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From the Desk of Dr. James F. Lane: Working Together to Fight Inequality
Dear Families, Educators, and Stakeholders,
As the state agency in charge of our public schools in Virginia, we have determined that it is our responsibility to maximize the potential of every student in Virginia. But for far too long, students in our communities of color and especially African-American students have faced systemic racism in our public schools and in our broader community. It is our moral duty to be an organization that fights for every child in our schools, but especially for the students where our system has failed. The death of George Floyd and the protests of this past weekend have left me reflecting on how we, as an organization, can re-double, redefine, and strengthen our efforts to eradicate racism from our public schools and to make an impact on the broader community. School is the place, if nowhere else, that we can raise a generation of students committed to each other to ensure equality and equity for every member of our society.
We have begun the process in the leadership of our agency to build cultural competency and trainings that can impact the broader education community, but that alone will not be enough. We must look at our policies, regulations, standards, resources, accountabilities, and all tools available to us to hold ourselves and our school communities accountable to ensuring that race cannot be a predictor of student success and thus, that achievement gaps are eliminated from our schools permanently.
I am committed to working with our school communities to eradicate systemic racism from Virginia's public schools and our larger communities. School leaders play a unique role in these conversations with our children, and so we must work to seek culturally responsive practices for all of our educators. The fear and rage expressed by protestors about police brutality and racial injustices faced by African-Americans is a reminder that we all have more work to do.
I hope you will join me in standing with anyone in our agency, local divisions or those working in our communities to fight racial injustice in our society and to eradicate racism from our schools. In the coming weeks, I will engage our leadership team to re-double and recommit to our mission to ensure that we can be the beacon of hope and certainty to make a difference in the lives of our students so that this next generation can grow in a future society free of systemic racism, especially in our schools.
I know many of you are hurt and struggling with the recent events, and I recognize that this is not an isolated incident but one that shows the harsh reality of what our African-American community faces on a daily basis. Please know that I'm here to be an ally and accomplice in supporting you, listening and learning from you, but especially want to be here for you if you need anything. Please know that all of you are on my mind as we all find ways to heal.
Sincerely,
James F. Lane, Superintendent of Public Instruction
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Governor Northam Announces Phase Two Guidelines for Reopening the Commonwealth |
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Governor Ralph Northam signed Executive Order Sixty-Five and presented the second phase of the “Forward Virginia” plan to continue safely and gradually easing public health restrictions while containing the spread of COVID-19. The Governor also amended Executive Order Sixty-One directing Northern Virginia and the City of Richmond to remain in Phase One.
Most of Virginia is expected to enter Phase Two on Friday, June 5, as key statewide health metrics continue to show positive signs. Virginia’s hospital bed capacity remains stable, the percentage of people hospitalized with a positive or pending COVID-19 test is trending downward, no hospitals are reporting PPE shortages, and the percent of positive tests continues to trend downward as testing increases. The Governor and Virginia public health officials will continue to evaluate data based on the indicators laid out in April.
“Because of our collective efforts, Virginia has made tremendous progress in fighting this virus and saved lives,” said Governor Northam. “Please continue to wear a face covering, maintain physical distance, and stay home if you are high-risk or experience COVID-19 symptoms. Virginians have all sacrificed to help contain the spread of this disease, and we must remain vigilant as we take steps to slowly lift restrictions in our Commonwealth.”
More Information:
Media:
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COVID-19 Family Resources Guide |
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The Virginia Department of Education recognizes the impact to students during an extended school closure can be significant as the learning time and support students receive at school are not easily supplemented or replaced. The recent pandemic has interrupted the daily routines of students and families while introducing a whole new world of questions that do not always have the most convenient answers.
VDOE has created this guide to serve as a resource for parents, families and caregivers on a variety of topics related to COVID-19 and their students. This document provides a “one-stop” resource for parents to access information by bringing all of the COVID-19 resources specific to parents together in one place.
For more information, click the image above or visit the VDOE website: doe.virginia.gov/covid19 parent and family resources
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Social Emotional Wellness Guides for Virginia Students |
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Now more than ever, it is critically important to remember that children look to adults for guidance on how to react to stressful events. Teaching children positive preventive measures, discussing their fears with them, and giving them a sense of some control in what is otherwise a very precarious situation can help to reduce anxiety. This is also an opportunity for adults to demonstrate problem-solving, flexibility, and compassion as we all work through balancing daily routines and social distancing guidelines.
The Virginia Department of Education's Social Emotional Wellness Quick Reference Guides Series offers key facts, essential questions, and resources for supporting specific populations during the pandemic. Consideration for Early Learners, Parents, and Military-Connected Students are now available. Additional guides will be added to the series located on the VDOE website in the coming weeks: doe.virginia.gov/support/prevention.
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2020 I'm Determined Summit for Youth and Parents |
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The I'm Determined Youth and Parent Summit is a three-day event held each June. It is provided by the Partnership for People with Disabilities at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in collaboration with the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE). Youth with disabilities from across the Commonwealth meet to network and discuss issues of importance to youth and young adults with disabilities.
This year, due to travel restrictions and guidelines put in place by the governor, the event is being moved online. The Virtual Summit will follow a similar feel to the face-to-face events from the past. It will include a welcome from VDOE representatives, sessions for youth, which have been prepared with help from our state youth leaders, sessions for parents, a keynote address, and exhibitor information focusing on Virginia resources for youth with disabilities.
The Virtual Summit will take place during the week of June 8-12, 2020. All sessions and information will remain available beyond the week of the event to allow those who cannot attend during the scheduled week to access the information. The event will be open to all who wish to participate, as self-determination skills are beneficial to all youth and adults. We hope that you can participate in this exciting event!
When: June 8-12, 2020
Where: Online! You can find information on how to access the Summit at the link below.
Who: Anyone! The Youth sessions are created for youth 13-21 years old and the parent sessions are created for parents. All information is open to anyone.
There is no need to apply in order to participate in this Virtual Summit!
For more information, please refer to the I'm Determined Youth and Parent Summit webpage.
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#CoronavirusHeroes: The Class of 2020
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Congratulations to the Class of 2020, the quintessential #CoronavirusHeroes! On Friday, May 29, “Virginia Graduates Together” premiered on Virginia PBS stations and Facebook LIVE to honor the resilient graduates across the state with Governor Ralph Northam and First Lady Pamela Northam, in partnership with Virginia Public Media.
Prominent Virginians appearing in the program included former Virginia Tech football coach Frank Beamer, University of Virginia’s men’s basketball coach Tony Bennett, Indianapolis Colts tight end Mo Alie-Cox, Denver Nuggets guard Troy Daniels, NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin, ESPN SportsCenter anchor Jay Harris, United States Senator Tim Kaine, Los Angeles Rams linebacker Micah Kiser, musician Dave Matthews, comedian Jay Pharoah, Virginia Beach Councilman Aaron Rouse, Miss America 2020 Camille Schrier, Houston Astros pitcher Justin Verlander, New York Liberty forward Megan Walker, United States Senator Mark Warner, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, actress Constance Wu, and World Series Champion Washington Nationals first baseman Ryan Zimmerman. The keynote speech was delivered by United States Women’s National Soccer champion Angela Hucles Mangano, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, a native of Virginia Beach, and a graduate of the University of Virginia.
Click here to view the entire program: https://youtu.be/kT4emFP49Jo
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#COVID19 & Virginia Public Schools Resources
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- The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) continues to work closely with the Governor’s Office, the Virginia Department of Health, and other state agencies to ensure our public schools and communities have the most up-to-date information and resources. The health and safety of our children and staff are our top priorities: COVID-19 & Virginia Public Schools
- Visit #GoOpenVA:COVID-19 Extended Closing Resources for materials provided by Virginia school divisions to support educational activities when schools are closed.
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Blue Ridge PBS, VPM, WETA and WHRO Public Media have partnered with VDOE to create “VA TV Classroom” to provide instruction to students in grades K-10 who are unable to access other distance learning options due to a lack of high-speed internet. Visit whro.org/classroom for more details on programming.
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WHRO is offering students, teachers, parents and administrators access to twenty-five high school online courses for free during the COVID19 pandemic.
- FREE EQUITY WEBINAR: Equitable Practices for Teaching Online from Intercultural Development Research Association (IDRA). This webinar helps teachers rethink their lesson plans for an online platform, including resources, tools, and ways to ensure students have access. #EdEquityVA
- The VDOE’s Training and Technical Assistance Centers (TTAC) can also serve as a high quality resource for additional support and options for the use of virtual platforms for students with disabilities.
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