City School Board To Get Update On Reopening Phases

Harrisonburg City Public Schools Superintendent Michael Richards does not intend to recommend to the School Board that the division open in-person learning to more students at this time due to the elevated number of COVID-19 cases in the area, according to a letter sent to parents this week. 

Twinkling lights and tapestries, sparkling wine and a lifetime’s worth of memories. Formal is just one of several events canceled this year for university Greek life members, but for graduating seniors, the party is an unforgettable mirage of laughter, dancing and joy, lost forever by the pandemic.

Cecee Hawkins, 57, of Broadway, said she was like many Americans when the COVID-19 pandemic began.

For the past two and a half weeks, Rockingham County Public Schools students have, for the most part, been learning virtually due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Only the school division’s youngest and most academically vulnerable students have been in the classroom.

At a Rockingham County School Board meeting on Monday, Superintendent Oskar Scheikl will discuss plans for reopening school, according to the School Board agenda.

Two separate positive cases of COVID-19 forced Harrisonburg High School to close on Friday in order to contact trace, said Superintendent Michael Richards.

Madison Lane was told what most people are told before starting college — it’s going to be the best four years of your life.

When the COVID-19 pandemic shut down schools, businesses and organizations, many questions were left unanswered.

A Skyline Middle School student has tested positive for COVID-19, Harrisonburg City Public Schools Superintendent Michael Richards said Wednesday.

James Madison University will begin having in-person classes again on Oct. 5, according to a Friday press release.

It is often said children are the future, but 9-year-old Emme Davis is not satisfied with simply being the future — she wants to have an immediate impact.

The Virginia High School League officially announced the implementation of the “Championships +1” schedule for the 2020-21 school year on Thursday.

Harrisonburg City Public Schools confirmed its first case of COVID-19 since school began at the end of August, according to Superintendent Michael Richards.

Eastern Mennonite University delayed move-in for students until the first weekend of September, while continuing with online classes for the last four weeks.

Harrisonburg City Public Schools has closed one school for a week after an employee who was feeling sick visited the doctor and was told to get tested as he or she had a probable case of COVID-19, said Superintendent Michael Richards on Monday.

On Thursday, Harrisonburg reported 2,036 cumulative COVID-19 cases after 47 new cases were recorded by the Virginia Department of Health.

Thursday marked Jan Alley’s 20th first day of school, and it’s easy to say she’s never had a first day of school like this.

A decision by Rockingham County to pay each deputy and firefighter an extra $2,500 in hazard pay through the CARES Act left some Harrisonburg first responders frustrated that they’re not also seeing additional compensation.

As the number of COVID-19 cases began to soar, and continue to, James Madison University decided to send students home a little over a week after they moved in. Most classes began being held online this week.

Over 1,000 COVID-19 cases have been identified in James Madison University students and employees, according to the most recent data published by the institution on Monday.

It’s a situation most parents never thought they’d be in — facilitating their children’s education while balancing work.

Despite COVID-19 cases cresting 600 at James Madison University, Bridgewater College is benefiting from its small student population and cases are still in the single digits.

Rockingham County Public Schools will provide free meals to all children younger than 18 through a program funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

During a Harrisonburg School Board meeting Tuesday night, board members heard from Dr. Laura Kornegay, director of the Central Shenandoah Health District of the Virginia Department of Health.

By the time James Madison University freshman Dillan Lane, 18, returns home to Long Beach, Calif., he will have spent more time driving across than the country to the school than taking classes in-person.

A census was sent to parents of students in Harrisonburg City Public Schools in mid-August asking them about their technology, food and child care needs as they headed into full-time virtual learning.

The jury trial for a New York tractor-trailer driver accused of causing a Christmas Eve crash that killed two Shenandoah Valley residents was scrapped Tuesday.

UPDATE 11:20 a.m. — JMU reported 627 cumulative positive cases in students and faculty Wednesday morning. According to the new data, 26 have recovered since the first patient recovered on Aug. 25.

James Madison University student Ellie Twigg has a full schedule as she commutes to the Valley for classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays and works roughly 45 hours a week at a gym in the Washington, D.C., area.

It was always going to be an unusual start to a new school year. When the COVID-19 pandemic closed school in March, educators looked to the next school year unsure of what to expect, except that it would be different.

Monday was the first day of school for Harrisonburg City Public Schools, albeit a very different looking first day than in years past.

UPDATE as of 1 p.m. Monday — James Madison University has 390 positive COVID-19 cases — all but four students, according to data released by the school Monday.

The town of Dayton received about $84,000 from the CARES Act through the county and town council has outlined some of its priorities for how to spend the money.

It would be wrong to say James Madison didn’t try.

As an early childhood education center, the Shenandoah Valley Child Development Center didn’t fit the requirements for Rockingham County’s Small Business Grant program until the Economic Development Authority decided to change the criteria to include child care facilities.

When the pandemic began clearing out supplies of certain items, Harrisonburg City Public Schools decided to not spend tons of money, only to wait for months and months, on personal protective equipment, such as plexiglass barriers and hand sanitizer stations.

After opening a second round, Rockingham County’s small-business grant review team began reviewing applications Tuesday, as well as applications denied during the first round, according to Josh Gooden.

With college and university students returning to campus this week, it’s imperative that everyone in the community follow face mask and social distancing guidelines. That is part of the ongoing message of “Be Vigilant for the Valley,” an initiative led by community leaders and elected offici…

While some colleges across the country reported parties with hundreds of students, Harrisonburg police say move-in weekend for James Madison University was fairly calm compared to years past.

An educational plan for reopening has been approved by the Department of Education for Rockingham County Public Schools, it was announced during a meeting Monday night.