New videos offer answers to your questions about schools
We’re launching a video series to answer your questions about Chesterfield County Public Schools. Called CCPS in the Know, the videos give quick-but-helpful insights into central Virginia's largest school system. What do you want to know more about? Ask your questions here, and we’ll answer as many as we can via CCPS in the Know. Team Chesterfield member Ken Oxendine explains it all in this video.
A new year starts for Bellwood Elementary
A little rain didn’t dampen spirits on the first day of the 2024-25 school year at Bellwood Elementary, as you can see in this video and in these photos. The only year-round school in Chesterfield County Public Schools, Bellwood Elementary opened July 22. (All other Chesterfield County schools follow a traditional calendar and their first day is Aug. 19.) Welcome to a brand-new year, Bulldogs!
Congratulations to our summer graduates!
After fulfilling high school diploma requirements this summer, almost 100 Chesterfield County Public Schools students graduated during a July 25 ceremony. Every high school was represented, and you can see the full video here.
Cellphones in schools is topic of meeting at CTC@Hull
The Virginia Department of Education will host a meeting at the Chesterfield Career and Technical Center @ Hull to hear from parents, teachers and others about “the best ways to achieve cellphone-free education in Virginia and address the increasing evidence of the impact cellphone and social media usage has on youth mental health and education performance.” The Chesterfield meeting will take place 4-5:30 p.m. Aug. 6 at CTC@Hull, 13900 Hull Street Road. It is one of eight meetings scheduled across Virginia to discuss cellphones in schools in connection to Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s Executive Order 33. The Virginia Department of Education website provides details about all of the meetings and a link to an online form to submit comments.
Team Chesterfield greets international teachers
At Dulles International Airport, Chesterfield County Public Schools leaders greeted international educators with smiles and signs as they arrived in July to join Team Chesterfield. For the second year, the school system is partnering with Participate Learning to connect with teachers from Jamaica, Mexico, Guyana and many other countries.
At the start of the 2024-25 school year, a total of 55 experienced teachers from 12 countries will work as full-time educators in Chesterfield County. Each Participate Learning teacher meets Virginia licensure standards, holds a bachelor’s or master’s degree, has at least two years teaching experience and is highly proficient in English.
Participate Learning accepts about 3% of teachers who apply for the international exchange program. This year, more than 21,000 teachers from 35 countries applied and just over 700 were selected. Participate Learning works only with schools in Virginia and North Carolina.
Has your copy of CCPS on the Go arrived?
The latest edition of CCPS on the Go is on its way to every Chesterfield County home. This award-winning publication is full of information about Chesterfield County Public Schools. Designed to improve the reach of our communication, the publication is initially funded through federal relief funds. Digital versions in English and Spanish will soon be available on the school system’s website.
Early Childhood Academy is for families of young children with disabilities
Families of young children with disabilities and developmental delays can register for an online Early Childhood Academy offered by the Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center in collaboration with the Virginia Department of Education. The free, five-week learning program is designed to provide parents and caregivers of children from birth to age 6 with useful tips and ideas for supporting their child's development and resources to help make the transition from early intervention to school less confusing. The Early Childhood Academy course is self-paced, with new sessions opening weekly from Aug. 16 through Sept. 20 and available at any time of day.
Applications open for statewide Student Advisory Board
Applications are open through Sept. 15 for the Student Advisory Board of the Virginia Department of Education. The governor appoints one high school senior from each of the eight regions of Virginia to the Student Advisory Board. Students are chosen based on academic achievement and passion for educational policy issues. Details and a link to the application form are online.
Chesterfield County seeks community input in search for new police chief
Chesterfield County has retained Baker Tilly to conduct a search for a new police chief. Through this online survey, the consultant is seeking input on what leadership qualities the community would like to see in the next police chief and what topics the community finds important. Survey results will help the Police Chief Recommendation Committee select candidates for initial interviews and, ultimately, the top candidate by the Board of Supervisors. The deadline to fill out the survey is noon July 29.
What are your thoughts about police department partnership?
Chesterfield County Public Schools and the Chesterfield County Police Department have a close connection, working as partners to protect students and school staff members. A memorandum of understanding, which is updated regularly, provides a framework for the partnership. The Chesterfield County School Board invites public comment on an updated memorandum of understanding. Email comments to ccpsinfo@ccpsnet.net before Aug. 4.
Student schedules and teacher assignments expected Aug. 12
Student schedules for 2024-25 are expected to be available for families to see at 5 p.m. Aug. 12 via ParentVUE and StudentVUE. Middle and high school students will see their daily schedule of classes, and elementary students will see their teacher assignments. Please note: Schedules and teacher assignments may change before the start of the school year.
School supplies and sales tax holiday
Crayons and notebooks and pencils! School supplies are moving toward the top of everyone’s to-do lists as the start of a new school year approaches. Virginia has scheduled a sales tax holiday to help family budgets, which means sales tax will not be collected Aug. 2-4 when you buy qualifying items like school supplies, clothing and shoes. Elementary school and middle school families can find supply lists by going to oneccps.org, choosing their school, then locating “school supplies” or “supply list” under the school information tab. High school students will find out specific needs during the first few days of their classes.
Ribbon cutting planned for new Falling Creek Middle School
A ribbon cutting ceremony is planned to celebrate the new Falling Creek Middle School. The facility is Chesterfield’s first three-story middle school and the largest middle school in central Virginia. Completed on time and under budget, it cost $103 million and was financed by Virginia Public School Authority bonds. Built for 1,800 students, the 238,963-square-foot school in the Dale District positions sixth, seventh and eighth graders on separate floors. The ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held at 1 p.m. Aug. 1 at 4780 Hopkins Road.
How to get summer support for Chromebooks
Need help with your student’s Chromebook? If you were not able to take advantage of the drop-in tech support offered June 24 through July 18, then you can set up an appointment 7 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday through Aug. 15. To make an appointment, email this information to chromebook@ccps.incidentiq.com: student name, student number, Chromebook asset tag number, brief description of issue, time and date you would like to schedule appointment and your preferred location (choose from sites listed above).
Students in grades 1-12 who are new to Chesterfield County Public Schools can pick up Chromebooks before school starts or can wait until the start of school to get Chromebooks. Incoming kindergartners will receive their Chromebooks when school starts. If you have questions, then email helpdesk@ccpsnet.net.
Ways to pay for school breakfasts and lunches
Schools serve convenient, nutritious meals that include fresh fruits and veggies. Student lunch costs $3.25 at elementary schools and $3.50 at middle and high schools. Breakfast is $2.25 at every grade level.
This year, all students at 42 schools are automatically eligible for free breakfasts and lunches under the USDA’s community eligibility provision. Families at these schools do not need to apply for free or reduced-price meals:
Elementary schools: Bellwood, Bensley, Beulah, Bon Air, Chester Early Childhood Learning Academy, Chalkley, Marguerite Christian, Crenshaw, Crestwood, Curtis, Davis, Ecoff, Enon, Ettrick, Falling Creek, Gates, Harrowgate, Hening, Hopkins, Jacobs Road, Matoaca, Providence, Reams Road, Salem Church, Elizabeth Scott, Alberta Smith and Wells
Middle schools: Carver, Elizabeth Davis, Falling Creek, Manchester, Matoaca, Providence and Salem Church
High schools: Bird, Carver College and Career Academy, CTC@Courthouse, Thomas Dale, Matoaca, Manchester, Meadowbrook and Monacan
Families at other Chesterfield schools may apply each year for free or reduced-price school meals. The online application is available in English and Spanish. A paper application is available upon request from the school office or Food and Nutrition Services.
The free MealViewer app makes it easy to find out what is being served each day, while the MySchoolBucks app helps parents easily keep money in student meal accounts. More information is available on oneccps.org.
July 31 is deadline for openings on advisory boards
Advisory committees established by the Chesterfield County School Board are one way community members connect with schools. Advisory committee members are appointed from each of the county’s five magisterial districts and include parents, teachers, staff members, students and others interested in helping Chesterfield County Public Schools achieve its vision of creating a better tomorrow. Advisory committee members who are appointed by the School Board must reside in the district they represent.
Go to bit.ly/BdCom for information about specific committees (including meeting dates) or to apply by July 31 if you are eligible and interested in these openings:
Audit and Finance Committee
Matoaca District (July 1, 2024-June 30, 2026)
Environmental Stewardship Advisory Committee
Clover Hill District (July 1, 2024-June 30, 2026)
Dale District (July 1, 2024-June 30, 2026)
Serving up a CCPS app!
Chesterfield County Public Schools has a mobile app to help you easily know what’s happening. The app connects with school websites, so there will always be something new to view. Get started by downloading the free Chesterfield Schools app from the Apple App Store or the Google Play store, then dive in to discover all of the information at your fingertips. Choose which schools to follow — be sure to follow the school district too — then you can find out what’s for lunch, see a calendar of events, find out when teams are playing and much more.
Fun, free lunches at farmers market
For the second summer, families will find more than fresh produce at the Chesterfield Farmers Market (6701 Mimms Loop). In partnership with local growers, Chesterfield County Public Schools Food and Nutrition Services is at the market 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. each Wednesday through Aug. 14 serving up free lunches and fun activities for all children 18 and younger.
Summer hours for schools continue through Aug. 9
Through Aug. 9, Chesterfield County Public Schools is open 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and is closed on Fridays.
It’s time to get familiar with 2024-25 student calendar
In just over a month, schools will open for the 2024-25 school year (except Bellwood Elementary, which follows a year-round calendar and opened July 22). Complete student calendars are posted online.
Here are details about the start of school for different grades at every Chesterfield County school (except Bellwood Elementary):
Students in prekindergarten and kindergarten start on different days. Some attend Aug. 19-20; others attend Aug. 21-22. Schools will assign students to specific days. This will allow students to become familiar with their new surroundings in a smaller classroom setting. Starting Aug. 23, all prekindergarten and kindergarten students attend daily.
Students in grades 1-5 start school Aug. 19.
Sixth graders and ninth graders also start school Aug. 19. This will help students successfully transition to a new school and will help staff members begin to build relationships and share expectations.
Students in grades 7-8 and 10-12 start school Aug. 20
On Aug. 30 and Sept. 2, all Chesterfield County schools and school offices (including Bellwood Elementary) will be closed for Labor Day.
Let’s get ready to ride! Update your child’s transportation information
Transportation planning is underway for the coming school year. All families are asked to update student transportation information by logging into ParentVUE to choose the way students will travel to and from school and to check your home address and any alternative addresses. Easy-to-follow directions for accessing ParentVUE are online, and your student’s school can provide additional assistance.
Make updates now to ensure that they are reflected in your student’s bus route at the start of the school year.
Bus stops and pickup/drop-off times will be available via Versatrans e-link beginning July 19.
Bus numbers will be shared with families closer to the beginning of the school year.
Transport type: How will your student travel to and from school? Within ParentVUE, choose the method that your student will use most of the time.
Addresses: There are two ways to update your student’s address:
School registrar: A student’s home address can only be entered by the registrar at the student’s school.
ParentVUE: Parents/guardians can make changes to transportation information by logging into ParentVUE, clicking the student’s name, then clicking on student info.
Alternative addresses are places students stay before or after school on a regular basis (for example: alternating custodial parent addresses). Families use ParentVUE to update alternative addresses and pickup/drop-off days as often as needed.
More detailed information and instructions: See this document.
Questions: Call the Transportation Department at 804-748-1656.
Virginia Sun Bucks offers money for summer groceries
Virginia Sun Bucks will provide a one-time $120 per child benefit to help qualifying families buy summer groceries. Starting July 1, information will be available at VirginiaSunBucks.com. Families will be automatically enrolled in Virginia Sun Bucks if they receive SNAP or TANF; participate in an income-eligible Medical Assistance program; or applied for and received free or reduced-price school meals in 2023-24. This flyer details how to apply for Virginia Sun Bucks.
New students invited to experience a school bus
Starting school brings a lot of firsts, including a child’s first ride on a school bus. Before school starts, kindergartners and prekindergartners are invited to get acquainted with a Chesterfield County Public Schools bus during My First School Bus. Families can register for one of these upcoming opportunities, which are free:
July 29: 9:30-10:30 a.m. at Enon Library
July 31: 5:30-6:30 p.m. at Chester Library
Aug. 2: 9:30-10:30 a.m. and 10:45-11:45 a.m. at North Courthouse Road Library
Aug. 5:
5:30-6:30 p.m. at Ettrick-Matoaca Library