Essex County Public Schools

Empowering Our Paraeducators! Today, Essex County Public Schools had the privilege of welcoming guest speakers from The College of William and Mary TTAC for an engaging and impactful professional development session tailored for our dedicated paraeducators. Through interactive breakout sessions, our paras explored High Leverage Practice : Providing Positive and Constructive Feedback and High Leverage Practice : Teaching Cognitive and Metacognitive Strategies. These essential skills equip our team with strategies to foster student success, reinforce learning, and create a more supportive classroom environment. We are grateful for the knowledge shared and the commitment of our paraeducators to continuous growth and excellence. Thank you, William and Mary TTAC, for an enriching learning experience!

🎉🏆 Congratulations to our Division Teacher of the Year! 🏆🎉 Essex County Public Schools proudly recognizes Ms. Michelle Dungee as our 2024 - 2025 Teacher of the Year! Ms. Dungee’s dedication, leadership, and unwavering commitment to student success make a lasting impact every day. Her extraordinary empathy and passion for education truly inspire both her students and colleagues. We are grateful for her dedication and the positive impact she makes in the lives of our students—thank you, Ms. Dungee!

Good Evening, ECPS Families: We hope this message finds everyone well. Please be reminded that Essex County Public Schools will dismiss students at 12:45 p.m. on Thursday, February 6, 2025. Parent conferences will be held from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. and you may contact your child's school to schedule an appointment. Thanks for your attention and enjoy the rest of your evening.

🎉 Celebrating Our Incredible School Counselors! 💙✨ This week, we are proud to honor our amazing school counselors during National School Counseling Week! 🎉 Our counselors play a vital role in supporting our students academically, socially, and emotionally every single day. 🌟 Tappahannock Elementary School – Ms. Natalie Mitchell 🌟 James H. Cary Intermediate School – Ms. Anya Robinson 🌟 Essex High School – Ms. Kristin Aitken These dedicated professionals go above and beyond to guide, encourage, and advocate for our students, helping them navigate challenges and achieve success. Thank you for all you do to support, inspire, and uplift our students every day!

Dear Parents, Guardians, and Staff, Due to a significant increase in illness-related absences across our schools, Friday, January 31, will be an asynchronous virtual learning day for all students and staff. This decision allows those who are ill to rest and recover while also helping to prevent further spread of illness. As an example of the impact, today alone, the high school reported 100 student absences due to illness. In addition, this closure will provide our custodial teams the opportunity to conduct a deep cleaning of all school buildings to ensure a healthier environment when students and staff return. Each school has shared "snow day plans" with their students. Students should follow the "snow day" guidance they received from their teachers for any assignments. Staff will also be working remotely and will be available during normal school hours via email. Thank you for your understanding and support as we prioritize the health and well-being of our school community. If you have any questions, please reach out to your child’s teacher. Sincerely, Dr. Cyndee Blount Chief Academic Officer

🏅 Picture Day Alert! 📸 A photographer from Strawbridge Studios will be at Essex High School today Thursday, January 23, 2025, to capture our sports team and individual pictures! Don’t miss this opportunity to preserve memories of your student's season! If you are interested in purchasing pictures, visit Strawbridge Website - https://www.strawbridge.net/services/sports/. Select 'Order Pictures and Yearbooks,' and enter the code 'FM468504' to place your order for your student's pictures For more details, check out the images below or visit our website!

Good Evening, ECPS Families: We hope that everyone is well and had a good day. Please be advised that Essex County Public Schools will operate on a 2-hour delay on Thursday, January 23, 2025, due to unsafe road conditions in some parts of the county. Thanks for your attention and please be safe.

Good morning, ECPS Families: We hope this message finds everyone well. Please be advised that Essex County Public Schools will now be closed today, January 22, 2025, due to dangerous road conditions. Thanks for your attention and please be safe.

Good Evening, ECPS Families: We hope this message finds everyone well. Please be advised that Essex County Public Schools will be operating on a 2 hour delay on Wednesday, January 22, 2025, due to inclement weather and road conditions. Thanks for your attention and please be safe.

Good evening, ECPS Families, We hope this message finds everyone well. Please be advised that Essex County Public Schools will be operating on a 2-hour delay on Monday, January 13, 2025. Thanks for your attention and please be safe.

Good afternoon, ECPS Families, Essex County Public Schools will remain closed for students on Friday, January 10, 2025. Some secondary roads are still not safe for traveling due to drifting snow accumulation. All staff will be expected to attend work by 10:00 a.m. or to make contact with immediate supervisors, should travel be adversely affected. Thanks for your attention and please be safe

Good afternoon, ECPS Families, Essex County Public Schools will remain closed for students on Thursday, January 9, 2025. The rationale for this decision is our observation of running water throughout the county on secondary roads such as Petro Pitts, Laurel Springs, and even Hustle Rd. This running water has been observed flowing across the roads in a downward direction. The early morning temperature will result in the freezing of this water and thus preventing school buses from traversing upward and downward. All staff will be expected to attend work by 10:00 a.m. or to make contact with immediate supervisors, should travel be adversely affected. Please be safe!

Good Afternoon, ECPS Families, We hope this message finds everyone well and safe. Please be advised that Essex County Public Schools will be closed on Tuesday, January 7, 2025, due to inclement weather and dangerous road conditions. Thanks for your attention.

The Essex County School Board will hold its monthly meetings for January and February on Mondays, January 27, 2025, and February 24, 202,5 at 7:00 p.m. (Work Session @5:00 p.m. & Closed Session @6:00 p.m.) in the Essex County School Board Office Complex, and live streamed at https://www.youtube.com/essexcountypublicschools. There will be a Public Hearing on the Proposed 2025-2026 Calendar at 6:45 p.m. at the January 27th meeting and a Public Hearing on the Proposed FY 2025-2026 Budget at 6:45 p.m. at the February 24th meeting.

🎉🏆 STATE CHAMPIONS! 🏆🎉 Congratulations to the Essex Trojans on their incredible victory over the Grayson County Blue Devils in the Class 1 State Championship game! Your hard work, dedication, and teamwork has made Essex proud! 💪💚💛 A huge shoutout to Coach Jones for his outstanding leadership and to the entire coaching staff for guiding our team to this unforgettable moment. This win is a testament to the heart and determination of our players and the support of our amazing Trojan community. Again congratulations Trojans!!

Join us for an Open House at your CBGS campus! Current AND prospective students and families are welcome! Glenns campus - 12745 College Drive, Glenns Bowling Green campus - 16221 Richmond Turnpike, Bowling Green Warsaw Campus - 52 Campus Drive, Warsaw

Reminder: The Chesapeake Bay Governor's School will host an Open House at the Warsaw Campus this week on Thursday, December 12, from 6:00 to 7:30 PM. Applications are available in your student's grade-level Google Classroom, and the submission deadline is January 13, 2025.

Want to Become a Teacher? Make a Difference with RTR! Are you ready to inspire and shape the future of students? 🌟 The RTR Teacher Residency Program at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), in partnership with Essex County Public Schools, provides an immersive, hands-on teacher preparation experience! Whether you're pursuing your first degree or advancing your education, RTR offers: ✔️ A full salary and benefits for bachelor’s degree candidates while working in schools ✔️ A stipend to cover education costs for both graduate and undergraduate pathways, leading to teacher licensure in elementary, secondary, or special education If you already have an associate's or bachelor’s degree, this could be your path to becoming an exceptional educator. 👉 Apply today at teachrtr.org! ⏳ Applications close February 1, 2025. Take the first step toward making a difference! 💡✏️ #BecomeATeacher #RTRResidency #TeacherPreparation

Upcoming School Board Meeting The next School Board meeting will take place on November 11, 2024, at 6:00 p.m. We look forward to your participation!

Students in Ms. Dungee's 4th grade science classes participated in an investigation of biodiversity in the Rappahannock River. Students are benefiting from the implementation of Meaningful Watershed Experiences, which have been implemented throughout the division.