by Adele UphausMANAGING EDITOR AND CORRESPONDENT Spotsylvania County Public Schools is no longer the fiscal agent for the Commonwealth Governor’s School, a role it has performed since the program’s inception more than 25 years ago. The CGS governing board, which is made up of one School Board representative from each of the participating school divisions—Spotsylvania, […]
The Francis Scott Key Bridge was in “Fair” Condition. How Many Local Bridges are in “Poor” Condition?
by Hank SilverbergCORRESPONDENT The dramatic collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore last month has raised concern across the country about the condition of the nation’s bridges. That particular bridge was listed in “fair” condition, yet it fell into the Patapsco River quickly when hit by a cargo ship. What about the hundreds […]
Among Youngkin’s Vetoes is a Bill that Would Have Allowed Localities to Charge Additional Sales Tax to Support School Construction
by Adele UphausMANAGING EDITOR AND CORRESPONDENT Among the bills Gov. Glenn Youngkin has vetoed this session is one that would have permitted all localities in Virginia to charge 1% sales tax to fund public school construction projects. Youngkin vetoed the legislation, which passed the General Assembly with bipartisan support, this week. Virginia is a Dillon […]
Search for New Spotsylvania Superintendent Kicks Off Next Week
The search for a new school superintendent will kick off officially next week. The division today announced a public engagement process that includes four upcoming community forums plus an online survey. “Our goal is to identify a leader who will lead with a vision and strive for excellence. This is a critical decision for the […]
Celebrate Multiculturalism on Saturday at the University of Mary Washington
by Adele UphausMANAGING EDITOR AND CORRESPONDENT The James Farmer Multicultural Center at the University of Mary Washington is preparing to host its 34th annual Multicultural Fair this weekend—an event that typically brings 5,000 to 6,000 people to campus to celebrate diverse, global cultures. This year’s event will take place on Saturday from 10 a.m. to […]
STEP VA’s Performance of “Seussical Jr.” Gives Adults and Children with Disabilities a Chance to be Stars
by Adele UphausMANAGING EDITOR AND CORRESPONDENT In 2021, Jan Monroe, the executive director of the local nonprofit STEP VA, asked Noah Finch, one of the program’s longtime participants, to write a song about how the COVID-19 pandemic had affected people with disabilities. “In 30 minutes, a song was in my inbox,” Monroe said. STEP VA—an […]
Spotsy Wire Issued ‘Cease and Desist’ Order
Demands include removal of “all defamatory publications you have authored, repeated, or otherwise disseminated in an online forum, including on social media or news sites.” by Adele UphausMANAGING EDITOR AND CORRESPONDENT A “cease and desist” letter went out in February to the anonymously-run website and Facebook page The Spotsy Wire, demanding that it stop making […]
Stafford School Board’s Provisional Budget Will Provide Raises to Support Staff
by Adele UphausMANAGING EDITOR AND CORRESPONDENT Stafford County Public Schools’ support staff—the bus drivers, cafeteria workers, maintenance workers, administrative assistants, bookkeepers, and other employees who aren’t teachers but who are essential to the day-to-day functioning of the school division—will receive long-awaited raises under the provisional budget adopted Tuesday by the School Board. These employees, who […]
ANALYSIS: School Facilities and Public Trust
In Spotsylvania and Stafford counties, school facilities are underfunded, and the impacts include safety, academic performance, and community involvement. Addressing the problem requires a new way of thinking. by Martin DavisEDITOR-IN-CHIEF School facilities have become major issues in Fredericksburg city, as well as Spotsylvania and Stafford counties. This should be a surprise only to those […]
Stafford Theater Teacher Honored by Longwood University
by Adele UphausMANAGING EDITOR AND CORRESPONDENT The 2024 Longwood University High School Theater Teacher of the Year is a middle school teacher. Aidan Brown, a sophomore at Longwood, wrote in the letter nominating his middle school theater teacher Andrea Candea-Carroll for the award that he’s usually a rule-follower, but in this case, he had to […]