🌟 Your Voice Matters! 🌟
We’re planning for the future of our school district! Your voice is essential as we create a new strategic plan to guide us over the next five years. Click on the links below for for information about each session and to RSVP:
📅 Dec 10: In-Person (6:30–7:30 PM) School Administration Building https://www.cpschools.com/events?id=36195783
📅 Dec 17: Virtual (6:30–7:30 PM) https://www.cpschools.com/events?id=36195798
📅 Dec 18: Virtual (6:30–7:30 PM) https://www.cpschools.com/events?id=36195829
Join us for one of these events to share your thoughts and ideas. Together, we’ll build a roadmap to success for our students and schools.
🎉 CONGRATULATIONS, BETH DEIR! 🎉
🩵🖤 Beth is the Chesapeake Public Schools 2025 Middle School Teacher of the year! She is a 7th grade science teacher at Hickory Middle School.
According to one of her colleagues, “Beth goes above and beyond to meet the diverse needs of her students, always seeking ways to inspire and motivate them to reach their full potential.”
Thank you, Mrs. Deir, for your dedication and passion for education! ✨ #CPSCelebrates #InspireCPS #CPSTOY2025
🎉 CONGRATULATIONS, SHANNON ANDERSON! 🎉
❤️💙 We are excited to announce that Shannon Anderson is the Chesapeake Public Schools 2025 High School Teacher of the year! She is an English teacher at Grassfield High School.
One of her former students shared, “Mrs. Anderson taught me the value of creating an environment where everyone - students and colleagues alike - feels valued, safe, and empowered to take risks in their pursuits.”
Thank you, Mrs. Anderson, for your incredible impact on your students and school community! ✨ #CPSCelebrates #InspireCPS #CPSTOY2025
🎉 CONGRATULATIONS, JULIE CAREY KING! 🎉
🩵🖤 Julie was just named Chesapeake Public Schools 2025 Elementary School Teacher of the Year! Julie is a special education teacher at Butts Road Intermediate.
One of her students shared, "She is the reason I was excited about going to school. I knew if I got frustrated or confused, she was there to help me. She was always there for me."
Mrs. Carey King, thank you for your incredible passion, patience, and commitment to your students! ✨ #CPSCelebrates #InspireCPS #CPSTOY2025
🎉 CONGRATULATIONS, KAITLYN GABRIEL! 🎉
💙💛 We are proud to announce that Kaitlyn Gabriel is the 2025 Citywide Teacher of the Year! Kaitlyn is a sixth grade Civics teacher at Oscar Smith Middle School.
One of her colleagues shared: “Every single day, each of her students leave the classroom full of greater potential than when they walked in and this sets them up to be agents of change and life-long learning.”
Congratulations, Ms. Gabriel, on this well-deserved honor! ✨ #CPSCelebrates #InspireCPS #CPSTOY2025
❤️ What makes teaching so rewarding? ❤️
🌟 Don’t miss this inspiring video where some of our amazing 2025 Teachers of the Year share their favorite memories and the moments that make teaching so meaningful for them.
🎥 https://youtu.be/szg3o3D7PuQ
✨ What motivated the best educators to step into the classroom? 🌟
❤️ Find out in this video where some of our 2025 Teachers of the Year share the inspiration that makes them say, "This is what made me want to teach." 🏫
🎥 https://youtu.be/xTlB5ngtcBc?si=1IKJsNmPz4IQ99ZJ
📢 Attention current 8th graders and families: Applications for our high school academies are NOW OPEN! 🌟
Apply to be considered for the 2025-2026 school year:
🩺 Science & Medicine Academy (SMA): Deep Creek High School
🖥️ Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM): Grassfield High School
🌎 International Baccalaureate (IB): Oscar Smith High School
📅 Deadline to apply: December 18, 2024
👉 For more information and to apply, visit: https://www.cpschools.com/article/1863836
🧠 Oscar Smith High School’s Scholastic Bowl Team is taking on Grafton High School in an exciting Battle of the Brains showdown!
🗓 When: Saturday, December 7 at 10:00 AM
📺 Where: WTKR Channel 3
Show your support and cheer on our amazing team including, Kyle VanSlyke, Benjamin Piersall, Zachary Gatchalian, Alina Ahmed, Vedant Dixit, Riley Cornelisse, Hannah Sprague as they showcase their knowledge and skills. 🐾💙💛
✨ Good luck, Tigers! You’ve got this! #InspireCPS
🎉 We’re proud to celebrate November’s Power of the Peake winners! Yesterday, we surprised three honorees:
🌟 SUPPORT: Diane Overmiller - Executive Assistant in Human Resources
🌟 TEACH: Rebecca Karch - Teacher at G.W. Carver Intermediate School
🌟 LEAD: Helene Robinson - Principal at Southwestern Elementary
Congratulations to these three exceptional staff members—representing three categories - teach, support, and lead. This award recognizes dynamic individuals and celebrates their inspiring work in our district. #PowerOfThePeake #CPSCelebrates #InspireCPS #EmpowerCPS #engagecps
👉 To learn more about the program and nominate someone to be the next Power of the Peake, visit: https://www.cpschools.com/o/cps/page/employee-recognition
🎥 Check out this video from yesterday’s visits: https://youtu.be/VyTi775Nci4
👀 Tune in this Saturday for Battle of the Brains and catch the Great Bridge High Wildcats take on Jamestown High Eagles in an epic showdown of intellect. 🧠
📺Where: WTKR News Channel 3
🗓 When: Saturday, November 30th at 10:00 AM
🍀 Good Luck to team members: Rayhan Ahmed, Colby Dominek, Peter Mackiewicz, Isaiah Suazo, and Oliver Toth!
Who will claim the victory? Watch to find out! 💡#InspireCPS
🍂 We are grateful for our amazing students, families, and staff who make our school community so special. Wishing you a joyful and restful Thanksgiving filled with love and laughter! 🦃
Reminder: All schools and offices will be closed November 27 - November 29.
🎉 Huge congratulations to our final #CPSTOY25 finalist, E.W. Chittum's Kimberly Holt! 🎉
🎓 With a Master’s in Elementary Education and an endorsement in Library Media from Old Dominion University, Kimberly has dedicated 14 years to inspiring young minds. After nine years as a classroom teacher, she transitioned to being a school librarian, where she has spent the past five years sharing her love of reading with every student in her school. ❤️
🥉A three-time Literacy Teacher of the Year, Kimberly proudly serves as the chair of the @Virginia Reader's Choice Virginia Readers' Choice committee, working to ignite a passion for books across Virginia. Beyond her work with students, she’s a leader in professional growth, creating STEAM-integrated lessons and sharing her expertise at librarian conferences to support educators statewide. 📚
📖 In her free time, Kimberly loves diving into a good book, scrapbooking, and traveling with her husband. ✈️
👏 Her dedication, creativity, and passion make her an invaluable asset to our school community. Congratulations, Mrs. Holt!! #CPSCelebrates
🌟Kaitlyn Gabriel, is a passionate 6th-grade Civics and Economics teacher at Oscar Smith Middle School! She is also a #CPSTOY25 finalist! 🌟
Mrs. Gabriel holds an M.S. in Curriculum and Instruction from Western Governors University and a B.S. in Middle Level Education with a concentration in Social Studies from Shippensburg University. 🎓
📚Voted "Most Inspiring to Students and Staff," she is passionate about making her classroom a lively and inspiring space where content truly comes alive. Mrs. Gabriel is a true leader! From mentoring new teachers to guiding colleagues through impactful student engagement strategies, she’s dedicated to fostering growth and excellence in education.
As a proud Navy wife and loyal friend, Kate enjoys her time coaching on the soccer field and spending time with her husband and their beloved cat. 🐾⚽❤️
Let’s celebrate Mrs. Gabriel for being an amazing teacher and colleague!👏👏👏 #CPSCelebrates
🎶 Last week, the Greenbrier Middle School 8th Grade Orchestra performed at the Virginia Music Educators Association 2024 State Conference, showcasing their incredible talent under the direction of their orchestra teacher Kirsten Gardner! 👏 #CPSCelebrates
🎙 Explore how artificial intelligence is transforming education with Maria Kainz, a first-year English teacher at Oscar Smith High, and Andrew LeClair, a technology innovation coach from Hickory Middle. Together, they discuss the opportunities and challenges of incorporating AI into classrooms, offering insights on how it can enhance personalized learning and prepare students for a tech-driven world. This episode highlights their dedication to creating thoughtful, ethical approaches to using AI while inspiring meaningful conversations about its role in education. Listen to the full episode on your favorite podcast platform or visit https://www.cpschools.com/page/amplified! 🎧
🎉 #CPSTOY25 finalist Kimberly Midgette is a dedicated 4th-grade Special Education Teacher at Great Bridge Intermediate with nine years of experience! 🌟
🎓 Kimberly earned her B.S. in Sociology and Criminal Justice from Old Dominion University and holds endorsements in Special Education and Read Theory. Before entering the classroom, she served as Sr. Youth Director at the YMCA , where her passion for supporting individuals with diverse abilities began.
Mrs. Midgette has an incredible gift for connecting with her students. Her innovative lessons make learning both fun and meaningful, sparking a genuine love for education in her classroom. She believes that true inclusion happens through role-modeling, awareness, and respect for all. ❤️ Additionally, Kimberly goes above and beyond to support her fellow educators, sharing her expertise and positivity to create a truly collaborative and uplifting environment. 💪
🏈 When she’s not teaching, Kimberly loves cheering on her two boys at football and wrestling, spending time with her husband, or working out at the Y.
👏 We’re so lucky to have her inspiring both students and colleagues every day! 👏
🌟 Katie King is an incredible 4th-grade teacher at Southwestern Elementary and one of this year's #CPSTOY25 Finalists! 🌟
With a B.S. in Liberal Studies (Elementary Education K-6) from Longwood University, Katie has accomplished so much in her first five years of teaching. She’s the science point of contact, mentors practicum students and a student teacher, and leads programs like Girls on the Run and after-school tutoring. Katie believes in empowering her students by making them feel valued and supported every step of the way. ❤️
Her kindness and collaborative spirit shines in her teamwork with colleagues, where she’s always sharing resources. As a leader, mentor, and role model, Ms. King inspires both students and staff every day. She’s known for her structured and organized instruction that helps students meet any challenge head on.
🏃♀️ Outside the classroom, Katie is a long-distance runner, competing in 5-10 races annually and always training for her next big goal. She’s also a music lover, enjoying concerts and festivals with her sister, Darcy. 🎶
Three words that describe Ms. King? Hardworking, genuine, and nurturing. We’re proud to celebrate her achievements! 🌟 #CPSCelebrates
💻 Family Webinar - Youth & Mental Health 💻
Join us as we learn more about the most common mental health issues affecting today's youth and how to navigate these challenges together.
👉 For more information and to register, visit: https://www.cpschools.com/events?id=35284534
✨ This morning, the Vivace Quartet from Grassfield High School set the tone for the Virginia School Boards Association State Conference with a beautiful performance during the opening session. 🎻
#CPSCelebrates #InspireCPS #VSBA2024AC
