Calling herself the “Get Stuff Done Candidate” on her campaign website, Christa Bennett is already used to getting things done. And if elected to Charlottesville City School Board, she wants to make sure others can advocate as well. In 2018, Bennett successfully lobbied for and fundraised for a playground at Walker Upper Elementary School. Bennett […]
Category: How we learn
We report on how we learn and grow, with a special focus on children, their parents and caretakers, and the equity of our education system.
Posted inGovernment and public institutions, How we learn
City officials wrestle with how to pay for a long-anticipated new $75 million middle school
Charlottesville city leaders are preparing to dig deep in the city’s budget — and raise local taxes — in order to build a new $75 million middle school within the next five years. The City Council this week gave the green light for the school division to finalize its plans for the new, state-of-the-art facility […]
Posted inHow we learn
This bus drives around Charlottesville giving away books to children who might not otherwise get them
Scores of children flocked to the Kona Ice truck parked near the entrance of Hearthwood Apartments one early evening last week. Many of them exchanged a small, wooden token for a cup full of colored ice. Just a few feet away from the truck was a renovated school bus, filled with books for children and […]
Posted inHow we learn
Without enough bus drivers, teachers, school staff and community members are shuttling children to school — and there’s no immediate end in sight
Weekday mornings in Charlottesville begin with a city-wide scramble to get children to school.Because of a massive bus driver shortage, the bus system that serves Charlottesville City Schools is operating at just over 40% capacity. It’s about to get a little better: Following a major push to hire more drivers, that capacity should jump to […]
Posted inHow we learn
The local health district curtails contact tracing and expands testing as COVID cases relentlessly climb
Local cases of COVID-19 are now so high that the health district said it’s unable to complete contact tracing for all positive cases — and it’s struggling to keep up with the burgeoning demand for tests. The Blue Ridge Health District announced on Friday that its investigators may be unable to contact “every positive individual […]
Posted inHow we learn
Meet Charlottesville City Schools new superintendent — he promises transparency and to focus on equity
Charlottesville City Schools has named its new superintendent. Royal A. Gurley will take the helm Oct. 4. “There’s a lot of great work happening here,” Gurley told a group of reporters Thursday afternoon. “I just felt strongly when I saw this search … that a lot of my values were aligned closely to the things […]
Posted inHealth and safety, How we learn
Charlottesville City Schools talk COVID safety
“As the nation anxiously braces for the new school year, Charlottesville City Schools took initiative to prepare parents and children for what’s to come. Some 3,900 Charlottesville students return to school on Wednesday after a year of virtual and partial in-class attendance.”
Posted inHealth and safety, How we learn
Public school staff may not need to use personal sick days if taking leave related to COVID-19
Days before one of her children became ill with COVID-19, Charlottesville City Schools teacher Shannon Gillikin emailed human resources to inquire about leave policy related to the virus. At the time, she was informed she and other staff would need to use their regular sick days should the need to quarantine arise. “I reached out […]
Posted inHealth and safety, How we learn
Albemarle schools will require all teachers and staff either be vaccinated or submit weekly negative COVID tests
All Albemarle County Public School employees will be required this year to either show proof they have received a COVID-19 vaccination or submit to weekly testing. The county School Board passed an ordinance Thursday evening giving Superintendent Matt Haas the go-ahead to collect vaccination records for all staff — something that the district did not […]
Posted inHow we learn
Albemarle school board enacts state-mandated transgender policy
The Albemarle County School Board passed a new policy Thursday evening that gives transgender and gender-expansive students more rights and protections in the school district despite some confusion over when parents would be notified. State law requires all Virginia school districts to pass ordinances before the start of the upcoming school year that address the […]
