ROCKY MOUNT - The Franklin County School Board voted 7-1 to require documentation for mask exemptions Monday night. The decision reverses a unanimous Aug. 9 vote that required masks for all students, but explicitly stated that the school system would not require any paperwork for those seeking religious or medical exemptions.

By Logan Roddy, senior contributor Speaking to an audience of about 30 in the Rockingham County Administrative Offices on Monday, the county's schools' superintendent said future school board meetings would meet in similar non-school venues to help diffuse tension about masks.

BRISTOL, Va. - A COVID-19 outbreak in the Virginia High School football program was confirmed Monday, just as the school division increases mitigation efforts to reduce the impact of the virus. Three people within the program have tested positive for the virus within the last two weeks, which meets the Virginia Department of Health definition for an outbreak, Superintendent Keith Perrigan told the School Board at its Monday meeting.

Nearly half the students whose families have opted to keep them in virtual learning for the new year had a bumpy start through no fault of their own, Arlington school officials acknowledge. But, Superintendent Francisco Durán told School Board members, efforts are moving forward to calm the roiled waters.

Martinsville and Henry County do not have the authority to abolish Martinsville City Public Schools and are in violation of state law by proposing to do so in a voluntary settlement agreement relating to Martinsville reverting from a city to a town in Henry County.

Embattled Halifax County School Board vice chairman Todd Moser tendered his resignation Sunday night, leaving the school board with only seven members until a replacement is named to fill the vacant ED-6 seat. On Monday, trustees unanimously elected Roy Keith Lloyd to succeed Moser as vice chair.

'Senseless' murder results in lengthy sentence for Crawley Jayvees claim second win of season A short-numbered Halifax County School Board voted Monday to back the construction of a new Halifax County High School and send a plan to the Halifax Board of Supervisors to dramatically raise the compensation of school employees - teachers and other staff - by next year.

Less than one week into the new school year, Richmond Public Schools' Superintendent said there are currently 64 teacher vacancies. Some of these vacancies are due to the school system's vaccine mandate for school staff which was announced in August.

Virginia students in grades three through eight this fall will be the first to take new "growth assessments" to determine baselines for measuring individual academic progress in reading and mathematics during the school year. The new tests are mandated by legislation approved by the 2021 General Assembly.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) - Learning comes in all forms, but when you look at some Virginia Beach schools, it's what you can't see that is providing the most education. School is in session at Ocean Lakes Elementary and you can just feel the energy.

STAUNTON, Va. (WHSV) - At Monday's Staunton City Schools board meeting, the board was given a report from Superintendent Dr. Garett Smith with information surrounding a possible vaccine mandate. Smith said, in looking into it, many employees were not in favor of mandatory vaccines at this time.

CHESAPEAKE, Va. (AP) - The Chesapeake School Board has changed its nondiscrimination policy, adding protections to ensure students and faculty are treated equally regardless of their gender identity or sexual orientation. The board voted unanimously Monday to approve revisions to its current nondiscrimination policy, WAVY-TV reported.