RICHMOND â When there was a water main break at a school in Salem last week, the building had to shut down for three days. Closing the school wasnât a major hassle. Like school divisions across Virginia, Salem has gotten the hang of offering virtual learning since the coronavirus pandemic broke out last year, forcing schools to shutter. Salem sent the teachers and students, who were at the school for in-person instruction, home with supplies they needed to learn. âWe didnât miss a beat,â said Alan Seibert, superintendent of Salem City Schools. Situations like this have got school leaders thinking: If schools can offer virtual learning during a pandemic, why not allow them to offer it in limited circumstances when thereâs no longer a pandemic?