Lynchburgโs โMen2Schoolโ shows support, encouragement on LCSโs first day of school
A group called โMen2Schoolโ is made up of church members, fraternities, and other organizations with the goal of helping kids start off on the right foot by holding up signs of encouragement and shouting messages of support.
Lynchburg City School leaders sidestep questions about staffing vacancies
After Lynchburg City Schools held a news conference last week and told 10 News it was โtoo early to tellโ how many teachers and staff members they have for the upcoming school year, we wanted to follow up โ and now LCS is dodging our questions.
Parents frustrated over Lynchburg bus routes, school leaders are apologizing
Like many parents, Tiffany Martin says she received an online link from school leaders with bus information. However, their familyโs information was incomplete, so she filled out a complaint and was forced to pick up her children.
Lynchburg city council, schools leaders have heated exchange over budget proposal
LYNCHBURG, Va. โ 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. The more than $100 million operating budget would give board members the opportunity to receive health coverage and a $2,400 stipend. โThe Virginia code gives local school boards the opportunity to do what our local board did,โ said Dr. Coleman as part of his response. The budget also includes LCS asking the city for nearly $40 million, which school leaders say is the same request as last year.
Virtual breakfast with the superintendent event highlights Lynchburg education during pandemic
LYNCHBURG, Va. โ School leaders in Lynchburg are looking back on the pandemic. The district held a virtual breakfast with the superintendent Thursday. โEducation has changed, and so have we at Lynchburg City Schools. During our time when we have been leading with care, weโve had to connect with our students and families differently,โ said Superintendent Dr. As some students return to the classroom four days a week, school leaders are also working on summer programs and having in-person learning five days a week this Fall.
Lynchburg City School Board approved budget raises concerns among parents, educators
LYNCHBURG, Va. โ The Lynchburg City School board approved its operating budget Tuesday for the 2021-2022 school year, but itโs raising some concerns. โThe budget, as it was presented, reads like a wish list,โ said Andrew Glover, founder of the Conservative Parents of Lynchburg group. The $126 million plan appears to show more spending on administration than schools, but school leaders say theyโll still have โCARESโ funding available to help cover costs. Karl Loos, president of the Lynchburg Education Association, says nowโs not the time for certain hires. School leaders will present the budget to the city council on March 30.
Lynchburg City Schools kicks off โOperation Student Engagementโ campaign
LYNCHBURG, Va. โ โOperation Student Engagementโ is the latest mission for Lynchburg City School leaders. The new campaign has teachers and staff traveling to neighborhoods to interact with the community, answer questions and have fun with students. LCS made a stop to the Dearington Apartments Monday to hand out food, instructional materials, school supplies and prizes. LCS plans to hold more community events throughout the Summer in preparation for the Fall. Thatโs when they anticipate offering in-person instruction five days a week.
Lynchburg City Schools announce updates for โReturn to Learnโ plan
LYNCHBURG, Va. โ Lynchburg City School leaders said theyโre increasing the number of in-person instruction days for some of their youngest learners. Officials announced Wednesday that pre-k through second-grade students will return for in-person instruction four days a week starting on Tuesday, April 13. The students will return to in-person instruction four days a week from Tuesday-Friday with Monday as a remote learning day for all. โWe anticipate that for the Fall, we will have an in-person learning opportunity for our students five days a week,โ said Pugh. 10 News asked about it during Wednesdayโs news conference, and school leaders said they are looking into it.
Black superintendents in southwest Virginia make strides in and out of the classroom
ROANOKE, Va โ During Black History Month, 10 News continues to recognize the contributions and accomplishments of African-American leaders across southwest Virginia. As time went on and she continued her path in educational leadership, Edwards became the first Black female superintendent at Lynchburg City schools. โI grew up in poverty with, with two parents, neither who finished school,โ Martinsville City Schools Superintendent Zeb Talley said. Verletta White will soon wrap up her first year as superintendent with Roanoke City Schools. โRepresentation matters because perspective matters,โ Roanoke City School Superintendent Verletta White said.
Lynchburg opens mass vaccination site for essential workers
LYNCHBURG, Va. โ Lynchburg city and health leaders have transformed the former T.J. Maxx store in the Candlerโs Station Shopping Center into a mass vaccination site. The fire department partnered with Lynchburg City School nurses Monday to distribute vaccines to nearly 450 essential workers who fall in Phase 1b. โThis is going to be able to bring our students, hopefully, back full-time once weโre able to get COVID under control. So, this is one of the first steps in being able to do that,โ said Lynchburg City Schools nurse coordinator Andrea Bryant. โWe do have people here that are essential workers that are 65 and older; and we have essential workers here that are under the age of 65, but they fall into the essential worker category,โ said Wormser.
Lynchburg City Schools new van feeds minds, stomachs through nutrition program
LYNCHBURG, Va. โ Lynchburg City Schools is expanding its nutrition program by catering to some students, both literally and figuratively, with a new van. โOnce I get my routes and everything done, study what I need to study and get my addresses straight, Iโm off and running,โ said Jason Croumpton, a school nutrition delivery driver. LCS will now deliver meals to nearly 250 students who chose to learn remote-only and lack transportation to curbside locations. We had been delivering meals on bus routes,โ Morris said. AdWith only one van, routes will be spread out Tuesdays through Fridays.
More Lynchburg students opting for hybrid learning
LYNCHBURG, Va. โ More Lynchburg students are choosing to return to the classroom for the second semester. Amy Pugh, the school districtโs deputy superintendent, said about 62% of students are enrolled in the hybrid module, compared to 55% last semester. Meanwhile, Lynchburg City Schools is working to improve virtual learning by providing more than 400 hotspot devices to families, as well as iPads for younger students. Students who may be struggling in their studies will also have more opportunities for support, including live-chat virtual tutoring and extended deadlines to complete assignments.
WATCH: Lynchburg school, health officials discuss coronavirus vaccination efforts
Lynchburg officials talk COVID-19 vaccine LIVE: City, health and school officials in Lynchburg are discussing coronavirus vaccination efforts Posted by WSLS 10 / WSLS.com on Friday, January 22, 2021Officials from the city of Lynchburg, Centra, the Virginia Dept. of Health and Lynchburg City Schools are holding a joint press conference at 10:30 a.m. on Friday. The purpose of the press conference will be to talk about their recent partnership and to discuss COVID-19 vaccination efforts, mass vaccination plans and other coronavirus-related information.
Lynchburg Education Association concerned about vaccine distribution timeline
LYNCHBURG, Va. โ While some parts of Virginia roll into the Phase 1-B vaccine distribution stage, others are still behind in the first phase. Lynchburg is one area waiting to shift into Phase 1-B โ and teachers are part of that next group. Karl Loos, president of the Lynchburg Education Association, says teachers and staff are still coming in close contact with students and one another, even on a hybrid schedule. Crystal Edwards said sheโs working closely with the Department of Health to find out when the vaccine will be available. โOnce [vaccines] get here, itโs going to take some time for us to administer both sets of shots.
Lynchburg high school to receive new artificial athletic field
LYNCHBURG, Va. โ E.C. Glass High School is getting an upgrade with an artificial athletic field. The Lynchburg City School board approved a construction contract Tuesday โ worth about $980,000. Steve Gatzke, LCS senior director of finance and operations, tells 10 News it will be big enough for practices but not games. โWidthwise, I believe it is the same as a regulation football field; but lengthwise it will only be around 100 yards, basically no endzones,โ Gatzke said.
Online petition opposes Lynchburg schools return to hybrid schedule
LYNCHBURG, Va. โ As in-person learning resumes this week in Lynchburg, not everyone is happy about it. One parent started an online petition against the cityโs โReturn to Learnโ initiative due to concerns about rising COVID-19 cases. โWe just want whatโs best and what is needed โ not wanted but needed. Everybody in the world wants to go back to work. Everybody in the world wants to go back into the classroom and be with their students, be with their teachers, and go back to life as normal.
Students to return to hybrid schedule following fire at Lynchburg elementary school
LYNCHBURG, Va. โ Lynchburg City Schools announced it will return to a hybrid schedule next week. For students at Paul Munro Elementary, that means it will be the first time theyโre back in the building since a fire at the school in November. Lynchburg fire marshals said a heater caused the fire inside a second-grade classroom. Though it was contained to one room, excessive smoke damage caused issues to other areas of the building. Gatzek said the incident caused about $175,000 in damages, but the school is insured.
Lynchburg School Board delays return to hybrid schedule in January due to anticipated spike in cases
LYNCHBURG, Va. โ School leaders in Lynchburg voted Tuesday night to delay the return to a hybrid schedule by a few days in January due to a possible spike in COVID-19 cases after the holidays and travel. Initially, the plan was for students to return to a hybrid schedule on January 4, which is the first day back from winter break. The Lynchburg School Board voted 7-2 Tuesday night in favor of shifting to Phase Two remote learning for all students from January 4 through 8. As of now, the new plan is to return to the hybrid schedule on January 11. The school board also voted 5-4 in favor of athletics to move to Phase Two for January 4 through 8 as well.
Lynchburg schools going virtual until 2021
LYNCHBURG, Va. โ As the coronavirus continues to spread across Virginia, another area school district will be virtual until next year. Lynchburg City Schools announced Monday that for the remainder of the week, all learning will be virtual. [Where are Virginiaโs coronavirus cases? The hardest-hit group in the school district is the transportation department, which has six of its seven office staff members in quarantine. The school district is going from Phase 3 hybrid to Phase 2 remote.
Lynchburgโs Heritage Elementary School to go virtual
Heritage Elementary School in Lynchburg will be closing its doors due to coronavirus. The change will go into effect on Thursday and last until Dec. 18, according to Cindy Babb, communications coordinator for Lynchburg City Schools. Below is the full statement:
Clean up following Lynchburg school fire could take longer than expected
LYNCHBURG, Va โ One week after a fire broke out inside Paul Munro Elementary, Lynchburg City School officials are still working to repair the damage. Lynchburg fire marshals said a heater caused the fire inside a second-grade classroom. Although it was contained to one room, excessive smoke damage caused a greater issue. โThere was some, I think, paper material and some plastic [near the heater], and thatโs where most of the smoke damage came from, was the plastic burning,โ said Gatzek. Students were already on a hybrid schedule, but have switched to remote learning full-time โ at least through the holidays.