Winter break is here! Happy holidays from your Superintendent
Happy holidays to everyone from Superintendent Dr. John Murray! If you watch to the end of this two-minute video, you are guaranteed to head into winter break with a smile.
Chesterfield County Public Schools shows continued success
Data released Dec. 10 by the Virginia Department of Education shows continued success for Chesterfield County Public Schools.
This year’s results are based on student achievement in the 2024-25 school year:
Every school is fully accredited in Chesterfield County Public Schools.
55% of Chesterfield’s graduating class of 2025 earned advanced diplomas, exceeding the statewide level of 50%.
Students improved overall scores on Standards of Learning tests.
“Hard work and commitment by our students, teachers, staff members and partners are shown in the data released by the Virginia Department of Education,” said Dr. John Murray, superintendent of Chesterfield County Public Schools. “I’m proud of what we have accomplished so far and the successes we will achieve as we move forward.”
See the full story and more about our division’s continued success.
Arts educators earn statewide awards
Congratulations to Jimi Herd and Shannon Sissokho for earning statewide honors from the Virginia Art Education Association this year.
Jimi, CCPS visual art curriculum specialist, was named Virginia’s Art Educator of the Year. Shannon, of Thomas Dale High, was named the state’s Secondary Art Educator of the Year. Earlier in 2025, she was selected as the High School Visual Arts Educator of the Year for Chesterfield County Public Schools.
Read more about their impact on arts education in the full story on our website.
Playing the Game of Life at Alberta Smith Elementary
What waits for CCPS students after they graduate? Fifth graders at Alberta Smith got the chance to explore career possibilities with a fun, interactive experience called “The Game of Life,” modeled after the classic board game. Watch this video to see how they approached the game we all play.
Biggest Turkey fundraiser breaks all records at Manchester High
Manchester High’s Biggest Turkey fundraiser exceeded all expectations, raising $25,550 to support the school’s Angels Program. This year’s goal was $15,000, which sponsors initially thought would be a stretch because the annual fundraiser had never before surpassed $12,000.
The Biggest Turkey fundraiser started 20 years ago to provide Manchester High students and families with Christmas gifts, stockings and food. Each participating teacher gets a construction paper turkey on their door. For each $1 donation, students can add a feather to the turkey of their choice. As the fundraiser progresses, the turkeys grow feathers and ultimately one teacher is named the Biggest Turkey.
This year’s Biggest Turkey is English teacher Kelley Perrotte with 8,508 feathers. “I've seen this program do amazing things for loving and grateful families,” she said. “It eases burdens, creates smiles and offers a sense of belonging and support to our Lancers who are struggling. We do not want anyone in our Lancer family to face challenges alone.”
Cosby High band performs at Virginia War Memorial
Cosby High’s wind ensemble performed Dec. 11 at the Virginia War Memorial during a Wreaths Across America ceremony. During the event in which hundreds of holiday wreaths were delivered to be placed in veteran cemeteries, the Titans played “The Star-Spangled Banner,” “America the Beautiful” and taps.
This is the first year Cosby’s band was invited to participate. Band director David Holley said, “It was a tremendous honor for us to perform. Our veterans sacrifice so much … so we wanted to show our gratitude for their service.” The band also wanted to honor Cosby High graduate Army Spc. Kyle Stoeckli, who died in 2013 while serving in Operation Enduring Freedom. His mother, Sonja Stoeckli, attended the Wreaths Across America ceremony.
As part of Wreaths Across America each year, wreaths are placed on graves in several veterans cemeteries in Virginia, including Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia Veterans Cemetery at Amelia and Oak Hill Cemetery.
CCPS scores at speech competitions
Skyhawks soar
Bird High students earned awards in speech competition during George Mason University’s Patriot Games in early December. Krishelle Belcher (on right) placed second in dramatic interpretation and Kaleeyah Brown placed eighth in original oratory. Students from 13 states competed in this national event connected with the National Speech and Debate Association.
Monarchs succeed
The Meadowbrook High speech team rode high at the Crimson Wave tournament in December. With 20 students, this was Meadowbrook High’s largest group so far. Mya Thompson placed second overall in poetry interpretation, Sydney Lin placed first with a perfect 100-point score in two of her original oratory rounds, and Darwin Abreu received honorable mention in declamation. Meadowbrook is heading to VHSL regional competition with its highest number of qualified competitors ever
CCPS to host hiring events for teachers for the 2026-27 school year
Chesterfield County Public Schools will be hosting in-person and virtual events in January and February 2026 to interview eligible candidates to fill teaching positions for the 2026-27 school year. Those interested in attending these hiring events should fill out this online interest form to be considered.
Representatives from the instructional division and schools will be present during these events. The primary focus is to identify qualified elementary and secondary teachers in the content areas most in need.
Nominate teachers or staff for a Superintendent’s Game Changer Award before Dec. 21
Has a CCPS teacher or staff member made a difference for a student, family or community in your life? Recognize them with a nomination for a Superintendent’s Game Changer Award by Dec. 21.
Recipients of the Superintendent’s Game Changer Award are teachers and staff who step up to meet the needs of our students, find new ways to inspire, create engaging learning experiences and support families. Celebrate their positive impact and nominate a #oneCCPS Game Changer today.
Reminder: upcoming important dates for CCPS families
No matter how you keep track of your schedule, make sure it includes all of these upcoming important dates!
For students on the traditional calendar:
Dec. 19, 2025: Last day of regular classes
Dec. 20-Jan. 4, 2026: Winter break. All schools closed. CCPS offices open except during designated holidays
Jan. 5: Classes resume
Jan. 13: Three-hour early release for students; Q2 ends
Jan. 19: Holiday, all CCPS schools and offices closed
Jan. 30: Report cards for Q2 issued
For students on the Bellwood Elementary year-round calendar:
Dec. 19, 2025: Early release for students; Q2 ends (Bellwood)
Dec. 20-Jan. 4, 2026: Winter break. All schools closed. CCPS offices open except during designated holidays
Jan. 5-9: Intersession break
Jan. 16: Report cards for Q2 issued (Bellwood)
Jan. 19: Holiday, all CCPS schools and offices closed
Keep track of all dates for the 2025-26 school year on our Calendars page.
Information about snow days and instructional time
The Virginia Department of Education requires schools to meet a specific number of instructional hours each school year. School systems across the state set their own calendars and make decisions about emergency closings based on local conditions, and our student calendar was intentionally built with flexibility to account for weather-related disruptions.
At this time, we are still able to meet the state’s required instructional hours without making any changes to our schedule. As winter continues, we will keep families and staff informed if adjustments become necessary.
Free online therapy available even when schools are closed
Holidays can sometimes disrupt students’ emotional well-being, but mental health support can provide the tools they need to stay resilient and thrive. Free online therapy for Chesterfield students in grades 6-12 continues even when schools are closed for winter break and holidays.
After completing the opt-in process for Hazel Health, families schedule telehealth sessions that occur at home. This connection can help students with anxiety, depression, stress, grief, social skills, bullying and more. It is important to note that Hazel Health does not replace emergency services.
In order for students to have access to this resource, parents must opt in via ParentVUE. Parents are encouraged to start the opt-in process no later than Dec. 17, 2025 to ensure their children can access online therapy sessions over winter break.
Use this simple process to get support for your child:
First, sign in to ParentVUE in order to opt in to Hazel Health. After you opt in, Chesterfield County Public Schools will share your information with Hazel Health (usually this happens within one business day). View instructions in English and Spanish to use ParentVUE to opt in.
Next, go to this Hazel Health page to create an account and complete the online consent.
Finally, schedule an enrollment call and your child’s first appointment with Hazel Health.
Visit the CCPS Mental Health Support page for more information.
CCPS job postings and applications to pause starting Dec. 20 during transition to new system
Beginning Dec. 20, 2025, CCPS job postings and applications will temporarily pause during a required transition period for the implementation of the new Workday platform. During this period, CCPS will not be posting open jobs nor accepting applications.
On Jan. 5, 2026, all open positions will be available on the new Workday site and applications will be accepted through that platform. Please note that all candidates who applied for positions through the previous system must reapply for those positions in Workday to be considered.
For questions, email careers@ccpsnet.net.