Off and away all day: New cellphone policy is now in place

Off and away all day

The School Board passed an updated policy regarding student cellphone use at its meeting Dec. 10. The new policy took effect Jan. 1. (This information was emailed to families Dec. 11 and included in the Dec. 13 and Dec. 20 digital newsletters to families.) See the full content of policy 4010-R regarding cellphone guidance here.

What you need to know: When students return from winter break, the updated policy means that cellphones must be stored away and out of sight. Students will not be able to use a cellphone or have a cellphone in sight at any time during the instructional day. This includes lunch, times between classes, when students are in hallways, etc. If a cellphone is not stored out of sight or is being used during the instructional day, it could result in confiscation and other consequences that are outlined in the policy.
Prepare now: The changes will have little impact on current practices in elementary and middle schools, but there will be significant changes in high schools. It is important to talk with your child about these changes before they take place so they can begin planning for them. Schools will soon share detailed information about what the policy means for students and the process that will be used to implement the policy.

Hope your winter break was wonderful!

Jan. 3 is the last day of winter break for students and teachers.
Classes resume Jan. 6 at all schools except Bellwood Elementary, which follows a year-round calendar.
Jan. 16 is an early-release day for students (except at Bellwood Elementary).
On Jan. 20, all schools and school offices are closed for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Complete student calendars for 2024-25 are available on this webpage, including English and Spanish versions of the regular school year calendar and the year-round calendar followed by Bellwood Elementary. Please note: It is best to access student calendars from the school division website. If you search for a calendar via Google, then an outdated version of the calendar may appear in the results.

Is snow on the way? Here’s what you need to know

Some meteorologists are predicting a Jan. 5-6 snow in central Virginia. Jan. 6 is scheduled to be the first day of classes after winter break. If bad weather does force a change in school schedules, then Chesterfield County Public Schools will notify families and employees as soon as possible.

As a general rule, families should have a plan in place in case bad weather or another emergency closes schools, delays opening or requires an early release. The latest CCPS in the Know video shows how families can get ready for snow or other disruptions:

In the fall of 2024, Chesterfield County Public Schools launched the CCPS in the Know video series to give quick-but-helpful insights into central Virginia’s largest school system. You can see all of the videos via this playlist, with captions available in English and in Spanish. If you have a question that you’d like answered, then ask it here. We’ll cover as many topics as we can.

Weapons detection system to be demonstrated Jan. 14-17

School safety is a top priority, and Chesterfield County Public Schools remains on alert. In December, the school system conducted demonstrations of a weapons detection system at Robious Middle and Meadowbrook High. A demonstration of a different system is scheduled Jan. 14-17 at the same schools. Robious Middle and Meadowbrook High families and staff members will receive additional details from their principals. Data from the demonstrations will help school leaders make decisions regarding school safety.

Chesterfield County Public Schools continuously reviews and enhances school safety measures and protocols. Here are earlier communications about school safety:

Hiring events focus on critical needs teachers and bus drivers

Critical needs job fair: Chesterfield County Public Schools is hosting a special job fair Jan. 11 to fill critically needed teaching positions. To be considered, interested candidates must apply online by 11:59 p.m. Jan. 8. This hiring event is for highly qualified applicants in areas including math, chemistry, Spanish, English as a Second Language, special education and more. Candidates must hold or be eligible to hold a Virginia teaching license. Note: The critical needs job fair is not an open event, and qualified candidates will be invited after their application is reviewed. See the job fair listing for full information about qualifications and requirements.
Bus driver job fair: Chesterfield County Public Schools is hiring school bus drivers during a job fair 4-6 p.m. Jan. 15 at Bailey Bridge Middle (12501 Bailey Bridge Road). Position details and job fair registration can be found here. For bus drivers, no experience is required and training for your commercial driver’s license is provided while you work. Starting pay is $23.68 an hour and could be higher with previous experience.

Reminder: Free online tutoring is available for students in grades 3-12

Free online tutoring is available for students in grades 3-12 via K-12 Tutoring, which used to be called Stride Tutoring but changed its name in December.

Students can reserve time for online video meetings with tutors licensed in subject areas in which they need additional support. Students do not need a teacher referral or recommendation and there are no fees for families.

To access K-12 Tutoring, students along with their families should go to the backpack icon on the RapidIdentity dashboard using their CCPS-issued Chromebook. Click the K-12 Tutoring icon under the “District Applications” heading. No additional login credentials are required.

Tutors are certified teachers who develop instruction to help students succeed. Tutoring sessions may be scheduled for any subject/topic/concept where additional instruction is needed. Students may share materials from class and representations of their work to help the tutor best align the session with the work being done in the classroom.

At this time, there is no limit to the number of tutoring sessions a student may use. Additional information, including FAQ and a quick-start guide for logging on to the Stride platform, is available at oneccps.org/tutors.

To provide this service, Chesterfield County Public Schools is using funds available through the Virginia Department of Education’s ALL In initiative as well as other funding sources. Free tutoring will be open to students as long as funds are available.

Families invited to What’s Next Wednesdays

What's next Wednesdays

What’s Next Wednesdays? is here to help families support middle and high school students as they make plans for life after high school. Led by Team Chesterfield member and ex-NFL pro Ken Oxendine, What’s Next Wednesdays? tackles new topics with practical guidance for every step in the journey. Each free, online session can help with key decisions that can sometimes feel overwhelming for students and their families. Register at bit.ly/WNWccps for these 6 p.m. gatherings:

Jan. 8: Navigating NCAA Compliance
Jan. 22: Exploring Two-Year Colleges
Feb. 12: Finding Scholarships and Financing Your Plan

Start the new year with Coffee & Conversation

Coffee & Conversation

Coffee & Conversation is an easy way to connect with experts offering advice on topics helpful to parents. The free online gatherings take place 1-2 p.m. Register here for these upcoming sessions:

Jan. 15: Raising Healthy Kids in a Digital World
Jan. 22: Beyond Deep Breathing: How to Support Anxious Children
Jan. 29: Big Feelings! Emotional Regulation Ideas for Families
Feb. 5: Ten Things You Need to Know about IEPs

Jan. 16 event offers info for families of students with disabilities

Families of children with a disability are invited to an information night 6-7:30 p.m. Jan. 16 at Elizabeth Davis Middle School (601 Corvus Court). This flyer offers details in English and in Spanish. Hosted by the Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center in partnership with Del. Carrie Coyner, the event is open to families of students with disabilities who live anywhere in Region 1, which includes Chesterfield County. Registration for this free event is not required but is helpful so please consider registering in advance.

There will be breakout sessions on early childhood; transition IEPs/self-advocacy; entering the adult world; collaboration, disagreements and parent rights; special education and IEPs (in English and Spanish). Additionally, PEATC and school representatives will be available to answer questions.

Serving up a CCPS app!

Chesterfield County Public Schools has a mobile app to help you easily know what’s happening. This CCPS in the Know video shows how it works. 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.

School bus poster contest seeks entries

The Virginia Association for Pupil Transportation invites public school students to compete in a poster contest with the theme “Safely Rolling to My Destination.” The submission deadline is April 18, and details are available here.

Nominate a school employee for the Superintendent's Game Changer Award

Superintendent's Game Changer

Have you heard about this easy and important way to honor outstanding teachers and staff members of Chesterfield County Public Schools? You can nominate them for the Superintendent’s Game Changer Award! Everyone is encouraged to use this simple online form to recognize employees who go above and beyond to connect with students, build relationships, provide engaging learning opportunities and help families.

Nominations are accepted throughout the school year. Then each month, 21 remarkable employees will be chosen and will receive their awards when the superintendent and a School Board representative stop by to surprise them.

But before any teacher or school employee can receive the Superintendent’s Game Changer Award, they first have to be nominated by a parent, student, colleague or community member.

So how about it? How many game changers do you know? Please nominate them by answering the five easy questions on the nomination form. By spending five minutes of your day to fill out the form, you can spark great joy throughout Chesterfield County Public Schools.

Friday Update - Jan. 3, 2024