HAMPTON, Va. — Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger is taking time to hear from our neighbors in Hampton about public education. Wednesday morning, she was at Bethel High School where she kicked off what she's calling the Commonwealth Listening Tour.
Led by students, Gov. Spanberger toured the high school , learning about some of the courses the school offers.
“Hampton City Schools, by the numbers — what they have done with retention, what they have done with graduation, what they have done with the data on students who are either headed off to colleges or directly into a career — it is really a stunning story," Spanberger said.
Watch: 3 Phoebus High students highlight success of Hampton City Schools' ACE Academy
According to the Virginia Department of education, the Commonwealth Listening Tour is “an opportunity to share what is working well and to contribute to the conversation about how state leaders should be thinking about ensuring every child has access to a high-quality education and the supports they need to succeed."
Hampton City Schools’ success is something the city’s mayor, Jimmy Gray, said he wanted to talk about during the roundtable discussion that followed the tour.
Watch: Hampton City Schools bus mechanic wins statewide 'Best Bus Technician' competition
“I hope that her and Dr. Smith, as the new Secretary of Education, will spread the word and maybe other communities throughout the Commonwealth will want to adopt a similar model," Gray said.
Reporters were not allowed to the cover the discussion itself, only opening remarks. Dr. Jeffrey Smith, who is a Hampton City Schools graduate, talked about the administration’s vision for public education.
Watch: Spanberger taps former Hampton superintendent to be secretary of education
“Making certain that we build on places of strength, but also that we identify the need and where do we go from here," Smith explained.
A second, public roundtable discussion was scheduled to be held at Kecoughtan High School in Hampton Wednesday evening.
