Welcome back to Extra Credit, a weekly roundup of education-related news from across Southwest and Southside Virginia.
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Cybersecurity incident affects schools, students across Virginia
Several Virginia colleges, universities and K-12 school systems were among the victims of a cyberattack last week that left students locked out of assignments and resources.
Hackers breached Instructure, the company behind Canvas, a platform used by schools across the world to manage assignments, track grades and deliver course content, Higher Ed Dive reported.
The ed tech company confirmed the security incident Wednesday and even disabled access to the platform for a few hours Thursday.
Virginia Tech, Virginia Commonwealth University and branches of the Virginia Community College System are among the higher ed users of Canvas in the state.
Roanoke City Public Schools, which uses Canvas primarily for submitting assignments, advised staff and students to stay off the platform Friday. Alleghany Highlands Public Schools also sent out a notice about the breach Friday, but said there was “no evidence that AHPS systems were impacted.”
As of Friday, the platform was up and running, and most users had regained access, but some school officials continued to warn users to be wary of suspicious activity, such as phishing attempts.
Information impacted by the data breach includes messages between users, names, email addresses and student ID numbers, according to Higher Ed Dive. Instructure is continuing to investigate the incident but has not disclosed how many school systems or users were affected.
Nottoway teacher is Virginia’s Teacher of the Year
Madeline Duffy, a special education teacher at Nottoway High School in Nottoway County, was named this week as the 2027 Virginia Teacher of the Year.
“Today, we celebrate an extraordinary educator who reflects the tremendous difference these public servants make in the lives of their students. Ms. Duffy’s incredible work in Nottoway County underscores the critical role educators play in shaping opportunities for students across our Commonwealth,” Gov. Abigail Spanberger said during the event Tuesday.
Last month, Duffy was selected as the Region 8 Teacher of the Year and a finalist for the statewide award.
She has taught for 7 years and works as a high school special education teacher and the dropout prevention coordinator for Nottoway High School, according to a news release.
Tuesday’s event also recognized the state’s other regional teachers of the year, which include Jonathan Marye, a world language teacher at Blacksburg High School, and Hunter Trivette, a physical education teacher at Oak Point Elementary in Smyth County.
Roanoke school division seeking feedback on school resource officers
Roanoke City Public Schools is seeking feedback about the division’s partnership with the Roanoke City Sheriff’s Office and the Roanoke Police Department.
Through the partnership, the law enforcement agencies provide school resource officers, or SROs, to all elementary and secondary schools.
SROs focus on school safety, security and law enforcement activities and help develop emergency plans, but some communities have historically debated best practices regarding law enforcement in school settings.
The division is collecting public comment as part of a regular review of its agreement with the agencies. Families and community members can provide feedback here through 5 p.m. May 29.
Roanoke County teachers recognized
Anne Houston, an anatomy and physiology teacher at Cave Spring High School, was recently selected as the 2026 Roanoke County Public Schools Golden Apple Teacher of the Year.
The awards were presented April 29 by the Roanoke County Public Schools Education Foundation and Roanoke County Public Schools.
“I help my students experience learning that is engaging and purposeful by consistently connecting anatomy and physiology content to real-world applications that matter to their lives now and in the future,” Houston said in a statement. “I intentionally anchor each unit in the ‘why,’ emphasizing how understanding the human body supports informed health decisions and opens pathways to careers in healthcare, science, and related fields.”
As part of the recognition, Houston received a one-year lease of a new Hyundai Santa Fe and a $1,000 cash prize.
The division and the foundation also presented a new award, the Shining Apple Award, to the top support staff member. The inaugural honoree was Annalee Johnson, an instructional assistant at Northside Middle School.
Her nomination included this comment: “When she’s in the classroom, it is truly impossible to tell who the teacher is and who the IA is. She works tirelessly with our students to ensure they meet their IEP goals. Students feel supported and work hard to increase their academic abilities when they work with her. She is always willing to lend a hand, help a colleague, and goes above and beyond to help students.”
Superintendent Ken Nicely commended the educators recognized during the division’s annual awards.
“The educators we recognized have gone above and beyond in their classrooms, inspiring their students to reach their full potential and making a lasting impact on their lives,” he said in a statement.
Other honorees included:
- Kevin Lewis of William Byrd Middle School, the Green Apple Award for teachers with three years experience or less
- Cesilee Lineberry of Northside High School, top teacher, high school
- John Burton of Hidden Valley Middle School, top teacher, middle school
- Heather Milton of Burlington Elementary School, top teacher, elementary
Wytheville Minnick School students’ stories published
Sixteen Wytheville students are now published authors.
The students are enrolled at Minnick Schools’ Wytheville campus, a private school that serves students with disabilities.
Stories the students wrote and submitted were recently selected for publication in the 2026 Young Writers book “Stranger Sagas.”
The competition challenges students to write a 100-word story focused on mystery, suspense or fantasy. This forced students to pay close attention to editing, according to a news release.
Amanda Funkhouser, an English teacher at the school, said in the release that writing is a “sore spot” for most of her students, and that’s one of the reasons she is a proponent of the Young Writers Contest.
She displays the books from previous years’ contests in the center of her classroom as a visual reminder of student successes.
“We all need wins in our life,” Funkhouser said. “A lot of these students are not used to having their work chosen. It really matters to them.”
Rivermont Schools’ Danville campus is relocating, expanding
A Danville school that serves students with exceptional needs is expanding.
Rivermont Schools is relocating its Danville campus to a new 20,000-square-foot facility for the upcoming school year.
The school, which has served the community for 28 years, will move to 301 Lowes Drive in Danville at the end of this school year. The new location will allow the school to serve more students.
The new location includes 14 classrooms, dedicated therapy rooms, a gym, a playground, a cafeteria and library, life skills rooms and a sensory room, according to a news release.
“We’ve outgrown our current space, and this new facility gives our team the resources to continue doing what we do best: meeting every student where they are and helping them grow. We are excited to expand our reach and continue to serve our community,” Tia Hairston, principal of the Rivermont Schools Danville, said in the release.
Families will receive updates about the change and can learn more here.
