Your Seven Day Forecast

2022-5-20

Fairy God Mothers Work Their Magic

Jackson-Feild Behavioral Health Services (JFBHS) is a non-profit behavioral health organization serving adolescent children with severe mental health disorders. Founded in 1855, JFBHS serves more than 100 children annually.

For the past sixteen years, Collegiate School students have collected and provided prom outfits to the residents at Jackson-Feild through The Fairy Godmother Project. Their mission is to provide a high school prom experience for children whose circumstances are such that they would not get to attend a school dance like prom outside of JFBHS.

Throughout the year, Collegiate School students collect donated prom attire and conducted fund raisers to purchase supplemental items such as shoes and accessories. 

Saturday, May14, 2022, was the “shopping day” for the girls of JFBHS. Collegiate students were able to transform the JFBHS recreation center into a boutique filled with racks of prom dresses. Tables were lined with shoes, an accessory station, and even a table for the girls to pick out their make-up.

The recreation center was filled with laughter and excitement as residents had smiles from ear to ear on their faces after their successful shopping experience. The Collegiate students helped each girl find an ensemble that makes them feel and look beautiful, and the Jackson-Feild girls are so excited to show off their outfits at the upcoming prom. The students’ generosity and kindness is much appreciated by both children and staff.

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May 2022
Jackson-Feild Behavioral Health Services (JFBHS)
2022-5-20

Statement from Virginia State Vaccination Coordinator Christy Gray on the CDC Expanding Eligibility of COVID-19 Boosters for Children 5–11 Years of Age and Strengthening Recommendation for Second COVID-19 Boosters

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(RICHMOND, Va.) — Children in Virginia, ages 5–11 years, are now recommended for a Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 booster if they completed their primary series of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine five months ago or more. The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) has given the green light to providers in the Commonwealth to begin administering the booster dose immediately to eligible children.

On May 19, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended a booster for children, ages 5–11, following the expansion of the pediatric vaccine’s Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) earlier in the week.

The CDC gave the go-ahead to the Pfizer-BioNTech pediatric vaccine on November 2, 2021. Since then, according to the VDH Vaccine Demographics dashboard, 316,571 children in Virginia, ages 5–11 years, had received at least one dose of vaccine as of May 17, representing 43.7% of the children ages 5–11 years. According to the data, 270,200 Virginia children (37.3%) in this age group are fully vaccinated with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

Currently, more than 144,606 children in Virginia, who were fully vaccinated as of December 17, 2021, are now eligible for a booster vaccination.

In addition, the CDC strengthened their recommendation that persons 12 years and older who are immunocompromised and those 50 years and older should get a second booster vaccine if it has been four months since their first booster.

The following is a statement from Virginia’s State Vaccination Coordinator and Director of the Virginia Department of Health’s Division of Immunization Christy Gray, MPH:

“VDH urges parents to talk to their pediatrician or other healthcare provider about getting their child boosted. Vaccination helps to keep children from getting very sick, developing short- and long-term health problems, and reduce spread to loved ones and communities. COVID-19 cases are rising in Virginia and this is a step parents can take to continue their child’s protection. The best way for parents to protect their children is through vaccination, which we urge parents to consider for their children’s safety and well-being.

“As COVID-19 cases are rising in Virginia, VDH urges those eligible for a second booster vaccine to talk to their healthcare provider to ensure continued protection against severe illness.”

Those who are unvaccinated and without a booster remain at the highest risk of severe illness and hospitalization due to COVID-19. This population remains VDH’s top priority. Everyone five years or older is eligible to be vaccinated. To find free vaccination opportunities near you, visit vaccinate.virginia.gov or call 877-VAX-IN-VA (877-829-4682, TTY users call 7-1-1). Assistance is available in English, Spanish, and more than 100 other languages.

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May 2022
COVID-19
Covid Vaccines
Virginia Department of Health
2022-5-20

Governor Youngkin Releases Education Report Finding Sliding Education Performance and Lowered Standards in Virginia

~ Youngkin Administration to raise standards, improve transparency, and empower parents and teachers ~

~ Youngkin Administration to raise standards, improve transparency, and empower parents and teachers ~

 
Governor Glenn Youngkin delivers remarks after education report findings in the Patrick Henry Building on Thursday, May 19, 2022. Official Photo by Christian Martinez, Office of Governor Glenn Youngkin.
 
RICHMOND, VA – Today Governor Glenn Youngkin received the Department of Education’s report “Our Commitment to Virginians: High Expectations and Excellence for All Students.” The education report builds upon Governor Youngkin’s direction in Executive Order One issued on his first day in office. The Governor affirmed his guiding principles to address troubling data trends and outlined policy recommendations to restore excellence in education in Virginia. 
 
“Virginia’s public schools have long enjoyed a reputation for academic excellence,” said Governor Youngkin. “But the data in this report demonstrates that Virginia’s student achievement gaps are disturbing and cannot be ignored. This report documents a clear and sobering lesson on the consequences for students when state leaders lower academic standards and dismantle accountability.”
 
The 33-page report from the Department of Education details how state policy choices and priorities over the last decade have resulted in lower student achievement in reading and mathematics, wider achievement gaps, reduced transparency, and eroding parent confidence in the Commonwealth’s public schools. 
 
“Virginians deserve to know the truth about how our children are doing,” said Secretary of Education Aimee Guidera. “Under Governor Youngkin’s leadership, we aim to be the most transparent and accountable state in the nation, while empowering parents and teachers with the knowledge and choices to do what’s best for each learner.”
 
Key findings in the report include the following:
 
  • Virginia now has the lowest proficiency standards in reading and mathematics in the nation, resulting in the wide “honesty gaps” between the performance of students on state Standards of Learning tests and performance on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).
  • Despite statistically significant declines in the reading performance of Virginia students on the 2019 NAEP and on state assessments, the Board of Education voted in 2020 to lower the proficiency standard on all elementary, middle school, and high school SOL reading tests. 
  • The Board of Education’s Standards of Accreditation — once an accountability model for other states — now de-emphasize grade-level proficiency in reading and mathematics and mask wide achievement gaps.
  • Pre-pandemic results from college entrance examinations taken by 2019 Virginia high graduates show wide disparities in college readiness, especially in mathematics.
  • Last fall, 42% of Virginia second-graders scored below the benchmark on the Commonwealth’s early literacy screening assessment.
  • Homeschooling increased by 56% in 2020-2021 as the parents of 59,638 school-age children chose not to send their children to public schools. Despite the return to in-person instruction this year, the parents of 55,769 students chose homeschooling over enrolling their children in a public school. In addition, 5,828 students have transferred from Virginia public schools to in-state private schools since the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year.
 
“I want to stress that this report is not an indictment of our teachers, principals, and other school leaders. They have worked tirelessly over the last few years under extraordinary conditions and circumstances,” said Superintendent Jillian Balow. “But local decision-making inevitably reflects priorities and policy choices determined at the state level. I am committed to working with Governor Youngkin, the state Board of Education, and the General Assembly to reorder Virginia’s K-12 priorities, raise expectations for all of our students, and create an accreditation system that is transparent, honest, and that prioritizes grade-level proficiency.”
 
The report also identifies Governor Youngkin’s guiding principles in education that will guide the work of his Administration in restoring excellence in education:
 
  • Establish and maintain high expectations for students, schools, and ourselves.
  • Advance parent and teacher empowerment to best serve students in partnership.
  • Demand zero-tolerance for discrimination in education and beyond.
  • Foster innovation in all education environments.
  • Provide transparency and accountability so that each child is seen and receives what they need to succeed.
  • Ensure post-secondary readiness so that all learners can succeed in life.
  • Protect and nurture freedom of speech and inquiry to ensure every student is taught how to think, not what to think. 
  •  
“The future prosperity of our Commonwealth depends on how well we prepare our students,” said Governor Youngkin. “Working alongside parents, teachers, and policymakers, we will restore excellence in education and ensure that all students have access to quality education opportunities that prepare them for success in our workplaces, our communities, and our democracy.”
 
The complete “Our Commitment to Virginians: High Expectations and Excellence for All Students” report is available here. Superintendent Balow’s presentation deck is available here. 
 
 
Secretary of Education Aimee Guidera delivers remarks prior to the education report release in the Patrick Henry Building on Thursday, May 19, 2022. Official Photo by Christian Martinez, Office of Governor Glenn Youngkin.

 
Governor Glenn Youngkin delivers remarks after the release of the education report in the Patrick Henry Building on Thursday, May 19, 2022. Official Photo by Christian Martinez, Office of Governor Glenn Youngkin.
 
 
Superintendent Jillian Balow presents the education report to Governor Glenn Youngkin in the Patrick Henry Building on Thursday, May 19, 2022. Official Photo by Christian Martinez, Office of Governor Glenn Youngkin.

 
Interim Chief Diversity Officer Rosa Atkins introduces Governor Glenn Youngkin after the release of the education report in the Patrick Henry Building on Thursday, May 19, 2022. Official Photo by Christian Martinez, Office of Governor Glenn Youngkin.
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May 2022
Governor
Glenn Younkgin
Education
2022-5-20