BUENA VISTA, VIRGINIA – Coming back after Covid has been a challenge for school systems across the Commonwealth -- facing issues like learning loss, and chronic absenteeism.
But Buena Vista Public Schools is closing that gap.
“We are in a learning loss, but we’re ahead of the game,” Enderly Heights Elementary School teacher Sara Hayes said.
From last year to this year, they went from a nearly 32% absenteeism rate in the high school to just 8%. And this year, all four of their schools are fully accredited.
Brandi Kerr and Sara Hayes both grew up in Buena Vista - and have dedicated their careers to giving back to the schools that taught them.
“We grow our own,” Kerr said.
Kerr teaches middle school English, and Hayes teaches third-grade math. While they’re not in the same school, they’ve experienced the same fight to reverse learning loss in their division.
“When you’re seeing those gaps, we’re meeting kids where they are and bringing them up,” Hayes said,
Changes like hiring absenteeism counselors to get kids back in class are leading to visible progress.
In 2021, Buena Vista was ranked 82nd out of all 131 Virginia divisions. Today, they’re ranked 38th.
It’s something Superintendent Tony Francis tells me didn’t happen overnight.
“It really was a team effort,” Francis said.
Across the board, their test scores are up in nearly every single area.
They’re even ranked top 20 in the state for seven key test subjects.
“That’s what impressed me. It’s not like we made gains in just one area,” Francis said.
But how did they close the gaps? Francis says it all comes down to relationships, an advantage of being a smaller division.
“How big of a difference does that make that your teachers are so invested?” 10 News Reporter Abbie Coleman asked.
“I think it’s the key. I think overall we put in some good plans, but good people make it work,” Francis said.
‘Good people’ like Kerr and Hayes, who say they make sure their students know they’re valued in and out of the classroom.
“If the kids don’t feel like you love them, if they don’t feel like you care for them, they’re not going to give you their best effort. But if they know, ‘I’m here for you, I care for you, I have high expectations.’ Sara mentioned we do meet them where they are, but the expectations, they know ‘Mrs. Kerr expects me to do my best,” Kerr said.
And while teachers back their students, administration backs them - making sure teachers know they have support and encouraging them with things like delivering steak lunches because of high test scores.
“Things are running smoothly because we know we have that. And we also know we have a place to go when we do have a problem,” Hayes said.