Chesterfield County Public Schools -

Celebrating Black History Month

February is Black History Month. Chesterfield County and Virginia State University offer a variety of programs throughout the month that include movies, theater, music, historical reenactments, crafts and books. Details are available here.

Environmental Stewardship Advisory Committee presents annual report to School Board

Members of the Environmental Stewardship Advisory Committee shared the group’s annual report with School Board members at their Feb. 4 budget work session.

The report included the following recommendations:

• Continue funding of HVAC controls upgrades

• Fund a districtwide LED lighting conversion

• Continue pursuing solar projects

• Increase funding for replacement of aging buses

• Investigate opportunities to install geothermal-based heating and cooling

• Expand environmental curriculum

• Provide funding for environmental champions to assist with waste reduction and curriculum

The presentation document may be found here, or that portion of the board meeting can be viewed by clicking here and then choosing the video icon above “Agenda Item Details.” 

About School Board advisory committees

Seven advisory committees to the School Board meet throughout the year to help Chesterfield County Public Schools achieve its vision of creating a better tomorrow. Advisory committee volunteers are appointed from each magisterial district and include parents, teachers, staff members, students and other community members. The committees are:

• Audit and Finance Committee

• Career and Technical Education Advisory Committee

• Citizens Budget Advisory Committee

• Environmental Stewardship Advisory Committee

• Gifted Education Advisory Committee

• School Health Advisory Board

• Special Education Advisory Committee

Details about each committee are provided here, including 2024-25 meeting dates and an application form when openings for new members are available.

Upcoming advisory committee meetings 

• Citizens Budget Advisory Committee at 8 a.m. Feb. 13 in the VCU Room at the Career and Technical Center @ Hull, 13900 Hull Street Road

• Career and Technical Education Advisory Committee at 8:30 a.m. Feb. 18 in conference room D136 at the Career and Technical Center @ Hull, 13900 Hull Street Road

CCPS in the Know video: How to nominate Game Changers

How many game changers do you know in Chesterfield schools? This CCPS in the Know video explains how you can easily nominate super-duper school employees for Superintendent's Game Changer Awards. Think about the outstanding teachers and school staff members you know, then head to bit.ly/CCPSgc to nominate them as Game Changers.

The Game Changers video is part of a series that Chesterfield County Public Schools launched in the fall of 2024. CCPS in the Know videos 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.

Ettrick Elementary is supporting families in new ways

Ettrick Elementary’s principal, Dr. Randi Smith, used a $20,000 grant provided through an R.E.B. Award for Distinguished Educational Leadership to create a support center for families that includes a food pantry, hair salon and laundry services. Designed to eliminate attendance roadblocks and strengthen connections with families, everything in the support center is free. This video shows how the support center is making a big difference.

ICYMI: Maria Meyers named Teacher of the Year

This video shows the moments that three teachers learned they are the top 2025 Teachers of the Year for Chesterfield County Public Schools. See the full story on our website.

CCPSOnline registration is open for summer and 2025-26 school year

Students in grades 9-12 can register for CCPSOnline classes from now through April 25. With learning available 24/7 in a no-bells, no-limits virtual environment, the flexibility of CCPSOnline classes can help high school students create the schedule they want.

Act now to take advantage of this Chesterfield County Public Schools opportunity:

• CCPSOnline registration for summer 2025 and for the 2025-26 school year opened Feb. 3 and ends at 5 p.m. April 25.

• Students and parents are invited to a virtual info session about CCPSOnline at 6:30 p.m. March 4. There’s no need to register in advance, just click this link to join the discussion. Also, students can talk to their school counselor about how CCPSOnline may fit into their schedule. 

• The website offers details

  about CCPSOnline.

Steps you can take to fight germs and prevent illness 

Several illnesses are making the rounds, so the CCPS Office of Student Health Services offers these reminders fighting germs and staying healthy:

• Hand washing prevents the spread of disease and illness. Wash hands frequently using soap and water, especially before eating, after using the bathroom and handling pets.

• Be sure your child’s immunizations and routine well-child exams are up to date.

• Teach your child to do the following when ill:

  • Cover nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing and throw the tissue in the trash.

  • Wash hands often with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing.

  • Avoid touching the eyes, nose and mouth as that can spread germs.

Students who are sick should remain home until they are fever-free for a full 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication and other symptoms have improved so they are feeling well enough to participate in school activities. Additional sick day guidelines are available here.

Feb. 10: Learn about earning college credits while in high school

Closed Feb. 17

• On Feb. 17, all schools and school offices will be closed for Presidents 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. 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.

Budget town halls continue through Feb. 10

Superintendent John Murray presented his proposed budget for FY 2026 on Jan. 23. Details are available on the school system’s website. The $969 million budget addresses essential needs to support student success and maintain high-quality education. There are several critical needs that are not included in the budget but will be evaluated if additional state funding becomes available.

Public education depends on public dollars, and student opportunities are directly related to the annual budget of Chesterfield County Public Schools. This CCPS in the Know video explains why it is vital for families to advocate for their children’s education during budget season:

• video in English

• video in Spanish

Parents, staff members and community members are invited to get involved in budget town halls. Here is the remaining date:

• 6:30 p.m. Feb. 10 at Manchester High

Additionally, the School Board will hold budget work sessions at 4 p.m. in the Public Meeting Room:

• Feb. 11 (includes public hearings)

• Feb. 19

For an easy-to-understand overview of school budgets, check out this video:

• budget 101 video in English

• budget 101 video in Spanish