Hopkins Elementary School

El Librotazo, the big book party, is planned for July 9: During this event, each child in attendance from birth through high school will select 3 to 5 books to keep to add to their home libraries. Additionally, attendees will enjoy activities, cultural performances, a mobile exhibit from the Children’s Museum of Richmond, music, food and more. This free event will be held Tuesday, July 9 from 5-8:30 p.m. at the Chesterfield County Fairgrounds. Chesterfield County Public Schools will host the event in partnership with the Chesterfield Education Foundation and Dominion Energy.

Show up for each other Younger grades at Hopkins Elementary created encouraging cards and gifts for older Bobcats at the beginning of SOL testing days.

Real-life peeps Fourth grade classes at Hopkins Elementary got acquainted with newly hatched chicks they had observed during science instruction.

Cuteness alert! Hopkins Elementary kindergarten classes gently said hello to newly hatched chicks.

Annual ABC countdown

Each year, Hopkins Elementary celebrates the last 26 days of the school year with an ABC countdown. In some classes, A was for artwork, B was for bubbles or bingo and C was for chalk. Way to make the days count, Bobcats!

Prom closet seeks community donations

This video shows how Monacan High is helping trim the cost of prom by offering free dresses, suits and accessories for students. As a service learning project, students run the Chiefs Closet like a boutique — complete with attractive displays, business communications and social media promotions. Community donations to the prom closet are welcome and can be left in the front office of Monacan High (11501 Smoketree Drive). This year’s prom is May 11. If you have questions, please email teacher meredith_shuman@ccpsnet.net.

Brand-new Bobcats Hopkins Elementary welcomed incoming kindergartners with a fun photo booth. The class of 2037 starts kindergarten this August. Families of students who will be 5 by Sept. 30 can get registration details at oneccps.org

Spring Into Wellness on April 29

Families are invited to a mental health resource fair organized by Chesterfield County Public Schools. Spring Into Wellness will take place 4:30-7:30 p.m. April 29 at CTC@Hull (13900 Hull Street Road). Registration is required for this free event. In addition to more than 30 wellness vendors, speakers will cover these topics: Motivation and goal setting for tweens and teens; Understanding your child’s nature for happier parenting; and College prep and student wellness. Register at https://bit.ly/48EpdGM.

World Language Camp

World Language Camp features daily rotations through four languages and cultures: French, Spanish, German and Latin. Students who will be in grades 2-5 in 2024-25 will enjoy memorable and meaningful activities. Camp runs 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and the cost is $115 for each one-week session. Sign up now using this form. This camp and other Chesterfield County Public Schools camps are part of the summer programs webpage.

• June 24-27 at Old Hundred Elementary
• July 8-11 at Beulah Elementary

Cultural Arts Camp Cultural Arts Camp offers visual arts, music, STEAM, physical activity and world language for students who will be in grades 1-6 in 2024-25. Cultural Arts Camp runs 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and the cost is $165 for each two-week session. Sign up now using this form. This camp and other Chesterfield County Public Schools camps are part of the summer programs webpage.

• June 24-July 3 at Old Hundred Elementary (Camp is closed July 4.)
• July 8-18 at Beulah Elementary

Camps for grades 5-8

Chesterfield County Public Schools offers two summer camps for students who will be in grades 5-8 in 2024-25:

Camp EPIC (Exploring Pathways in Careers) is packed with exciting, hands-on career experiences 8 a.m.-4 p.m. June 10-13 (Monday through Thursday) at two sites. The cost is $150. Sign up using this form for one of these sessions:

• CTC@Courthouse: CyberWatch, Dental Discoveries, Energy Explorers, Farm to Table, Just Desserts, Motor Sport Legends, Next Level Chef, Pet Pals or Robot Wranglers
• CTC@Hull: Animation Nation, Beauty Stars, Just Desserts, Next Level Chef, Pet Pals, Rescue 911!, Robot Wranglers, Top Model or True Detective

Team SKILLS is a basketball camp where students improve basketball skills, develop teamwork and learn important life lessons 8 a.m.-noon Monday through Thursday in the Midlothian Middle gym. The cost is $75 for each one-week session. Sign up now using this form.

• June 24-28
• July 1-3 (Camp is closed July 4.)
• July 8-11
• July 15-18

Summer is for camps!

Summer camps offer a chance to explore new areas, and registration is open now! Chesterfield County Public Schools is offering four different camps in 2024, and they are expected to fill up fast. Get the details and register here for Camp EPIC, Cultural Arts Camp, Team SKILLS and World Language Camp.

More good news from Hopkins Elementary - Two more students rang the bell for achieving their goals and a third Bobcat earned a Paws-itive office referral for helping a friend.

A virtual Coffee & Conversation discussion will focus on intellectual disabilities. The Family and Community Engagement Office of Chesterfield County Public Schools will host the free webinar 1-2 p.m. Feb. 28, and a representative of Chesterfield Mental Health will be the featured speaker. Click here to register and to see upcoming Coffee & Conversation topics.

Chesterfield Virtual School is open for Chesterfield County students in grades K-8. As Virginia’s first virtual school, the Chesterfield Virtual School provides the opportunity to learn with teachers from across the country and students from all over Chesterfield County. The Chesterfield Virtual School works for students who are self-sufficient and self-driven. School days begin at 7:45 a.m. with morning meetings. Before students are dismissed for the day at 2:15 p.m., teachers cover all core academic subjects. After-school clubs offer additional connections for students. The Chesterfield Virtual School also offers gifted instruction, honors classes, special education and ESL.

• Enrollment for new students is open through April 28, and the school website offers details including registration form.
• Students and parents are invited to a virtual info session about Chesterfield Virtual School on Feb. 21 at 8:30 a.m. or at 1:30 p.m. To join one of the informal sessions, go to meet.google.com and enter cvsinterestmeeting as the code.

Parents can create list of books their student cannot check out

Chesterfield County Public Schools continues to be at the forefront of ensuring that parents and guardians have transparency about school library books.

The district recently added a feature to the online catalog for school libraries that offers another avenue for families to be involved in what their children read. Starting now, parents can create a list of books that their student will not be allowed to check out. (This new feature is in addition to existing opportunities for parents that provide online access to their student’s school library accounts and the ability to opt in to receive an email when their student checks out a book.)

Follow these steps to take advantage of this new method of overseeing what your child can check out from the school library:

• Look up your public access catalog login ID by going to ParentVUE using a web browser on a computer or mobile device (not using the mobile app). In ParentVUE, go to My Account to find Adult ID#. (Contact your school if you need help accessing your ParentVUE account.) Your public access catalog login ID is your ParentVUE adult ID number with G added to the front. For example, if your ParentVUE adult ID number is 123456, then G123456 is your public access catalog ID.
• Select your child’s campus on the school system’s library catalog page.
• Click My Account on the left side of the screen.
• You will be prompted for a library card number and PIN. Your library card number is your ParentVUE ID number with G added to the front. Your PIN is the last four digits of your ParentVUE ID number.
• Add books you do not want your student to be able to check out to a prohibited resource list. This document provides details about how to build a prohibited resource list for your student.

Chesterfield County Public Schools families with students in grades K-6 are invited to a free performance of “Frida Kahlo and the Bravest Girl in the World.” The Virginia Opera will present two performances that tell the real-life story of a young girl living in Mexico City and her friendship with famed artist Frida Kahlo, who paints her portrait. Families invited to free “Frida Kahlo” opera

Families can use this form to reserve free seats for

• 6:30 p.m. Feb. 5 performance at Meadowbrook High
• 6:30 p.m. Feb. 7 performance at Elizabeth Davis Middle

Questions? Call 804-639-8632.

ADHD is topic of Feb. 7 Coffee & Conversation

A virtual Coffee & Conversation discussion will focus on ADHD. The CCPS Office of Family and Community Engagement will host the free webinar 1-2 p.m. Feb. 7, and Melissa Ackley of Chesterfield Mental Health Prevention Services will be the featured speaker. Click here to register and to see upcoming Coffee & Conversation topics.

Marching toward winter break - Superintendent Merv Daugherty’s winter break video may be the best thing you see today. Huge shoutout to Clover Hill High’s Marching Cavaliers and band director Brianna Gatch!

• Winter break for students and teachers will begin Dec. 22 and continue through Jan. 5.
• School offices and school system buildings will remain open to the public Dec. 22, Dec. 27-29 and Jan. 2-5.

Winter Wonderland at Hopkins Elementary - The annual Winter Wonderland at Hopkins Elementary focuses on reading, student performances, family fun and holiday magic.