By Angelyn Nichols, M.Ed., professional learning specialist
Office of Professional Growth & Innovation
Each month, the Virginia Beach City Public Schools’ (VBCPS) Office of Professional Growth and Innovation (PGI) publishes a newsletter titled, “What’s Joy Got to Do with It?” The intention of this newsletter is to share resources, strategies and examples that support the social-emotional growth and wellness of staff and students across our city. Throughout the 2019-2020 school year, the monthly newsletter has focused on one attribute of our VBCPS Graduate Profile. However, this April we are sharing a special edition of this newsletter that is a celebration of the inquiry, commitment, and flexibility that has been captured through #VBAlwaysLearning. We are living through unprecedented times and there is no road map for the journey we are currently traveling. This month’s newsletter is a tribute to a core value in VBCPS, Doing Great Work Together. Our ability to connect and support one another during this time is of the utmost importance.
April’s newsletter is for everyone in our community—staff, families, leaders, community members — and it honors the dedication that is being shown by our educators. Within the newsletter we feature over 15 examples from VBCPS staff and highlight several timely articles. From tips on running a great virtual meeting to four actions we can take to support our shift to virtual learning, this edition offers examples and ready-to-use resources that can guide our decision making about working and learning in a virtual setting. The Office of Professional Growth and Innovation is committed to supporting the amazing staff of VBCPS and to the degree that you are able, we invite you to use the resources and examples in this month’s #VBAlwaysLearning edition to support yourself and those you serve.