School system names director of elementary instruction.  Jake Boula has been named director of elementary instruction for Winchester Public Schools, effective July 1, 2018.  Mr. Boula succeeds Nan Bryant, who accepted a position as the new principal at Virginia Avenue Charlotte DeHart Elementary School at 550 Virginia Ave.  Mr. Boula is currently completing his doctorate in edicational leadership at UNC-Charlotte where he had earned his master's degree in school administration and curriculum/instruction.  (This was taken from an article in The Winchester Star, June 27, 2018)

Local groups partner for affordable housing effort.  As the need for local affordable housing increases, the United Way of Northern Shenandoah Valley (NSV) and Habitat for Humanity of Winchester-Frederick-Clarke have partnered with government service agencies to form a new Housing Coalition.  "The concept behind the coalition is a holistic approach." said local Habitat for Humanity Executive Director Matthew Peterson. "One organization really can't solve the problem.  It needs to be a collective effort."  (For more, see The Winchester Star article June 27, 2018.)

Top of Virginia Chamber plans event to help businesses.  
Finding and keeping good employees is a struggle for many local employers.  So the Top of Virginia Regional Chamber is hosting a conference for businesses that want to stregthen their ability to attract and retain workers.  Tradition 2 Transformation(T2T) will be held from 8am to noon July 25th in Shenandoah University's Halpin-Harrison Hall.  Registration is $399. for a chamber member and $999. for a non-member.  The chamber hopes small businesses will take advantage of the member price by becoming a member ($305 for a year for a business of one to five people),   Groups of five or more will receive volume discounts.  (For more information about the conference or to register, visit regionalchamber.biz/t2t.)  (This information taken from The Winchester Star article dated June 30, 2018)