FEATURED
FXBG Advance
- May 14, 2024
19 views 3 min

Investigation, Legal Fees in Spotsylvania

The School Board has retained a Norfolk-based law firm to investigate the Riverbend Swim Team debacle; plus, information on fees for “legal services” outside of general representation. The Spotsylvania School Board has retained the Norfolk-based firm Yeng Collins Law, PLC to conduct an investigation “related to certain issues surrounding the Riverbend High School swim team,” […]

316 POSTS
Managing Editor and Correspondent ...
FEATURED
FXBG Advance
- April 23, 2024
34 views 4 min

Judge Dismisses Assault Case Brought by Former Riverbend Principal Xavier Downs

Downs alleged that he was assaulted by parent Cory Ellis at the December 20 swim team meeting. A Spotsylvania General District Court judge on Tuesday dismissed former Riverbend High School principal Xavier Downs’s assault case against Cory Ellis, the parent of a student on the varsity swim team, with strong words for all parties involved. […]

316 POSTS
Managing Editor and Correspondent ...
FEATURED
FXBG Advance
- April 5, 2024
22 views 3 min

Riverbend High School Teacher Named Region 3 Teacher of the Year

Beth Marshall, center, a French teacher at Riverbend High School, was named Teacher of the Year for Virginia Region 3 in a surprise announcement on Friday, April 5. Photo by Adele Uphaus.

by Adele UphausMANAGING EDITOR AND CORRESPONDENT It took the students in Beth Marshall’s French 2 class less than a second to come up with answers to a question posed to them by Lisa Coons, Virginia’s state superintendent of public instruction. “Why is Ms. Marshall a good teacher?” Coons asked. “She is very passionate,” said one […]

316 POSTS
Managing Editor and Correspondent ...
FEATURED
FXBG Advance
- March 1, 2024
27 views 5 min

The News That Moved Us This Past Week

by Martin DavisEDITOR-IN-CHIEF The week just past saw a Black History Month poetry read-in at James Monroe High School, a new interview with Republican congressional candidate Terrice Todd, a MWHC op-ed, a brewing political controversy in King George, and a FOIA request gone bad in Spotsylvania. In addition, our best-read commentary looked at school board […]

249 POSTS
by Martin Davis EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ...
FEATURED
FXBG Advance
- February 29, 2024
21 views 10 min

Lisa Phelps, Mark Taylor Failed to Fully Comply with FOIA Request

by Adele UphausMANAGING EDITOR AND CORRESPONDENT Newly available text messages reveal the degree to which at least one Spotsylvania School Board member and senior school division leadership were involved in events that led up to and followed the volatile December meeting of the Riverbend High School swim team that resulted in the principal being placed […]

316 POSTS
Managing Editor and Correspondent ...
FEATURED
FXBG Advance
- January 16, 2024
40 views 18 min

Text Messages Reveal Change in Tone about Mentoring

A late November change in the way the Riverbend High School swim team selects captains has led to a rupture in relationships between coaches, parents, and student-athletes at Riverbend High School. Speaking on a podcast last week, however, Riverbend Principal Xavier Downs—now on administrative leave—and a parent of a student-athlete on the team are arguing the change […]

316 POSTS
Managing Editor and Correspondent ...