Chesterfield County Public Schools -

Weapons detection system demonstration

• Winter break for students and teachers will run Dec. 23 through Jan. 3. During winter break, school offices and school system buildings will remain open to the public Dec. 23, Dec. 26-27, Dec. 30 and Jan. 2-3.

• 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 If you search for a calendar via Google, then an outdated version of the calendar may appear in the results.

Coffee & Conversation set for Dec. 11

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 the Dec. 11 session, which will cover "Recognizing the Signs of Human Trafficking."

What’s Next Wednesdays can help middle and high school families answer big questions

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 former NFL pro and Team Chesterfield member 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.

“Home Stretch Q&A” is the topic of the session scheduled for 6 p.m. Dec. 11. Register at bit.ly/WNWccps for that gathering and for upcoming sessions:

• Navigating NCAA compliance on Jan. 8

• Exploring two-year colleges on Jan. 22

• Finding scholarships and financing your plan on Feb. 12

• Is an HBCU for you? on Feb. 26

• Transitioning to postsecondary education with an IEP on March 19

• College visits and application prep on March 26

• Choosing the right fit on April 16

• How to help navigate the college process without losing your mind on May 7

• Gearing up for senior year on Aug. 20

• Gearing up for senior year on Sept. 17

• FASFA on Oct. 15

Registration for adult education opens Dec. 9

Chesterfield County Public Schools offers a robust array of adult education classes, and spring registration opens at 9 a.m. Dec. 9 via this website. Many classes fill quickly, so don’t put off registering for classes that catch your eye. Workforce training, enrichment classes, GED assistance and English language skills are offered. Get details about classes here, including:

• drone technology

• American Sign Language

• social media for beginners

• first aid certification

• gas fitting

• video game design

• German cuisine

Children’s book team ducks into Watkins Elementary

Dec. 27 is deadline to apply for Black History Month scholarships 

Now is the time to apply for Leadership for the 21st Century: Black History Month 2025 scholarships. Six scholarships of $2,500 will be awarded to support Chesterfield County Public Schools students planning to attend a Virginia college or university.

High school seniors may apply using this online form. 

• Dec. 27 is the application deadline.

• The application requires a 500-word essay that explores the connection between African Americans and labor in the United States.

• Scholarship winners will be honored in February during the county’s annual Black History Month breakfast.

In partnership with Chesterfield County Public Schools, Chesterfield County and Virginia State University, the scholarship planning committee works year-round to foster better cultural understanding, encourage and support students pursuing higher education and identify leaders for the 21st century. Learn more here.

Student’s video wins statewide award

Clover Hill High senior Aimee V. won a top award in the 2024 student video contest sponsored by the Virginia School Boards Association. “Kindness” was the theme of this year’s contest, which invited high school students to submit 30-second videos in three categories. Aimee’s video titled “Signs of Kindness” won the top award in the random acts of kindness category. Aimee’s award-winning video can be seen here.

School Board considers policy covering student cellphones

The School Board is considering changes to policy 4010-R regarding student cellphones during the school day. (The section about cellphones can be found by clicking the link and scrolling to page 17). The board will discuss this item again in their upcoming meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 10. To see video of the Nov. 12 board meeting where changes were introduced, click this link, then click the Swagit Video icon at the bottom of the page, then click item G to skip to the discussion agenda segment of the video. 

Jan. 16 offers resources 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.

University of Richmond offers discounted basketball tickets

The University of Richmond is offering discounted basketball tickets to teachers and students. Click the links for more information about $5 tickets:

• Dec. 14 vs. Belmont

• Dec. 21 vs. VMI

• Dec. 28 vs. Florida Gulf Coast

• Dec. 31 vs. George Washington University

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.

It’s so easy to nominate school employees!

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.

Chesterfield County Public Schools opens online store

Now open to everyone is an online store full of never-before-available Chesterfield County Public Schools gear. The store is open 24/7 for shopping by employees, families, community partners, graduates, gift buyers and everyone else who appreciates CCPS-branded swag.

There’s never been an online CCPS store with so much to offer, so it’s time to show your #oneCCPS pride!

Go to ccpsstore.com to browse high-quality shirts, jackets, hats and more. Here are just a few of the eye-catching items you’ll find:

• beanie with pompom or without

• T-shirt

• polo shirt for women or for men

• North Face jacket for women or for men

• stadium seat

• tote bag

Here are answers to questions about the new store:

• How much money is the school system making from this store? There is no markup by Chesterfield County Public Schools, so the price of each item is exactly the price that the online vendor charges. That applies to shipping costs too.

• If the school system is not using the store to raise money, then why does the store exist? Connections run deep in Chesterfield County Public Schools. Many employees are also CCPS graduates. Generations of families have sent their children through the public schools of Chesterfield County. People have pride in Chesterfield County Public Schools, and now they can easily show that pride via CCPS-branded clothing and accessories.

• How quickly will my order arrive? There is not a warehouse full of CCPS items awaiting shipment. Each item is created after it is ordered, so it will take a few days to arrive.

• Does the CCPS store replace sites where Chesterfield schools offer their gear? No. School-specific gear and school-specific stores are not affected by the CCPS store.

• Why does the store not offer what I’m looking for? Creating the store and deciding which items to offer has been a big project. Items will be updated seasonally, and we will let everyone know when new items are added. If there's something you would like to see in the CCPS store, email communications@ccpsnet.net and it can be considered when new items are added (if the item is available through the vendor).