Cops (not) out

After protests over police brutality rocked the nation in the summer of 2020, both Charlottesville and Albemarle ended their school resource officer programs. The districts replaced the officers with care and safety assistants, unarmed adults tasked with building relationships with students, monitoring hallways, de-escalating conflicts, addressing mental health concerns, assisting with security issues, and upholding […]

Healthy minds: CHS students discuss mental health with Virginia’s education secretary

Shana Bullard felt terrified. She was about to meet Virginia Secretary of Education Atif Qarni, for a roundtable discussion on mental wellness initiatives at Charlottesville High School. “I was very intimidated,” says the CHS junior, who’s been active in several of the school’s mental wellness programs. But she found Qarni to be personable and down-to-earth. […]