Important Coronavirus Information Update
March 23, 2020
Team Chesterfield families and staff,
This is an historic day in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Unfortunately, it is not the history that you or I probably care to be a part of.
Per Governor Northam’s announcement earlier this afternoon, Chesterfield County Public Schools will be closed for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year due to the COVID-19 public health emergency.
We join you, our students and school divisions across Virginia in the disbelief that our schools are closed to traditional learning opportunities. However, we agree with the Governor that this is necessary and in the best interests of our families, our county, and our state.
Please note that while school buildings will be closed, Chesterfield County Public Schools is working on plans to continue instruction for students.
Families are respectfully requested to begin making their own childcare plans as needed, remembering health experts’ and the Governor’s guidance that individuals should remain at home and within groups of fewer than 10 people when at all possible during this health crisis.
This announcement leads to a lot of questions, the vast majority of which we are not ready to answer at this time. While my leadership team works to develop plans, we expect additional guidance tomorrow and throughout the coming days from the Virginia Department of Education.
In the meantime, VDOE has encouraged school divisions to continue to develop and implement continuity of learning opportunities. My senior leadership team has been meeting to discuss these plans, and working in collaboration with school-based staff have provided learning opportunities ... and will continue to do so.
Again, we realize that there are a lot of questions that you have – how will this affect my high school senior, when will my child be able to pick up their belongings at school, when can teachers pack up their rooms, etc.
Please be patient with us as we work to develop answers. This is new to all of us. Additional information will be forthcoming.
For now, I ask that you continue our practices associated with social distancing, proper personal hygiene and taking care of ourselves. Take care of yourself and your family.
Stay well.
Dr. Merv Daugherty
