From the President's Desk |
Where did the time go? I can’t believe that summer is almost over, and we are getting geared up for another school year. As school board members, I recognize that we will be faced with some similar challenges that we tackled last year. I encourage you to remain steadfast in providing the best possible education for every student in the Commonwealth. The work ahead of us to meet the educational, social, and emotional needs of our students while prioritizing health and safety has never been more important. I encourage you to be optimistic about what lies ahead and to embrace the opportunities.
I hope that all of you were able to attend the 35th Annual VSBA Conference on Education. What an honor it was to have the 73rd Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, the Honorable Ralph Northam, to deliver greetings. Our opening session keynote speaker Anthony Swann, 2021 Virginia Teacher of the Year from Franklin County Public Schools, shared his journey to becoming the 2021 Virginia Teacher of the Year.
The winners of the first-ever Student Essay Contest sponsored by VACORP were also announced, and I congratulate all of the winners. In addition, the 2021 Food for Thought Awards were announced. Congratulations to all of the winners, and thank you to all the divisions who submitted an entry. The Second Annual VSBA Excellence in Workforce Readiness Awards sponsored by VMDO were also announced. Thank you to all that submitted their amazing programs and to all of the winners.
The afternoon keynote speaker, Dr. Andrew Aldrin, brought the inspiration of space to the classroom. Dr. Aldrin shared with us his insight about the democratization of space and how space is for everyone.
A special thank you to Gina Patterson, Executive Director, and the VSBA Staff for executing an amazing conference filled with powerful information, best practices, mini-workshops, and special guest speakers. I hope to see everyone at the VSBA Legislative Advocacy Conference on September 23rd at the Hilton Richmond Hotel & Spa Short Pump. We look forward to hearing from candidates running for Governor and Lt. Governor to share their views on public education for the Commonwealth. This will be our first in-person conference since the pandemic, and I can’t wait to see you there.
I would like to thank you for the opportunity to be your President and to stand with you as we “Be the Change” for our children of this great Commonwealth.
- Janet Turner- Giles
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Janet Turner- Giles
VSBA President
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Issue Highlights
VSBA Receives Prestigious Award
Celebrating 115 Years- Did You Know
Legislative Updates
Spring and Early Summer is the Busy Time for Policy Updates Driven by General Assembly
Moving Forward While Looking Back
Spotlight Article- Henrico County Public Schools
VSBA Leadership Profile-
Dr. JoWanda Rollins-Fells
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Dates to Remember
September 23rd- VSBA Legislative Advocacy Conference, In-Person
November 17-19th- VSBA Annual Convention, In-Person
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Executive Director
Gina G. Patterson
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FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR |
As the summer comes to an end and we wrap up the Conference on Education, the VSBA team is hard at work behind the scenes to prepare the transition back to in-person events.
The first of these events will be the Legislative Advocacy Conference in September, being held in person at the Hilton Richmond Hotel & Spa Short Pump. We are looking forward to the opportunity to welcome school board members and legislators from across the Commonwealth back together to discuss the important issues shaping learning in Virginia and to prepare for advocacy opportunities. The day will be filled with opportunities to hear directly from the candidates for Governor and Lieutenant Governor as well as the VSBA Government Relations Team, the COIA council, and the VSBA Task Force on Students and Schools in Challenging Environments.
Even more exciting is the work that is being done to begin planning the Annual Convention, taking place in person at the Williamsburg Lodge. We have secured three stellar general session speakers and are excited to offer an additional bonus general session this year in celebration of the association's 115th year of existence. The Convention Brochure is available, and registration is now open. We look forward to seeing you and your governance team in November for the opportunity to learn, network, and establish partnerships.
As always, the opportunity to participate begins before we arrive in Williamsburg. The Signs of Success, Student Video Contest, Exhibitors Scholarship, and Annual 5K are all open. For more information on these and to keep up with announcements about the Annual Convention visit the VSBA website.
Thank you for all that you do for Public Education in the Commonwealth, I look forward to seeing you in person at the Legislative Advocacy Conference in September.
-GP
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The Virginia School Boards Association (VSBA) is proud to announce that the Association has been named one of the recipients of the 2021 Leading Edge Awards given by the National School Boards Association.
This prestigious award is presented to state school board associations for innovative services that support the work of school boards and districts in their states. The association will receive the award at NSBA’s Summer Leadership Seminar held August 14-15 in Louisville, Kentucky.
VSBA received the award for its Task-Force on Students and Schools in Challenging Environments (The Task Force). The Task Force was created by the VSBA Board of Directors in 2013 to make recommendations to the Virginia Board of Education and the Virginia Department of Education on ways to help challenged schools in Virginia. The Task Force was created as a result of requests for assistance and concerns among VSBA member boards related to school divisions struggling to reach their most challenged student populations.
“We are pleased that the work of the VSBA Task Force on students and schools in challenging environments earned the association this prestigious award,” said Gina Patterson, VSBA Executive Director. “The Task Force has worked consistently since 2013 on advocating for students and schools in challenging environments at the state level and has worked tirelessly to continue to release information to the VSBA membership and other important stakeholders to ensure that the conversation continues and that we keep pushing forward with the goal of reaching every child.”
Over the years The Task Force has released two reports and is finalizing a third. Both reports are available on the VSBA website and are designed to be used as a guide with replicable best practices to address the difficulties that face our students and schools in challenging environments. The American School Board Journal will run a feature on The Task Force in the October Issue of the publication, a full news release from NSBA is available now at: https://nsba.org/News/2021/leading-edge-award.
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Application Process for Regional Officers |
Nomination of Regional Officers
Elections of VSBA Regional Officers take place at the Fall Regional Meetings which will be held in person at the VSBA Annual Convention. In 2015 the VSBA Delegate Assembly voted to change the regional positions from a one-year to a two-year term. For those regions that will be holding an election this year, a nominating committee was formed and announced at your Spring Regional Networking Forum. Those interested in serving as chair or vice-chair of the region should complete the application form and contact the members of the regional nominating committee. The regions below will be looking for nominations for a chair and vice-chair for a two-year term:
- Central Region
- Northeastern Region
- Southern Region
- Tidewater Region
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Stay Updated with the VSBA Legislative Blog
The VSBA Legislative blog is designed to keep members informed of up-to-date happenings at the Virginia General Assembly as it relates to education. The blog is updated regularly during sessions.
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J.T. Kessler, Government Relations Specialist |
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Governor Northam Announces Fiscal Year 2021 Budget Surplus |
Governor Northam Announces Fiscal Year 2021 Budget Surplus
Two recent announcements by the Northam Administration show evidence that the Commonwealth’s economy is continuing to recover from the shutdown of activity brought on by the COVID-19 Pandemic. In mid-July, the Governor’s office released figures showing Virginia’s Fiscal Year 2021 General Fund surplus is estimated to be $2.6 Billion dollars. Final numbers will be released when the Governor gives a full report to the Joint Money Committees (House Appropriations, House Finance, and Senate Finance & Appropriations) in mid-August.
In the same week, the Virginia Employment Commission (VEC) announced the Commonwealth’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for the month of June fell to 4.3 percent. While Virginia’s unemployment rate has not returned to pre-pandemic levels (Virginia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 2.6 percent in February 2020), the June unemployment rate is 4.5 percentage points lower than a year ago, while Virginia continues to outpace the national rate of 5.9 percent.
The Fiscal Year 2021 surplus will likely be discussed as part of the Governor’s 2022-2024 biennium budget proposal that he will unveil to the Money Committees in December. It is important to keep in mind that Constitutional and statutory obligations will require a significant portion of the surplus to be deposited in the Commonwealth’s Revenue Stabilization Fund and the Water Quality Improvement Fund.
Legislators Return to Richmond
On August 2, the Virginia General Assembly returned to Richmond to convene for a Special Session to decide how to allocate roughly $4.3 billion dollars of federal relief funds provided to the Commonwealth through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) and to appoint judges to the bench. Included in the legislation (HB 7001/SB 7001) is an appropriation of $250 million dollars for qualified ventilation projects in public schools.
In addition to the ventilation funds, the legislation makes a clarification regarding The Virginia Overtime Wage Act which went into effect July 1. The Virginia Overtime Wage Act was presented as a change that would allow workers to pursue overtime claims against their employers in state court instead of federal court.
The provisions of the Virginia Overtime Wage Act became problematic to some school divisions when on a frequently asked questions page on its website, the state Department of Labor and Industry posted its interpretation of the law, stating that employers cannot provide compensatory time instead of pay. Under language found in HB 7001, public agencies can use compensatory time in lieu of wages for overtime pay:
That for the purposes of the Virginia Overtime Wage Act §40.1-29.2 the terms “Wages” and “Pay” shall also mean overtime compensatory time in lieu of wages for overtime pay by public agencies as provided by the Fair Labor Standards Act, 29 U.S.C. §207(o). Employees covered under 29 U.S.C. §213(b)(10)(A) shall be exempt from the overtime requirements set out in Code of Virginia §40.1-29.2.
At the time of this article, the budget legislation was in conference committee where House and Senate lawmakers are negotiating differences between the legislation passed in each chamber. The VSBA Government Relations team will provide updates on the special session on the VSBA Legislative Update Blog, Facebook, and Twitter. If you have any questions about the items contained in this article, please do not hesitate to contact me at jason@vsba.org.
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Elizabeth Ewing, Director, Legal and Policy Services
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Spring and Early Summer is the Busy Time for Policy Updates Driven by General Assembly
Monitoring changes to state and federal law is a year-round undertaking for VSBA. It is immediately following the regular session of the General Assembly, however, when things really get busy, both for VSBA Policy Services and for school boards.
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Why are the weeks following a legislative session so important for school boards?
VSBA’s staff monitors legislation during the session to determine if policy changes are warranted. As soon as the Governor starts signing bills, the process of updating sample policies begins. Once finalized, updated policies are provided to each of the 132 boards (including some Governors Schools and regional programs) who use VSBA’s Policy Services.
What steps must a board take to implement new and/or revised policies?
Members of VSBA Policy Services are notified that updated policies are available in mid-May. Notice that the new/updated policies have been placed in a password protected section of the VSBA website is sent to the Policy Contact and superintendent in each division that is a member of VSBA Policy Services. That’s when the work for local divisions begins.
Most school boards in Virginia adopt policies, or changes to policies, after two readings at a board meeting. That process is not mandated by law, but has been established as a long-standing practice in many divisions.
Important steps must be taken before new/revised policies are considered by the school board. For revised policies, someone in the division must review the sample VSBA policy and compare it to the school board’s existing policy. If the existing division policy is different than the baseline VSBA policy, a version of the policy that incorporates both local language and the suggested revisions from the VSBA into one document to be considered by the school board must be created. Different people perform that task in different divisions.
Some divisions use policy committees to review policies before they are presented to the board. In those divisions, meetings of the policy committee must be arranged and conducted.
As part of the process for reviewing suggested policy revisions, divisions also need to be sure that information on changes to policy is disseminated to relevant division staff so that necessary changes can be implemented throughout the division. This helps to ensure consistency between policy and practice.
How is local control reflected in the policy adoption process?
VSBA writes sample policies that reflect legal mandates. In some situations, the law gives school boards options or requires local input in policies. In those situations, the VSBA sample policy includes instructions or suggestions on what school boards may want to consider as they choose an option or otherwise incorporate local decisions into the policy. VSBA’s instructions or suggestions often appear in footnotes that are designed to be eliminated from the final policy. In other words, the footnotes are included in the sample policies so that they can be considered during the policy development/adoption process but are designed to be removed from the final version of the policy.
Is there a deadline by which boards must consider VSBA’s sample policies?
No. Most new laws passed by the General Assembly go into effect on July 1st following the legislative session. It is unusual for a law to require adoption of a policy, or to specify a date by which a policy must be adopted. When the law does require a policy, or specify a date by which a school board must adopt a policy, VSBA informs the division superintendent and Policy Contact of that requirement.
Although there is usually no deadline by which policies should be adopted, it is important to consider new/revised policies from VSBA promptly so that the board, and the division, are aware of the legal changes behind the policies and are acting in compliance with the law.
Are members of VSBA Policy Services required to adopt VSBA’s sample policies?
No. School boards may adopt VSBA’s sample policies as written, adapt them, or use them in any number of other ways.
VSBA’s Policy Services staff is always ready to answer questions from board members, superintendents, and Policy Contacts about VSBA’s sample policies. If you have any questions, please contact Elizabeth Ewing at 434-295-8722 ext. 4 or ewing@vsba.org.
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Moving Forward While Looking Back
“Don’t look back, you aren’t going that direction.” While it’s a nice quip, it’s not beneficial. Moving forward without considering the past means losing the lessons. It may seem soon for a “lessons learned” conversation, but reflecting on our pandemic response can inform governance decisions moving forward.
Public schools have seen the largest decline in enrollment since the turn of the century. Can we recover? Can we connect with families and rebound? Only through incorporating the lessons learned. Three areas for attention stand out in reflective analysis of the pandemic response: communication, equity and innovation.
Communication is the key to community engagement–it must be honest, timely and dynamic to maintain public trust and instill confidence and calm. During times of volatility, ensure the community can access a centralized information source. Social media and messaging tools are helpful for broadcast notifications, but consider also a web location that families can trust for information directly from the school board. Using a board portal lets your board easily share public-facing information while ensuring security of sensitive content.
Data highlights how COVID exacerbated existing inequities. Financially, struggling families were pushed further into hardship. Materials and supplies were not equally available in all communities. Even when hardware was available, connectivity challenges amplified issues. Even homes with broadband service struggled with multiple people working at home simultaneously. Students of color were disproportionately affected by absenteeism. Moving forward, districts are making equity the foundation for planning. Having a system that easily connects board planning and decisions to the district’s strategic goals gives the community visibility into district progress.
Last, the shift to remote learning was incredibly challenging but arguably produced and accelerated unprecedented innovation across the district. Curriculum, assessment and delivery all adapted to an online model. We know technology literacy is essential for 21st century graduates and the pandemic quickly accelerated students’ skills in working both collaboratively and independently. Technology also allowed families to engage when they previously were hampered by work schedules or transportation access. This includes access to board meetings and the governance process through livestreaming, publishing agendas and sharing minutes. Demonstrating the board’s innovation via a board portal allows us to democratize access to the work of the school board, and ultimately contributes to a more inclusive and engaged community.
What does this mean for a school board? Embracing technology and data allows us to incorporate lessons learned as we move toward recovery. A technologically equipped board can efficiently and securely access sensitive data for review, and easily communicate important information to the public. Creating transparency for the community by leveraging a board portal as a single source of truth builds trust and alleviates confusion. As we enter into conversations and plans to strategically deploy ESSER dollars, engagement with the community is necessary to gain support for spending plans. Providing access to data, goals and policy changes are paramount to that engagement. Consider how the technology your board uses can improve efficiency, security and transparency as you move forward with recovery.
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Diana Baker Freeman
Thought Leadership Manager, Diligent
About the Author
Diana Baker Freeman is a governance specialist with an MS in Education Leadership and is a certified Master Trustee through Leadership TASB. As a former educator, board member, and board development consultant, Diana focuses on the role of modern governance in improving educational outcomes for all students.
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Division Spotlight: Henrico County Public Schools
In each newsletter VSBA will spotlight a recent initiative or best practice taking place in a school division in Virginia. If you have a story you would like to submit for inclusion in the spotlight section of the VSBA newsletter, please contact Jessica Blythe, director of communications and member services, for more information. We look forward to hearing about the great things going on in your divisions.
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‘Henrico Virtual Academy’ will debut in the fall as a fully online K-12 school
Submitted by Henrico County Public Schools
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Henrico County Public Schools will launch the Henrico Virtual Academy for the 2021-22 school year, a fully online K-12 school that will join HCPS’ 72 other schools and program centers. Students at the academy will attend classes virtually with a mix of synchronous classes — learning online in a group with a teacher — and asynchronous, or independent, learning. The school is aimed at students who have benefited from the flexibility, individualized environment and focus of virtual learning. Any student residing in Henrico County is eligible to apply.
A fully virtual environment is not best for all students, so HCPS families were asked to use the questions in an “online learning reflection tool” before applying, to assess the program’s suitability for their child. The academy’s application window for 2021-22 closed in May. Students who enroll will commit to attend for one year. Families and students will have an annual opportunity to decide if they would like to continue in the virtual academy the following year or transfer back to the in-person school they would normally attend.
Garry Marshall, former assistant principal at Henrico County’s Elko Middle School, has been tapped as the Henrico Virtual Academy’s first principal. Faculty at the academy will be composed of licensed HCPS teachers who have excelled in the virtual environment. The student body will be involved in establishing traditions, selecting school colors and choosing a mascot, while remaining in a fully virtual learning environment.
Elementary students at the school will have access to the same courses as in-person students. At the middle and high school levels, students will have options like their peers in a traditional setting. Course options will include accelerated courses, select honors courses, and high school Advanced Placement courses. Students will be able to select from a variety of elective courses, including courses in world languages, career and technical education, and fine arts.
Students participating in middle school athletics or Virginia High School League activities or athletics will take part in person through their neighborhood’s zoned school. Other activities and clubs will be available to students online through the Henrico Virtual Academy. Time will be built into the schedule to enable students to participate in online clubs geared to specific interests as a way to foster social interactions and connections.
Students who are accepted to and choose to enroll in HCPS’ high school specialty centers, the school division’s Gifted Young Scholars Academy at L. Douglas Wilder Middle School or an International Baccalaureate program will attend those centers in person.
Academy students will have access to the same student support and wellness services as those attending school in person, including comprehensive school counseling services, school psychological services, school social work services, behavior support and extended learning opportunities.
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VSBA Profile in Leadership- Meet, Dr. JoWanda Rollins-Fells VSBA Board of Directors, Eastern Region Chair |
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What do you do when you are not working on school board items?
When I am not working on School Board Items, I am hosting my television shows, working with my mentoring program, and creating memories with my husband and two children.
When unplugged from all responsibilities, I like to read a good book with my feet propped up and a glass of sweet tea on hand (preferably at the beach).
Where do you turn for new ideas about serving your community?
When I need new ideas about serving my community, I turn to the youth and thought leaders around the country.
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Dr. JoWanda Rollins-Fells
Caroline County School Board
VSBA, Eastern Region Chair
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The youth have a way of giving insight that is from a different perspective that is often unfiltered. Their authentic response sheds light on what they feel they need as students and what would benefit the community. I value the voice of youth and heavily advocated for our very first Student School Board Representative. Megyn McCoy has been a valuable member of the board and has done a phenomenal job of involving students and bringing their voices to the table.
I also search for new ideas by talking with others about what they are doing in their communities. It is said that necessity births innovation. All across the country, there are thought leaders who are responding to what their community needs. I believe there is value in exchanging ideas and lived experiences.
What are one or two issues/topics/challenges that are specifically important to you and why?
Addressing learning loss is of critical importance to me. We know that the virtual setting worked for some students and not so much for others. Having a 17-year-old and a 4-year-old, I experienced the impacts of COVID education at both ends of the spectrum.
Owning the data and understanding the impacting variables are important. We can’t excuse it away, and we can’t pretend that learning challenges did not occur. Instead, we must be courageous enough to look at the needs of our students and inspire creative problem solving from leadership and stakeholders. We must empower our teachers to teach and serve their students. We must encourage School Boards to govern with a forward-thinking mindset. We must motivate appropriating bodies to invest in education with intention. We must instill in students and in families that our pupils are scholars worthy of the combined efforts to ensure their success.
What is the most important thing you’ve learned through your board service that you’d like to share with others?
The most important thing that I have had to learn and put into practice is to first seek to understand, before seeking to be understood. Covey had it right when he described this principle as a key to being effective and successful.
I realize that constituents may not have an understanding of the nuances and facts of some situations. However, instead of shutting down communication, I have learned to hear out concerns to identify areas of misunderstanding and miscommunication.
This is an important lesson to share because it allows us as leaders to remain humble yet powerful in our service.
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K-12 Crowdfunding Best Practices |
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DonorsChoose was founded in 2000 by Charles Best out of his Bronx history classroom as a way to fight education inequity. The nonprofit was built with the idea people would want to help public school teachers get extra resources for their classrooms if they could see exactly where their dollars were going. Teachers from across the country create projects requesting the resources their students need most, and donors of all stripes support the projects that most inspire them.
Recent Research Shows the Impact of DonorsChoose
A new study out of the University of Michigan Ross School of Business demonstrates that DonorsChoose-funded projects improve a school’s academic performance. This finding is especially striking because DonorsChoose projects are so low-cost; just one additional funded project (an average of $400 in funded materials) increases the proportion of students at the school who pass their end-of-year exams.
Along with two other papers with similar findings, this research posits that funded DonorsChoose projects are effective interventions because they tap teachers’ frontline wisdom and intimate knowledge of students’ unique needs.
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Supporting Virginia Districts through the DonorsChoose District Partnership Program
Through the District Partnership Program, districts receive free benefits including reporting and early notification of special funding opportunities from companies and foundations. Over 150 school districts partner with the organization!
Alexandria City Public Schools
In 2015, the district launched an initiative to grow teachers’ use of DonorsChoose: The Fall Blitz. Each year leading up to the back-to-school season, the district’s grants officer works with principals to encourage teachers to use DonorsChoose, providing them with email templates and hosting teacher training sessions. Despite only serving 19 schools, the district has had 1,290 projects fully funded with $671,417 in donations — 42% of which were from out of state!
Richmond Public Schools
Since the first RPS teacher created a DonorsChoose project in 2007, the district has raised more than $2.2 million, funding 4,517 teacher project requests — and because DonorsChoose cultivates a national network of donors, 38% of that funding came from out-of-state supporters.
Newport News Public Schools
Newport News uses DonorsChoose to support their mission of ensuring all students graduate college, career and citizen-ready. To date, they’ve raised nearly $725,000 and funded 1,767 projects with a full half of funding coming from out of state.
Check out other leading districts who've already joined and fill out this brief form to request your invitation (https://www.donorschoose.org/districtpartners).
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Addressing the unique needs of district administrators through crowdfunding best practices
DonorsChoose is designed to address the specific transparency, accountability, and safety needs of public school students, teachers, and administrators.
The DonorsChoose team has partnered with organizations like the NSBA and AASA to ensure the platform is setting the bar for PreK–12 crowdfunding best practices.
Financial transparency and accountability
Crowdfunding sites that purchase and send resources directly to verified schools, instead of depositing cash into teachers’ personal bank accounts, are best at ensuring accountability and integrity. Along with this, DonorsChoose offers radical transparency, giving school board members free, automatic reporting on the resources going to their district:
https://www.donorschoose.org/districttools.
Support for internal materials and supplies controls
When resources are received through a crowdfunding platform, those resources should become school property to benefit the students. The best crowdfunding sites notify principals when items are being shipped to schools, and provide line-by-line reporting of every to districts upon request resulting in clear documentation. DonorsChoose supports these policies, and along with offering free reporting, also notifies principals every time a resource is being shipped.
Student safety and privacy
Crowdfunding sites used by teachers must have mechanisms and protocols for protecting student privacy and the ability to work with districts to meet their individual needs. Every project on DonorsChoose is reviewed by our team before posting, to make sure we aren’t collecting or sharing any information that would put students at risk.
You can find a model crowdfunding policy here as you consider ways to support your educators while also ensuring they are safe: https://www.donorschoose.org/districttools#policy
Centering Racial Justice and Representation throughout COVID-19
To support those students and the districts that serve them, DonorsChoose has deepened its commitment to racial justice. The organization has rallied companies like Google.org and Chevron in support of racial equity projects, partnered with Equal Justice Initiative to help students get copies of Just Mercy, and welcomed MahoganyBooks — a Black-owned digital bookseller — to its roster of vendors.
For more information, please reach out to Keya Wondwossen (keya@donorschoose.org)
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PECPS Offers Flying Classroom for Summer Camp |
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Prince Edward County Public Schools (PECPS) offered a month-long 21st Century STEM Summer Program for students in grades 5-12.
The Flying Classroom, led by Captain Barrington Irving, immersed students into a virtual journey around the world. Irving is a 2007 Guinness World record holder for the youngest person ever and first black man to fly solo around the world. The enrichment program served 49 students. Kyla Barksdale, grade 5, told us that “Summer camp was fun. We got to build solar panels and dissect a cow’s eye.”
Each week students discovered a different way of learning that was fun, amazing, and inspiring. Throughout the month students learned how venom from a sea snake could save lives, explored tectonic plates in Iceland, investigated biomedical engineering with a flying eye hospital, and so much more. Engineering design challenges field trips were incorporated into the weekly curriculum, which was supplied by Captain Irving and the Flying Classroom. Field trip locations included The High Bridge Trail State Park in Farmville, Amazement Square in Lynchburg, The Richmond Jet Center, and the Richmond International Airport. Captain Irving joined PECPS students on the final trip to the Jet Center and Airport. During the culminating trip to Richmond, students were exposed to different careers in aviation such as mechanics, pilots, operations staff, and more. Students were given the opportunity for conversations and questions with airport and jet center employees and learned what route to take to get to the different careers. 6th grader, Jenyiah Coward shared that her favorite things about summer camp were building solar panels and learning about airplanes.
Great things are happening at PECPS!
Prince Edward County Public Schools is an inclusive, student-centered community focused on inspiring confident, knowledgeable, and productive citizens who are empowered to lead.
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VSBA Virtual Conference on Education Brings Together Educational Leaders From Across Virginia |
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Virginia school board members, educators, governing officials, attorneys, and legislators, including Governor Ralph Northam, Dr. Andrew Aldrin, and many local presenters virtually attended the Virginia School Boards Association (VSBA) 35th Annual Conference on Education on July 20, 2021. The purpose of the conference was to offer participants the opportunity to learn about successful educational practices occurring throughout the state.
Participants had the opportunity to attend their choice of more than 15 mini-workshops on topics such as curriculum and instruction, workforce readiness, finance, partnerships, school/community relations, personnel, school law, and special programs. The presenters included educators from state and local levels and business representatives.
Attendees heard greetings from Governor Ralph Northam and VSBA President Janet Turner-Giles. The conference featured keynote speaker Andrew Aldrin, Director of the Aldrin Space Institute, who discussed the topic "Space is Real and Attainable for All".
Thank you to those who joined VSBA for this great day of spotlighting the amazing initiatives happening in education across the Commonwealth.
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2021 VSBA Food For Thought Competition Winners Recognized |
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Six school divisions received top honors in the 2021 Virginia School Boards Association (VSBA) Food for Thought Competition. Winning divisions were recognized at the VSBA Conference on Education, which took place virtually on Thursday, July 20th. The competition was created in 2012 to educate, engage, and empower school leaders to address childhood hunger and provide all students in Virginia with healthier, more nutritious school meals. This is the tenth year the awards were given out, and the sponsor for the awards was ABM. |
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Healthy School Meals Winners
(Below 10,000 Student Population) – Charlottesville City Public Schools
(Above 10,001 Student Population) – Chesterfield County Public Schools
Meal Access to Fight Hunger Winners
(Below 10,000 Student Population) – Louisa County Public Schools
(Above 10,001 Student Population) – Norfolk City Public Schools
Wellness and Physical Activity Winners
(Below 10,000 Student Population) – Shenandoah County Public Schools
(Above 10,001 Student Population) – Roanoke County Public Schools
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Acceptance Videos Linked Below |
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2021 VSBA Student Essay Competition Winner Recognized |
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Three students received recognition for their submissions to the Virginia School Boards Association (VSBA) First Annual Student Essay Contest. The first through third place students were recognized at the VSBA Conference on Education, which took place virtually on July 20th. This was the first year the contest was held and the theme of the contest was “Can and Should Freedom of Expression and Civility Co-exist?”. The sponsor of the awards was VACORP. Maggie Mandara (pictured above), a rising junior at Smithfield High School in Isle of Wight County took the first-place award. In second place was Larina Yu, a student in Loudoun County, and third place was awarded to Anish Aradhey from Harrisonburg City Schools. Winners were selected by a panel of judges who were presented the written essay as well as a recorded speech. |
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2021 VSBA Student Workforce Readiness Award Winners Recognized |
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Ten school divisions received honors in the Virginia School Boards Association (VSBA) Excellence in Workforce Readiness Awards. The winning divisions were recognized at the VSBA Conference on Education. The awards program was created in 2018 by the VSBA Task Force on Workforce Readiness to highlight exemplary programs in Virginia’s public schools focused on preparing the state’s future workforce. The sponsor of the awards was Johnson Controls.
The winning school divisions are as follows:
Student Population Below 5,000 Students
First Place- Louisa County Public Schools, The Little Lions Learning Lab
Second Place- Goochland County Public Schools, Utility and Heavy Equipment Operators: Building the Foundation for a Career
Third Place- Dinwiddie County Public Schools, Workforce Ready Diploma Seal Initiative
Student Population Between 5,001 – 10,000 Students
First Place- Culpeper County Public Schools, Teachers for Tomorrow, Esquared, Mock Interviews and Health Care Day
Second Place- Henry County Public Schools, Oh Henry! Internships for the Future
Third Place- Shenandoah County Public Schools, Biomedical Capstone Projects: Department of Motor Vehicles Automated Perimetry by Eli Dellinger
Student Population Above 10,001 Students
First Place- Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools, WJCC Schools Healthcare Programs Initiative
Second Place- Roanoke County Public Schools, Roanoke County Public Schools’ Registered Apprenticeship Program
Third Place- Portsmouth City Public Schools, Health Sciences Career Development Program
Regional Category
First Place- New Horizons Regional Education Center, BUILD Hampton Roads: Good Life Solution Program
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Acceptance Videos Linked Below |
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News and Tidbits From Across the Country |
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Research Brief: The Impact of Charter Schools
Since the first charter school law passed in Minnesota in 1991,
over 40 states and the District of Columbia have passed laws
allowing the publicly funded, privately managed, and semiautonomous schools of choice. According to the latest available...
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www.nsba.org
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Studies show students suffered dramatic learning loss in ...
With schools set to start the fall semester in a matter of weeks, two new reports highlighted the dramatic impact the pandemic had on K-12 students. The unprecedented disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic left students notably behind where...
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khqa.com
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Sparked by Pandemic Fallout, Homeschooling Surges Across ...
Although the pandemic disrupted family life across the U.S. since taking hold in spring 2020, some parents are grateful for one consequence: They're now opting to homeschool their children, even as schools plan to resume in-person classes. The...
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www.edweek.org
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Study Confirms School-to-Prison Pipeline | Education...
Children who attend schools with high suspension rates are significantly more likely to be arrested and jailed as adults - especially Black and Hispanic boys - according to new research that shines a spotlight on the school-to-prison pipeline.
Read more
www.usnews.com
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CDC: Teachers and Students Should Wear Masks, Even Those ...
Teachers and students should wear masks inside classrooms, regardless of whether they are fully vaccinated or not, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Tuesday in a backtrack that comes just three weeks after the government's...
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www.usnews.com
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Student Learning Declined This Year, Especially for the...
Students across the country learned at a more sluggish pace than usual during the very atypical 2020-21 school year. But maybe more distressing, the already-yawning achievement gap widened, with Black, Latino, American Indian, and Alaska Native...
Read more
www.edweek.org
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VSBA Affiliate Member Profiles
In each issue of the VSBA newsletter, we will feature three VSBA Affiliate Members.
Thank you for your support of the VSBA and Virginia's public education system.
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HES Facilities Management
HES Facilities Management is a privately held business with regional locations across the country. Our leadership has decades of experience providing custodial and facilities management services to educational facilities ranging from Public Education’s K-12 school districts to higher education institutions.
Russell Leboff
Phone: 804-380-7466
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Kajeet, Inc.
Founded in 2003 in McLean, Virginia, Kajeet helps to eliminate the Homework Gap for students with off-campus broadband via mobile SmartSpots, connected Chromebooks and SmartBus Wi-Fi. Kajeet proudly serves over 2,500 education customers including 80+ school divisions, libraries, and colleges in Virginia.
Michael Flood
Phone: (240) 482-3502
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Mark III Employee Benefits
Mark III is an independent insurance broker serving school systems since 1973.
Dixcy Kilduff, Eastern & Northern VA Director
Phone: (757) 335-1900
Jon Manfull, Southwestern VA Director
Phone: (423) 676-2545
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UPCOMING EVENTS, WORKSHOPS, & WEBINARS |
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Thursday, August 26, 2021
LOCATION: VSBA Offices in Charlottesville
DETAIL: Join Stacy Haney, VSBA Chief Lobbyist and School Board Attorney for a workshop on collective bargaining and learn how you and your school division can craft your own strategic collective bargaining resolution. This workshop will be an in-depth review of the resolutions required to authorize collective bargaining for those who already have a basic understanding of Virginia’s new collective bargaining law. School Board Members and Superintendents who are considering or preparing to voluntarily authorize collective bargaining for their school divisions OR who plan to receive a certification from a majority of employees in a unit, which will require the School Board to vote on the issue of collective bargaining are highly encouraged to attend! Any school division that has one or more members in attendance will receive a no-cost one-hour consultation with Stacy Haney, VSBA Chief Lobbyist, to review division-specific issues or a draft of your resolution.
Cost:$170 per registration
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Tuesday, September 14, 2021
LOCATION: VSBA Offices in Charlottesville
DETAIL: 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 manage risk and foster a safe and healthy school environment.
For the first half of the workshop, participants will learn the basics of Title IX, best practices regarding Title IX policies, and recent case law relating to sexual harassment of students, gender discrimination, and employee training requirements. In addition, participants will walk away equipped with tools to help administrators spot, prevent, and investigate claims of unlawful discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. For the second half of this workshop, Sands Anderson will provide the required training for Investigators and Decision-Makers as well as provide board members with an understanding of those roles. The new federal Title IX Regulations effective in August 2020 require basic levels of training for school division employees. The Regulations also require so-called “Level II” training for professionals who will serve as school divisions’ Investigators and Decision-Makers as those terms are defined in the Regulations. This training will review the basic level training, but will also focus on the areas of training required for this sub-set of professionals, including topics such as proper investigation, impartiality, relevancy, the use of technology in hearings (if conducted), and the scope of divisions’ educational programs. This second half of the workshop is designed to address the requirements for Level II training.
Cost:$170 per registration
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Thursday, September 23, 2021
LOCATION: Hilton Richmond Hotel & Spa Short Pump
In 2021, Virginians will decide who will lead the Commonwealth by electing the next Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Attorney General, as well as deciding control of the Virginia House of Delegates. Being informed on the issues shaping Virginia and learning how to advocate on your board’s behalf have never been more important. Join VSBA at the 2021 Legislative Advocacy Conference where you will gain valuable insight into the issues that promise to have lasting impacts on the Commonwealth and nation. Our first in-person event of 2021 will allow participants the opportunity to hear the education platforms of the Democratic and Republican candidates for Governor and Lieutenant Governor. The VSBA Government Relations Team, Stacy Haney and J.T. Kessler, will look towards the future and provide predictions on the hot button issues in the 2022 Virginia General Assembly, as well as ideas and strategies school board members can use to engage elected leaders leading up to the legislative session in January. The conference will also include a training session on the Conflict of Interest Act which is required of all elected school board members in the Commonwealth. To close out the day attendees, will hear from our VSBA Taskforce on Students and Schools in Challenging Environments Co-Chairs on their findings from their 3.0 Report. Register today for this exciting and informative conference!
Cost: $195 per registration
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Wednesday, October 6, 2021
LOCATION: VSBA Offices in Charlottesville
DETAIL: Are you prepared to evaluate your Superintendent? Register now for the Superintendent Evaluation Workshop!
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 document to determine what is required and what is optional requires focused attention. For some, the changes to their current evaluation model may be minor, while others face major revisions in order to be in compliance with the regulations.
This workshop is designed to provide small group support to superintendents and board members responsible for assessing and updating their evaluation model. Participants will have the opportunity to review the guidelines in detail and then use them as they draft their own models. Individual consultation and support will be provided after the session as participants work on their revisions. Seats are assigned on a first-come, first-serve basis and are limited for this workshop. Register today, full governance team participation is encouraged for this workshop!
Cost:$175 per registration
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Thursday, October 21, 2021
LOCATION: VSBA Offices in Charlottesville
DETAIL: The Basics of Budgeting for Equity is a two-hour session designed to provide school board members and division superintendents with a general understanding of the essential elements of budgeting and allocating division resources in a strategically focused manner that aligns with and supports the individual needs, goals and aspirations of students. Specifically, this session will provide a general overview of student-centered resource allocation models that are intended to promote equity. In addition, during this workshop, we will look at a number of resource allocation/distribution models that are being utilized in school districts around the country to support the individual needs of students and schools based on multiple objective and measurable student characteristics. Finally, this session will provide school board members with a comparative view of traditional budgeting with that of a student-centered resource allocation system.
Cost:$175 per registration
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November 17-19, 2021
LOCATION: Williamsburg Lodge
DETAIL: We are back in person for the VSBA Annual Convention! This convention is the largest and most anticipated VSBA meeting of the year. This event brings together over one thousand school board members, superintendents, and school division staff from across Virginia. We are looking forward to being back in person this year and with an event that is bigger than before! This year you can attend four general sessions, choose from over fifty hot topic break-out sessions pertinent to public education issues, have the opportunity to meet with businesses dedicated to serving schools, and much more. This is the convention you do not want to miss.
Cost: $325 per registration
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200 Hansen Road, Charlottesville, VA 22911
Tel: 434-295-8722 Fax: 434-295-8785
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