All the books tell stories that highlight different languages, food and unity.

“I can remember the kids looking at me and being like Ms. Davis, what’s going on and I was like I don’t know,” explained Staunton High School science teacher Heather Davis.

Last week the school division was notified they have the second-highest graduation rate in the state at 98%.

On the Rockingham County Board of Supervisors’ agenda Wednesday is hearing a proposed plan for a Montessori school in Mount Crawford called “New Beginnings.”

“It’s not just an error in calculation, It’s detrimental,” Hardy County Schools Superintendent Sheena VanMeter explained.

Shenandoah County Public Schools announced the expansion of in-person learning opportunities for students in its hybrid learning model on Wednesday, March 10.

Page County Public Schools announced on Wednesday more in-person learning days will be provided for students, with some students starting as early as next week.

The Senate already passed legislation earlier this month that requires Virginia’s schools to provide both an in-person and virtual option. Now, the House is considering similar expectations, but that would provide parents and schools more flexibility.

Virginia House Democrats have unveiled legislation that would require school districts to offer at least some access to in-person learning by the 2021-2022 school year.

Just three weeks in, Staunton Schools’ Superintendent reported a successful start to the hybrid program Monday night during a school board meeting.

Rockingham County Public Schools is kicking off in-person learning by providing free breakfast and lunch for students at school and for those who are attending classes from home.

On Friday, Governor Ralph Northam announced that all Virginia school divisions should make in-person learning options available by March 15. Harrisonburg City Public Schools says the school division already complies with the guidance.

A school board member in Augusta County says it’s time to start talking about getting kids back in school four days a week. He was not the only one who advocated for that Thursday night during a school board meeting in Verona.

“Certainly this reinforces a lot of the things that we have already put in place and certainly relieves a lot of anxiety for a lot of folks that are working so hard to ensure we are giving proper education to our children as best we can in a pandemic,” Eric Bond explained.

“This week to see the kids come back, to see the looks on the teacher’s faces to see the children so excited to be back in school, I’ve been borderline euphoric,” Staunton City Schools superintendent, Dr. Garett Smith.

The Virginia Department of Health has released new guidance for divisions to follow when reopening PreK-12 schools.

Delegate Tony Wilt (R-Broadway) filed legislation to establish a school remediation task force on Wednesday.

Richmond Animal Care and Control is searching for information after a dead dog was found inside a crate at Byrd Park.

Due to the surge in COVID-19 cases, Virginia Commonwealth University said students will begin the spring semester virtually.

“Even though the pandemic was the impetus for setting this up, it’s clear this is something that would be helpful even when everything is back in person,” Mendonca explained.

“As we all well know, it’s not a silver bullet. It’s gonna take a while for this to deal. We’ll probably still have to use the mitigation, the handwashing, the social distancing, the masks, and so forth. But nonetheless, this is a big first step for all of us,” Superintendent, Doug Lambert, said.

Staunton, Augusta, and Waynesboro school districts plan to virtually bring students back this week.

Page County Public Schools announced Thursday the school district will continue with full remote learning for the next two and a half weeks.

“We were successful in bringing students back in the fall and we made sure we followed all the CDC guidelines. We’ve been in contact with the Virginia Department of Health during all of this,” said Dr. Deborah Greubel, MBU’s chief health officer and a lead on the university’s pandemic response team.

The Virginia Education Association (VEA) is now calling for schools across the state to move to all-virtual instruction through at least mid-January.

75% of parents worry about their children falling behind in school.

“I think it has worked as well as a hybrid model can. We’ve tried to make improvements where we needed to but overall, I think our hybrid model has worked very well,” the superintendent explained.

“This is a very different school year. Our days and our hours aren’t quite working the same as they would in a normal year,” said executive director of instruction for Staunton City Schools, Stephanie Haskins.

In west Virginia, Grant county is in the “red” category For coronavirus cases After the infection rates drastically increased in the area. Now, there will be no in-person instruction this week.

Pendleton County Schools announced Monday its schools will be closed beginning on Tuesday, Dec. 8 and will begin remote instruction.