A message from Dr. Cashwell about returning to school

Jan. 10, 2025

Henrico Schools family:

I want to express my gratitude to each of you — our families, students and employees — for your patience and resilience during this unexpected start to the new year. This week’s snow, followed by water-related challenges, was a hardship for many, and I deeply appreciate your flexibility as the County worked to overcome the obstacles.

I am thankful for the county staff who continue to work tirelessly to ensure everyone has drinking water. I’m also incredibly proud of our HCPS employees and students who are volunteering to distribute water and hand out meals to families experiencing the greatest need. These acts of kindness and collaboration remind us of the strength of our community.

Today, HCPS is once again partnering with Feed More to provide food to families in our community. More than 1,000 meals were given out Thursday. Additional meals are available for pick up today 3-6 p.m. at Brookland Middle School, Wilder Middle School and Tucker High School. Distribution is first come, first served until supplies run out.

  • Brookland Middle School, 9200 Lydell Drive

  • L. Douglas Wilder Middle School, 6900 Wilkinson Road

  • J.R. Tucker High School, 2910 N. Parham Road

While we are working to meet our community’s immediate needs, we are also preparing to welcome students back to school on Monday. I know you may have questions about how the extended closure impacts teaching, learning and upcoming deadlines. Below are updates to help your family prepare:

School calendar

  • After-school and weekend activities: ​All activities are canceled for Friday and the weekend due to ​potential snow.

  • Instructional time: HCPS has built-in banked time to offset this week’s missed school days. If further closures are necessary this year, makeup time will be evaluated as needed.

  • Jan. 15: Wednesday, Jan. 15 remains a student half day and flexible teacher clerical day, as noted on the 2024-25 school calendar.

Marking period and report cards

  • End of the marking period: The second marking period will still end Jan. 15. To accommodate for the closure, additional time will be given for students to complete assignments and for teachers to finalize grades.

  • Report cards: Report distribution has been moved to Feb. 5 (previously Jan. 30). Families can view grades in the PowerSchool Parent Portal starting at 8:30 a.m. on Feb. 5.

Testing and assessments

  • Gifted identification testing: This process will resume when students return. Schools will communicate any changes to individual testing schedules directly to families.

  • Other assessments: Adjustments to specific testing windows will be shared with teachers by school administrators.

Course registration

  • Middle and high school: Registration for the 2025-26 school year has been extended by one week and now closes at midnight on Jan. 26.

  • Preschool: Registration for the 2025-26 school year begins Jan. 27. Visit the HCPS website for details and the online application.

Technology and devices

  • Student devices: Please ensure laptops are fully charged before students return to school Monday.

  • PowerSchool update: PowerSchool, the student information system used by HCPS and many other school divisions nationwide, became aware of a data breach on Dec. 28 and has notified school divisions and the public in recent days. While HCPS data does not currently appear to be impacted, our Department of Technology remains in close contact with PowerSchool and will continue to keep families informed.

Thank you again for your understanding and support as we’ve navigated this challenging week. I look forward to welcoming students back on Monday and continuing to partner with you for a successful remainder of the school year.

Sincerely,

Amy