet to recognize individuals at member districts who help forward the use of technology to achieve the mission of the SVRTC. Each school division selects recipients in each of three…

<a href="https://www.thenews-gazette.com/content/high-school-graduations-going-outside">High School Graduations Going Outside
</a>Parry McCluer and Rockbridge County high schools will host their graduation exercises at their sports stadiums this year with outdoor ceremonies. RCHS Principal Mike Craft and PMHS Principal Melissa Cobb announced the graduation plans in response to the new regulations…

<a href="https://www.progress-index.com/story/news/2021/03/31/petersburg-city-public-schools-embarks-new-family-engagement-tool/4808685001/">New family-engagement bus from school system will soon be rolling through Petersburg
</a>There’s a new wave coming to Petersburg City Public Schools, and it's riding a bus.  The city’s school system is set to launch The Wave, a family-engagement bus centered around delivering and providing resources and information to students and their families within the city. “We’re…

<a href="https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2021/03/31/lynchburg-city-council-schools-leaders-have-heated-exchange-over-budget-proposal/">Lynchburg city council, schools leaders have heated exchange over budget proposal
</a>There was a heated exchange between Lynchburg City Council members and school leaders over the LCS budget. Councilmember Chris Faraldi questioned school board chairman Dr. James Coleman during the March 30 work session over what he called compensation…

<a href="https://newsadvance.com/news/local/education/equity-lesson-rolls-out-in-amherst-county-schools/article_68dc4712-9232-11eb-8376-030f12a53122.html">Equity lesson rolls out in Amherst County schools
</a>After a two-month delay, Amherst County’s high school and two middle schools were to begin proceeding Wednesday with a lesson plan on topics such as equity and social justice. The equity lesson has drawn a slew of public comments, mostly from Amherst County Public…

<a href="https://www.wric.com/news/local-news/henrico-county/henrico-public-schools-doing-bulk-meal-pick-up-next-week/">Henrico Public Schools doing bulk meal pick up for Spring Break next week
</a>Henrico County Public Schools is holding a bulk meal pick-up for Spring Break next Wednesday. At this distribution, families will get five days worth of school meals in preparation for the holiday break. While it will occur at eight schools, HCPS said this event is for the entire…

<a href="https://www.wfxrtv.com/news/local-news/virginia-dept-of-education-proposes-health-and-safety-guidelines-for-students-screen-time/">Virginia Dept. of Education proposes health and safety guidelines for students’ screen time
</a>For the past year, students have relied on devices, but now we’re seeing some negative effects from all this extra screen time. Research has shown the harmful physical health outcomes when children have excessive use of mobile devices during childhood and adolescence. This is why…

<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/transgender-children-virginia-lawsuit/2021/03/30/59948a28-9195-11eb-9668-89be11273c09_story.html">Virginia Education Department sued over guidelines to protect transgender students
</a>Two conservative groups are suing the Virginia Department of Education over its new policy on transgender children, which requires school districts to accept students’ gender identities and allow students access to facilities and opportunities according to those identities. The policy…

<a href="https://roanoke.com/news/local/education/franklin-county-high-school-experiences-covid-19-outbreak-will-remain-open/article_fd275248-915d-11eb-baf6-676a7ff0b32d.html">Franklin County High School experiences COVID-19 outbreak, will remain open
</a>Eight students were recently diagnosed with COVID-19, and seven of those cases are related and considered an outbreak, according to a notification letter. Principal Jon Crutchfield on Tuesday declined to provide details about the common thread between cases, citing student…

<a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/virginia-advisory-board-calls-for-school-district-to-fire-teachers-if-they-criticize-equity-training">Virginia advisory board calls for school district to fire teachers if they criticize equity training
</a>An advisory board for Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) in Virginia recently called for teachers to be dismissed if they criticize – even in private – equity training, according to a Tuesday report. Keaira Jennings, who leads the district’s Minority Student Achievement…

<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…