☀️ Summer is almost here! What are your plans? Sleep? Work? Beach? Travel? 🏖️
Anthony Smith, Assistant Principal at Oscar Smith High, turned his 2024 summer trip to Ghana into something extraordinary. After meeting students at a local school with very little technology, he knew he had to help. 💻
📽️ Check out this inspiring video to see how he created lasting change for those students with a simple act of kindness and a little help from the community: https://youtu.be/UsU9wmazO4A
#InspireCPS #CPSCelebrates
🎓🎓🎓 Our first graduation is just 1️⃣2️⃣days away! 🎓🎓🎓
ARE YOU READY? Let’s gooooooo! #CPSCelebrates #Classof2025
💻More Info: https://www.cpschools.com/graduation
🎧 As we close out Season 2 of Amplified: The Chesapeake Public Schools Podcast, we highlight three remarkable student-athletes from Grassfield High, Great Bridge High, and Oscar Smith High!🎙 Sophie Rambo, Caleb Neal, and Jaden Dabbs reflect on how they’ve achieved state and national honors in track, wrestling, and football, all while maintaining academic focus and leadership. Their insights into discipline, resilience, and time management offer valuable lessons for educators, families, and future student-athletes. 🔊 Tune in at https://www.cpschools.com/page/amplified or wherever you get your podcasts!
🎉 Check out our May Power of the Peake winners!
⭐ SUPPORT: Nicole Wilson - Purchasing Maintenance Technician
⭐ TEACH: Jaime Simmons - Teacher: Sparrow Road Intermediate
⭐ LEAD: Pedro Martinez - Supervisor of Data and Reporting
👏 Congratulations to these outstanding individuals! We appreciate your hard work and dedication!
🎥 Check out this video highlighting this month's recipients: https://youtu.be/1D1VsHc4N8E
💻 Learn more about this month’s winners or submit a nomination: https://www.cpschools.com/o/cps/page/employee-recognition
#PowerOfThePeake #CPSCelebrates
🎓 ALUMNI ROLL CALL: It's graduation season! As we prepare to celebrate the Class of 2025 this month, drop your school and graduation year below! 👇 #CPSCelebrates
The Chesapeake Preschool Initiative (CPI) program is accepting applications for the 2025-2026 school year. 🎒
CPI is a FREE full-day program for children who will be four years old by September 30th and live in Chesapeake.
💻Please review our website for eligibility criteria and to apply: https://www.cpschools.com/o/cps/page/cpi
🎥 You can also check out this webinar exploring the preschool options that are available for Chesapeake families as well as learn next steps for enrolling your child: https://youtu.be/OpG0nmF_XcA
🎉 Last night, more than 60 Chesapeake Career Center students signed letters of intent to join the workforce during our annual Career Signing Day at the Chesapeake Conference Center! Joined by future employers, instructors, and loved ones, these students celebrated their next steps by signing letters of intent for careers in dental assisting, collision repair, early childhood education, automotive technology, emergency response, healthcare, cosmetology, HVAC, welding, and more!
👏 Congratulations to our seven J.A. Cotton Career Scholar Award winners, one from each high school, who each received $1,000 to support their future careers. Thank you to the Chesapeake Public Schools Educational Foundation, Indian River High School JROTC, and The Polyphics from Grassfield High for making the evening special. #CPSCelebrates #InspireCPS #EmpowerCPS
📸 View photo highlights from the event here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/vZEqrAvpzqBBZfgx8
🎨📐 Art meets Math at The Chrysler Museum of Art! Today, Grassfield High School AP Calculus students visited the Chrysler Museum, where they presented their "Mathematics Through the Ages" projects. Students navigated through the galleries, stopping to highlight artwork they had selected and researched that connected to mathematical concepts throughout history. Watching them blend art and mathematics was a lesson in logic, history, and creativity. We’re so proud of their hard work and inspiring presentations!
✨ Shout out to AP calculus teacher Joy Squicciarini for designing this project, and making it happen. #CPSCelebrates
🍉🍕 Our School Nutrition Services team celebrated another successful school year at their Spring Fling on Thursday, May 22, 2025, at Indian River High School. The evening recognized individuals and teams in categories including highest breakfast and lunch participation increase, marketing and promotions, and customer service. Congratulations to our award winners:
🌟 Smiles for Miles: Donna Lovett (DCE)
⭐ Rising Star: Maribeth Nachim (SEE)
Marketing & Promotions:
🥇 1st place: Hickory Elementary
🥈 2nd place: Great Bridge Primary
🥉 3rd place: Camelot Elementary
Thank you for helping our students receive the nutrition they need to be successful everyday! #CPSCelebrates
Join us as we remember and honor our heroes on Memorial Day. ❤️🤍💙 #MemorialDay
Our schools and offices will be closed Monday, May 26, 2025.
🌳 Earlier this month, Sparrow Road Intermediate School visited the Great Bridge Battlefield & Waterways History Museum for a day of hands-on learning!
Through their knowledgeable guides, students discovered local history, learned the difference between marshes and swamps, found out how businesses operated back in the 1700s, and much more!
The trip perfectly combined education with enjoyment, proving that learning outside the classroom can be both informative and fun! #InspireCPS
👏 We’re proud to congratulate seven of our exceptional seniors who each received a $2,000 scholarship from the Cavalier Auto Group.
🎓 Dane Cunningham - Deep Creek HS
🎓Colby Dominek- Great Bridge High
🎓Ian Shickley - Grassfield High School Sadie Larson - Hickory High School
🎓Paige Ratcliff - Indian River High
🎓Hailey Ward - Western Branch High School
🎓Tina Pan - Oscar Smith High
We appreciate your support of our students and your continued partnership with the Chesapeake Public Schools Educational Foundation. #CPSCelebrates
🐣 Last week, Mrs. LiVoti, Mrs. Walters, and Mrs. Waterfield’s 2nd grade classes at Deep Creek Central Elementary welcomed baby chicks after 21 days of careful observation and learning. From studying the life cycle to journaling and egg candling, students were hands-on every step of the way. Now that the chicks have hatched, the students are making sure they have everything they need: food, water, clean bedding, and plenty of snuggles! These students are egg-sperts at chick care, what an egg-cellent job!" 🐣👏 #CPSCelebrates
☀️💲The Virginia SUN bucks program assists families with the cost of groceries during summer break when school is not in session. It is a one-time benefit of $120 to each school-age child that meets the program requirements.
To learn more about these benefits or to apply, visit: https://www.cpschools.com/page/ebt
❤️ In collaboration with Project ADAM and the Chesapeake Fire Department, we’re working toward the goal of providing all of our schools with cardiac response training as well as equipping them with defibrillators. Indian River High was Chesapeake's first Heart Safe school, B M Williams Primary following right behind them! We couldn't be prouder of everyone involved.
Shout out to our nurses, teachers, and staff who are learning these life-saving skills. Special thanks to the Project ADAM team for helping us protect our school family! More Heart Safe schools coming soon! ❤️
📹 Check out the video story: https://youtu.be/pbctNar3OUE:
#InspireCPS #ProjectADAM
Congratulations to Jolliff Middle School for winning the 2025 CMSL TownBank Principals Cup! Each year, this award is given to the school who earned the most points across ALL regular season Chesapeake Middle School League athletics this year.
Last week, Great Bridge Middle handed over the title (and the trophy) to Jolliff Middle School. Awesome job to every Jolliff team that made this happen! 🎉#CPSCelebrates
✨ We proudly celebrated Custodial Staff Recognition Week (May 12–16) with a special Custodial Appreciation Banquet held on Saturday, May 17, 2025, at Deep Creek High School. The evening honored our custodial professionals' outstanding contributions, continued dedication, pride in their work, and the difference they make every day in our schools and buildings. A special congratulations to Van Gholston from Western Branch Primary, who was awarded the Chesapeake Rotary Club’s Education Support Staff Person of the Year and received a $1,000 check in recognition of his service. 🎉 hashtag#CPSCelebrates
📸 View photo gallery here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/8GN2WcyEVudbABAe9
📔 View program here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gn-Ex13S7HVvHSV2VNC8gpm6otUqq-9z/view?usp=sharing
👏 Thank you to all the volunteers and event sponsors who made the event a success:
✨ Sponsors: CEBCO Consultants, Rutherford Janitorial and Supply, Birsch Industries, Mancon, LLC, and The Supply Room
✨ Leon Nixon Catering, Inc.
✨ DJ Barry Cary (DJ SMUV Productions)
✨ CPS/ODU Leadership Cohort
🏆Congratulations to the Chesapeake Middle School League 2024-2025 Champions!🏆
💚💛 Great Bridge Middle School claims victory in Field Hockey and Girls Track!
🩵🩶 Hickory Middle School dominates with BOTH Girls Volleyball and Boys Soccer titles!
💙💛 Oscar Smith Middle School takes the crown in Boys Track!
No doubt, these were hard fought victories! These student-athletes showed incredible heart and came out on top! We are proud of you! #CPSCelebrates
✨ Soaring Beyond the Classroom ✨
Today, we're highlighting those remarkable educators whose dedication extends far beyond the classroom! These teachers not only guide students through daily lessons but also give their time to extracurricular activities like sponsoring clubs, coordinating events, and supporting school programs.
A perfect example: Jolliff Middle School's Drone Club has reached impressive heights this year, thanks to the teachers who've helped navigate them to success!
🎥 Check out what they've accomplished: https://youtu.be/aKL_to1bric
Honoring a local baseball legend! ⚾
Deep Creek High School dedicated its baseball field in memory of Wes "Bud" Swisher on May 13, 2025. For over 30 years, Coach Swisher taught English, P.E. and Driver's Ed and was the heart and soul of Deep Creek Baseball, achieving 34 winning seasons. 💜 He was also inducted into the Chesapeake Sports Club Hall of Fame and now his legacy lives on at his beloved field. Thank you to Coach Swisher's family, friends, former students, current baseball players, and amazing culinary arts students for making the celebration so special. #CPSCelebrates
