Aquia Harbour
EDUCATION
Northern Virginia public schools enforce new cellphone policy
Starting this fall, Stafford County Public Schools will enforce a new policy prohibiting students from using cellphones from the beginning to the end of the school day. This ban, also adopted by districts in Fredericksburg and Winchester, aims to minimize distractions and enhance focus. Students will still have access to their phones during sports or other after school activities.
Charles school board approves $506 million budget
The fiscal 2025 budget is finalized for Charles County Public Schools after having to make intense cuts to make ends meet. At the June 11 school board meeting, Karen Acton, the chief financial officer for the school system, presented the $506,209,726 operating budget, which was approved unanimously by the board. This year, the school system came significantly short of its request from the county, as the board of education requested...
Rappahannock Electric Cooperative hands out $20K in scholarships
FREDERICKSBURG, Va. (CBS19 NEWS) -- Rappahannock Electric Cooperative has awarded $20,000 in scholarships to 17 students to help them continue their education or workforce training, and several of them are from the area. Priscilla Zhao, a James Madison University student originally from Louisa County, earned a $2,500 scholarship. Two Greene...
Community split on renaming school bearing slave owner's moniker
After a survey, stakeholder sentiment on whether or not to rename General Smallwood Middle School is split. Results revealed at the June 11 Charles County Board of Education meeting revealed that while some stakeholder groups who were surveyed skewed one way or another, the overall results of the 646 surveyed reflect 42% in favor of renaming the school and 42% against. The remaining 16% reported that they had “no opinion.” ...
Stafford schools ban cell phones, establish Office of Student Conduct
The Stafford County School Board approved an updated Student Code of Conduct during Tuesday’s meeting that includes a policy stating that electronic devices — including cell phones — must be kept silent and stored away during the school day, from first bell to dismissal. Students may use...
Unveiling of cell phone ban creates buzz at Fredericksburg City School Board meeting
For more than two hours on Monday night, speakers and slideshows warned the Fredericksburg City School Board of the deleterious effects of cell phones on learning outcomes, attention and mental health. Then, during a presentation from Deputy Superintendent Matt Eberhardt on the topic, school board member Matt Rowe felt a...
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