Newsroom

Bring Your Legislator to School

Three representatives from the Virginia General Assembly headed back to school, as building principals, in November. Senator Mamie Locke and Delegates Gordon Helsel and Brenda Pogge were among the 15 participants in the division’s Principal for a Day program who jumped right in to their new duties as principals. They even had the opportunity to help teach in some classrooms by sharing information about the General Assembly as well as election and legislative processes.

Guest principals began their day with duties such as helping with student drop-off lines and sharing the morning announcements. Activities then ranged from classroom visits to student and staff meetings - some guest principals even helped run fire drills and awards celebrations.

“The purpose of this program is to help elected leaders and business/community leaders understand how schools really operate and understand the rigor and rewards of being a school principal,” shared Dr. Victor Shandor, division superintendent. “The feedback we have received from our principals and the participants has been outstanding and is already leading to future opportunities to work together.”

A collection of images from the program is now available on the division’s Flickr site.