On June 1, the Chesterfield County Public Schools board addressed several controversial topics, including critical race theory, gender identity and masks. Board Chair Ryan Harter (Matoaca) said critical race theory is not being taught in Chesterfield. The board unanimously approved a resolution recognizing June as LGBTQ+ pride month. They also approved the first reading of a new policy that requires school staff to, at the request of a student or parent, address the student using their asserted name and pronoun that corresponds with their gender identity. Final approval of the policy is scheduled for the board’s next meeting. The new…
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Cultural competency is one of the buzzwords that teachers, principals and school superintendents will become familiar with in Virginia, if they aren’t already. The General Assembly recently passed and Gov. Ralph Northam (D) signed legislation that requires educational staff to complete instruction in cultural competency for initial licensure or renewal. HB 1904 and SB 1196 passed the Legislature with mostly Democratic votes. Among eastern Chesterfield legislators, Dels. Delores McQuinn (D-Richmond) and Carrie Coyner (R-Chesterfield) and Sen. Joe Morrissey (D-Richmond) voted yes, while Del. Kirk Cox (R-Colonial Heights) and Sen. Amanda Chase (R-Chesterfield) voted no. The bills were among 117 tracked…
During the March 9 Chesterfield County Public Schools board meeting, the board approved up to $7.7 million to purchase “mega trailers” for three schools. The mega trailers, which have restrooms and cafeteria units, include three for Falling Creek Middle School and one each for Hening and Chalkley elementary schools. Josh Davis, chief operations officer, noted that the school district had approved a lease of the five mega trailers almost two years ago for use at Crestwood and Reams elementary schools. “Those buildings have served those schools very, very well,” Davis said. “We’ve come up with a great plan for those…
On Feb. 9, the Chesterfield County Public Schools board unanimously approved a return to in-person learning five days a week for students in grades six through 12 on Tuesday, March 9. Students can still choose to learn 100 percent virtually through the end of the school year. On Feb. 5, Gov. Ralph Northam (D) requested that all public schools offer some form of in-person learning by March 15. Deputy Superintendent Thomas Taylor said that the “overwhelming majority” of teachers will have received two COVID-19 vaccinations by March 9. In spite of that, Taylor said, “We have heard from the [Centers…
By a 4-1 vote with Midlothian board member Dot Heffron dissenting, the Chesterfield school board on Jan. 12 approved a return to in-person learning on Feb. 1 for prekindergarten through fifth-grade students. The remaining grades would return to in-person instruction at an undetermined time. Parents and students who want to remain 100 percent virtual can do so. Clover Hill board member Kathyrn Haines was hopeful that all teachers would have a COVID-19 vaccination by March 1, thus enabling the return of secondary school students. The vote followed the direction of staff and was based on a revised recommendation from Harvard…
Some special education students are exception In a news release the day before Thanksgiving, Chesterfield County Public Schools announced a pause in in-person instruction in school buildings through the end of the first semester, Jan. 29. Certain special education students are not subject to the pause. The decision was due to a dramatic development in COVID-19 data. The 25 cases per 100,000 people per day standard was breached Nov. 25 when it rose to 26.5. The rolling seven-day average of cases had been 13.2 per 100,000 a month before, according to the release. In addition, the coronavirus test positivity rate…
Early Childhood Academy approved for old Harrowgate Elementary Several teachers questioned and criticized the school board during a Nov. 10 meeting that followed Chesterfield County Public Schools bringing some students in grades 6 through 12 back to buildings Nov. 9. “Many staff members are leaving, and they should be,” teacher Todd Gasparello said. “I am staying to fight because I’m younger. I am tired. There are no subs. Bus drivers rarely get a break to use the [restroom] after several hours of driving. I’m tired because administrators are now becoming substitute teachers.” Nick Oyler, coordinator of student health services, explained…
Two of five school board members in opposition By a split decision, the Chesterfield County Public Schools’ health panel decided to move forward with Project Restart by bringing Cohort 4 back into school buildings. The decision – which was announced at the school board’s Oct. 27 meeting – will allow any sixth- through ninth-graders who weren’t already attending school in-person to begin doing so two days a week on Nov. 9. In reaction to the panel’s decision, two members of the five-person school board voiced their objections: Clover Hill member Dot Heffron and Midlothian member Kathryn Haines. Nick Oyler, the…
During a school board meeting Oct. 13, Chesterfield County Public Schools superintendent Merv Daugherty announced that Cohort 3 will begin returning to classrooms two days a week on Oct. 26. That group of students, which includes grades 4 and 5, along with career and technical education high school students, will continue to have virtual online instruction two days a week. Daugherty noted that the district’s health panel made the recommendation based on health data related to COVID-19. During public comment, Bermuda resident Carrie Watko encouraged the district to bring all students back to school with a distance of three feet…
Chesterfield students in pre-K through third grade will be allowed to return to in-person instruction beginning Monday, Oct. 12. The announcement was made at the school board’s Sept. 29 meeting. The board followed the recommendation of the district’s health panel based on data related to COVID-19. In addition, the school board voted unanimously to add third-grade students to Cohort 2 and to add career technical education students to Cohort 3, which includes fourth and fifth grades. Deputy superintendent Thomas Taylor said the changes were being made to bring the district’s “hybrid education” model — which features in-person classes two days…