Let’s make 2024-25 a great school year!
The 2024-25 school year begins Aug. 19, and this welcoming video shows the excitement growing throughout Chesterfield County Public Schools.
Information on this webpage can help your family prepare for the new year. Details on that webpage include:
Student calendars in English and in Spanish that provide the dates each grade starts classes
Parent handbook and standards for student conduct in English and in Spanish
Information about updating your student’s transportation information
Breakfast and lunch information, including how to pay for meals and how to apply for free or reduced-price meals
Required vaccinations
Now is a great time to download the Chesterfield County Public Schools mobile app. It 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 Google Play, 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.
The start of a school year is also a great time to connect socially with Chesterfield County Public Schools by following #oneCCPS social media:
Facebook (facebook.com/chesterfieldschools)
Instagram (instagram.com/oneccps)
YouTube (youtube.com/ccpsva)
X (x.com/ccpsinfo)
LinkedIn (
)
This weekend: Check (or double check!) your student's transportation information for 2024-25
Bus route information is available via the Versatrans e-Link platform. It is important to check your student’s bus route before school begins. Even if you checked it earlier this week, it is important to check again as routes are being updated throughout the weekend as changes are entered into the system and we want to be sure you have the latest information.
Bus stops are assigned according to the address that is listed for your student in the school system’s student database. To check or make changes to transportation arrangements, contact your school’s registrar or log into ParentVUE where you can view or update this information. Any change to student transportation arrangements should be made as soon as possible.
Please note: Once updates are entered into ParentVUE, it takes 3-4 days for schools to process this information. After the information is processed, transportation changes will appear on the Versatrans e-Link platform.
Communicating with the transportation team
Web-based communication form: The Transportation Department may be contacted through a web-based communication form that will help to quickly direct your question or concern to the appropriate team member.
Dr. John Murray named interim superintendent
Dr. John T. Murray has been appointed interim superintendent of Chesterfield County Public Schools, effective Sept. 1, 2024, upon the retirement of Dr. Mervin B. Daugherty on Aug. 31, 2024. The School Board took action to appoint Dr. Murray during the board's regular August meeting. He will serve in this role until the superintendent search is complete and a new superintendent begins work.
Be a volunteer
Schools are looking for volunteers! Most volunteers must complete an application which goes through a central approval process that includes a background check. This could take two to four weeks, so be sure to allow ample time for your application to be reviewed before you plan to volunteer. Applications are available in English and Spanish.
You must submit an application if you plan to:
Chaperone a field trip
Advise a club or sports team
Participate in mentor groups
Work with students unsupervised
You do not have to submit an application if you are:
Visiting for lunch
Helping in the library or office
A college student in classrooms for program credit
18 and under
A supervised classroom helper such as a room mom, assisting with a
class party, etc.
Swift Creek Middle social studies teacher wins award
Swift Creek Middle teacher Tiffany Longshore was surprised with the Angelique Clarke Social Studies Teacher Leader Award on Aug. 13. School leaders, including Acting Superintendent John Murray and School Board Chair Dot Heffron, offered congratulations in person after the award was announced during a virtual training for all secondary history teachers in Chesterfield County Public Schools. Sponsored by the Virginia Credit Union, the award is given annually in memory of CCPS social studies teacher Angelique Clarke.
Chesterfield County School Board seeks additional feedback on west area middle school name
Following discussion in the May 2024 board meeting, the Chesterfield County School Board has brought forward three new name suggestions for the west area middle school and is seeking public feedback on these options. Complete this form and press submit through Aug. 28, to provide input on these potential names: Freedom Middle School, Liberty Middle School, Lincoln Middle School.
Additional information
School Board policy 6160 states that the School Board has the authority to name school facilities. The names of most Chesterfield County schools that have opened in the past 20 years have geographic connections but not specific neighborhood names.
The west area middle school is being built on Westerleigh Parkway in the Matoaca District, and it is scheduled to open in August 2025. Students are expected to come primarily from neighborhoods currently zoned for Tomahawk Creek Middle.
Potential names for the new middle school were solicited from the public Feb. 14-28, and nearly 500 suggestions were submitted. Based on the recent practice of involving the impacted school communities in the naming process, PTA leaders at Tomahawk Creek Middle reviewed the submitted names and forwarded three to the School Board for review: Otterdale Middle School, Otterdale Branch Middle School, Otterdale Grove Middle School.
Research into those potential names revealed connections to Otterdale Farm where Col. Woodson Wingfield Hancock built a home in 1834. Enslaved people worked the 560 acres of Otterdale Farm, growing tobacco and other crops until after the Civil War.
The Chesterfield County School Board is now bringing forward three new name suggestions: Freedom Middle School, Liberty Middle School, Lincoln Middle School.
ESL students enjoyed a summer of exploration
The English as a Second Language Family Engagement Office of Chesterfield County Public Schools stayed busy this summer. Activities for students included camp at Maymont, a reading partnership with the Chester Family YMCA and nature exploration with Chesterfield County Parks and Recreation.
Parents asked to complete special education survey
Parents of school-age children and youth with disabilities who receive special education services are asked to complete the Virginia Department of Education parent involvement survey. The annual survey is open through Dec. 13. Please complete one survey for each of your children who received special education services in the 2023-24 school year. You can access the 13-question survey at these links:
Parents have online access to frequently asked questions (scroll to “indicator 8” for information about the parent involvement survey). Parents also have online access to printable versions of the survey in English and the survey in Spanish. If you have questions, then email Chiquita Seaborne or call 804-418-4672.
Resources for mental health and counseling services
This video offers helpful information for families about mental health and counseling resources. The providers in this video participated in a Spring Into Wellness event, then helped create this virtual fair. Watch for information (in this order) from:
Richmond Center for Eating and Anxiety Disorders
Comfort Zone Camp
Soaring for Change
Circle of Wellness
A Peace of Mind Counseling Services
Chesterfield County Mental Health Department
Healing Sounds
Family Services
Brothers’ Keeper
Positive Paths Wellness Coaching
T.R.I.N.I.T.Y.
Rush Community Group
Healing Circle Counseling
Sources of Strength
The Light Beyond Supportive Services
HCA Tucker Pavilion Behavioral Health Services
Be SMART
Commonwealth Autism
My Spectrum Counseling and Coaching
Every Age Every Stage
Fig Tree Therapy
Chesterfield County Mental Health Support Services
Hidden Roots Mental Health
How to solve problems at school
Everyone within CCPS works to support students and help them grow into strong young people. When there is a problem, we want to connect with students and families to solve it. As we move toward the start of a new school year, we want to be sure that families know what to do if you have a concern. Communicating to school staff members is the best way to start. Here is a handy chart to help the problem-solving process. See the problem-solving chart in Spanish.
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.