On Thursday, March 12, 2026, the State Superintendent of Education, Jenna Conway, and the Secretary of Education, Dr. Jeffrey Smith, visited Cumberland Middle School (CMS) as part of the Commonwealth Listening Tour. Governor Abigail Spanburger, in an Executive Order, spearheaded this initiative in order to hear from Virginians how the Virginia Department of Education can highlight successes and work together to strengthen public education by supporting educators and students. The sessions are 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 support they need to succeed.
From 6:00 to 7:30 p.m., division leaders, educators, parents, students, and community members were invited to share their current education related experiences at the Public Listening Session. Numerous stakeholders, including Superintendents, from across Region 8 attended and participated in the roundtable discussions. Listening session topics included the following:
• Identifying what’s working well and where challenges remain;
• Shaping ongoing supports in literacy and math instruction;
• Understanding how well students are prepared for college or careers after high school;
• Considering how the state evaluates and supports schools through accountability and accreditation processes; and
• Discussing effective strategies to recruit and retain world class teachers, school leaders, and school support staff.
The feedback gleaned from the sessions will help identify key priorities for state leaders with the goal of working collaboratively to improve educational outcomes for students throughout the Commonwealth.
Prior to the evening session, Superintendent Conway and Dr. Smith, as well as their staff members, toured classrooms and spoke with administrators, teachers, and students. The tour was led by Region 8 Teacher of the Year, Charlie Motter, a CMS science teacher. CMS teacher Lewis Longenecker was also presented with a framed certificate for being named the Gilder Lehrman History Teacher of the Year. A Student Roundtable was held from 2:00 to 2:30 p.m. to gain insights from students. Dinner was prepared and served by students in the Cumberland High School Culinary Arts program.
Captions:
State Superintendent of Education, Jenna Conway, (left) and Secretary of Education, Dr. Jeffrey Smith (right) present Lewis Longenecker (center) with a certificate for being named the Gilder Lehrman History Teacher of the Year.
Dr. Jeffrey Smith and his VDOE team visit classrooms and talk to students and teachers.