VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – About 65,000 students returned to Virginia Beach City Public Schools on Tuesday.
Superintendent Dr. Aaron Spence toured eight schools across the city including elementary, middle, and high schools.
He started the day at Old Donation School. News 3 caught up with him at Corporate Landing Elementary as he talked with the principal and teachers. He even stopped in one classroom where the teacher was showing the young students how to create shapes with Play-Doh.
He also checked in on the teens at Ocean Lakes High School.
When asked about learning loss and test scores, he responded, "Scores are just a measure in time, and we’re obviously proud in Virginia Beach of all the work we’ve done. I think it shows the tremendous effort that our families, our students, and our teachers and staff put in to make sure students begin bouncing back from what we know was a very difficult time academically for many kids."
VBCPS said it is implementing some new initiatives regarding school security. A spokesperson sent us the following information:
- Security Assistants at Elementary Schools- 10 Elementary schools are getting a second security assistant. This is a phased-in approach and eventually, all elementary schools will have 2 security assistants.
- School Security Officers (armed) at secondary schools- This is in the planning stages and once approved, we will likely have an armed security assistant at all high schools and several middle schools. Also, with the goal of 1 armed security assistant at all secondary schools.
- Emergency Manager position- We are in the process of hiring for this new position. The position will enable us to better align with the city’s office of emergency management and prepare us to react to a crisis.
Regarding staffing, Dr. Spence said they are still hiring, but as far as teaching positions, they only had about 25 openings as of last week which is quite low for the entire district which has 86 schools and centers.
