Please note that school placements and exceptions—such as requests for home instruction, non-resident students, or babysitter hardship—are handled by the Office of the Superintendent. Go to the Placements & Exceptions page for more information.
School Health Service

Lynchburg City Schools has a full-time Nurse Coordinator, a full-time registered nurse (RN) at Hutcherson Early Learning Center, both high schools, and all three middle schools, a full-time RN or licensed practical nurse in each elementary school, and two full-time RNs at the Laurel Regional Program. Every school building has at least two additional staff members trained in CPR/AED and emergency care for diabetes, asthma, allergies, seizures, medication administration, and basic first aid. The division works with Johnson Health Center to offer the Elementary Dental Program.

School Based Mental Health Supports

[School Based Mental Health Supports Venn Diagram] School Counselor: Provides classroom lessons based on student success standards; Assists students with planning for post-secondary options; Provides short-term counseling to students; Provides individual student academic planning and goal setting. School Social Worker: Assesses individual, home, school, and community factors tat may affect a student's ability to learn; Provides consultation with school staff regarding social and emotional needs of student; Collaborates with community agencies to find appropriate resources for students and families. School Psychologist: Consults with teachers, administrators, and parents to find solutions to learning and behavior concerns; Evaluates for special education eligibility and services; Engages in researc and planning to improve schools. School Counselor/Social Worker Overlap: Makes referrals to community resources. School Counselor/Psychologist Overlap: Reviews student testing results to ensure student success; Offers prevention services. School Social Worker/Psychologist Overlap: Provides training to staff regarding mental health and behavioral concerns. School Counselor/Social Worker/Psychologist Overlap: Provides crisis intervention; Facilitates psychoeducational groups.

Additional mental health supports: 

  • Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) - Provides support for staff and students by sharing behavior management strategies based in scientific research. Explains research, teaches terms, explains connections, simplifies data taking techniques, and analyzes data.
  • Division Case Manager - Oversees TDT and outpatient services in the schools. Collaborates with residential facilities and mental health agencies regarding hospitalizations, crisis stabilizations, and interventions for students. Serves on the alternative education placement teams.
  • Horizon Behavioral Health - Community Service Board contracted with LCS to provide outpatient counseling and case management support to students in the building. Services can also be accessed virtually.
  • Gaggle Telehealth - Private provider contracted with LCS to provide telehealth outpatient counseling.
School Health Advisory Committee

The committee is appointed by the Lynchburg City School Board. The committee advises the school division on aspects of the school health program and student health issues.

Truancy

Lynchburg City Schools has a Truancy Center located at Opportunity House, 1517 Jackson Street. The Truancy Center is staffed with three Lynchburg City School employees who accept truancy referrals from the individual schools and process the cases to the court. An Interagency Truancy Review Team is in place to review truancy cases and write recommendations for the Juvenile Court. Truancy Center phone number: (434) 455-4003 Report truant students during school hours: 847-1602 (Police non-emergency phone number).

Learnfare

Lynchburg City Schools' Truancy Center staff works with the Lynchburg Department of Human Services to monitor "learnfare" cases. The code of Virginia requires families who receive assistance (TANF) have their children attend school regularly.

S.R.O.

Each high school has a full time School Resource Officer (SRO). The police officer is in the school building to promote school safety among students and as a resource to the faculty and staff.

A copy of the signed Memorandum of Understanding is available upon request. Contact Denise Spinner ([email protected]) in the Office of the Superintendent for more information.

Case Management

Lynchburg City Schools’ Division Case Manager provides assistance to students and families in Pre-K through 12th grade with the implementation of interventions and supportive services within the school, home, and community settings. Case management encompasses collaboration with residential facilities and mental health agencies regarding hospitalization, crisis stabilization, and intervention of students while ensuring appropriate integration back into school and the success of every student. Case management also includes linking families to mental health services and community supports, serving on the elementary and secondary alternative education placement teams, and oversight of therapeutic day treatment and outpatient service provision.

Lynchburg City Schools contracts with National Counseling Group to provide therapeutic day treatment and outpatient services to students in Pre-K through 12th grade, as qualified by insurance or separately secured funding. Families can be referred for additional services through additional local agencies.

National Counseling Group (NCG)
201 Archway Ct. 
Lynchburg, VA 24502
Phone Number (To request an assessment for services): 1 (877) 566-9624

Lynchburg City Schools provides alternative options for students:

  • Transition Classrooms at Bass (K-5)
  • Fort Hill Community School (6-12)
Counseling Program

The Lynchburg City School Board affirms that parents are the student's first teachers and that the public schools should serve to strengthen family and parental support. Counseling programs are designed to provide academic, career, and person/social counseling. No student will be required to participate in any counseling program to which the student's parents object.

Notice of Postsecondary Education and Employment Data
Pursuant to the Code of Virginia section 23.1-204.1, Lynchburg City Schools would like all high school students and parents to be aware that postsecondary education and employment data is published annually by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV).

Discipline

The Lynchburg City School Board has high expectations for students' behavior in school and at school events. Good discipline must be maintained in order for instruction to be delivered thereby optimizing the potential for all students to learn and achieve academically. When the rules and regulations for student conduct are violated, students are subject to disciplinary sanctions, which may include but not be limited to suspensions, alternative education placements, and expulsions, as outlined in school board policies and regulations. Appeals of student suspensions may be available in certain circumstances. Parents may contact the Director of Student Services to determine if an appeal may be granted. Refer to discipline policies and regulations in Section J of the Lynchburg City School Board Policy Manual.

Our Restorative Suspension Center (RSC) is an alternative to suspension program for middle and high school students here in Lynchburg City Schools. Instead of students serving their out-of-school suspension at home, they will attend the RCS to serve their short term-suspensions (1-10 days).

Restorative Suspension Center

Cell Phone-Free Education

While technology is an important part of today’s world, the use of personal devices during the school day can negatively impact students’ learning experiences. Cell phone-free education is part of a statewide initiative to help students succeed academically by creating distraction-free school environments. Off & Away All Day will ensure consistency across all grade levels and further enhance our schools as spaces for focused, meaningful academic and social growth. 

Off & Away All Day

Bullying

"Bullying" means any aggressive and unwanted behavior that is intended to harm, intimidate, or humiliate the victim; involves a real or perceived power imbalance between the aggressor or aggressors and victim; and is repeated over time or causes severe emotional trauma. "Bullying" includes cyber bullying. "Bullying" does not include ordinary teasing, horseplay, argument or peer conflict. Refer to 22.1-276.01 Code of Virginia.

Lynchburg City Schools Standards of Student Conduct (Policy JFC) states the following: A student, either individually or as a part of a group, shall not bully others either in person or by the use of any communication technology including computer systems, telephones, pagers, or instant messaging systems. Prohibited conduct includes, but is not limited to, physical, verbal, or written intimidation, taunting, name-calling, and insults and any combination of prohibited activities. The principal shall notify the parent of any student involved in an alleged incident of bullying, as defined herein, of the status of any investigation within five school days of the allegation of bullying. Refer to Standards of Student Conduct Policy JFC.

Each student has the right to expect an educational environment in which he or she can strive to achieve his or her intellectual potential. The student is expected to be diligent in his/her studies and conduct him/herself in such a way that the rights and privileges of others are not violated. The student is expected to accept and demonstrate the obligation of good citizenship to help prevent problems from happening and help solve problems if they occur. All parents are expected to assume responsibility for the student's behavior and assist the school in enforcing the Standards of Student Conduct. 

Please contact your school counselor and school principal/administrator to report bullying or use the Speak Up for Safety tip line (see below). 

Speak Up for Safety Tip Line

SpeakUp for Safety tip line provides a simple way for students to easily and confidentially report threats of violence, bullying, peers in crisis, and other imminent threats. Students can email, call, or text to [email protected] or (434) 300-2230. 

The tip line is monitored 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year by trained safety representatives. A representative will send an email regarding non-life-threatening items to designated school or division staff members. In severe situations, division-appointed contacts are notified immediately. In the most imminent cases, law enforcement will be contacted to intervene if the tip line representative is unable to notify a division-appointed contact.

Gaggle

Lynchburg City Schools and Gaggle have a partnership to keep students safe while they are using Google Workspace for Education. This partnership is live. Lynchburg City Schools will use the Gaggle safety management solution for Google to proactively protest students and ensure that they are safely and correctly using school-provided digital tools.

Lynchburg City Schools’ Acceptable Use Policy outlines expectations for appropriate behavior while students are accessing the school division’s technology network and/or provided device. Lynchburg City Schools will use a technology tool known as Gaggle for 5th grade through the high school level. The system reviews the students Google files for inappropriate images and/or content identified by keywords that might signal concern. Gaggle representatives review Google files 24/7 and send alerts to schools and the school division for investigation and response as necessary.

Gaggle Safety Management Overview

Military Family Resources

The Virginia Department of Education, in collaboration with a number of military authorities, provides resources concerning children of mobilized military personnel for families and educators. Click here for more information.

Immigration Resources

We recognize that our students are struggling with the uncertainties and fears in our society regarding immigration. It is our goal and our obligation under the law to ensure that our schools are safe places where a student’s race, ethnicity, religion and immigration status do not create any barriers to that child’s education.

To assist in this goal we want to share answers and provide resources regarding immigration status and our commitment to protect students from discrimination and harassment. Immigration Resources Page

 

Department of Education Home Page