CHESAPEAKE, Va. — A survey is open now for parents, students, employees and community members in Chesapeake to weigh in on their school calendar preferences for the 2025-2026 school year.
“Please take that survey,” School Board member Brittany Walker encouraged. “We really do take that into consideration, and we want to do what works the best for most people.”
CPS Director of Planning, Policy, and Research Fallon Graham presented four options to the School Board. There are two options that start before Labor Day, on Aug. 25, and two that start after Labor Day, on Sept. 2. One option from each start date includes shorter holiday breaks, while the others include longer holiday breaks.
All of the options include a return to school on Jan. 5, 2026, after winter break. They also include three elementary-only teacher workdays, two work days between semesters, and two early-release days prior to the last day of school.
One option for each start date releases students on June 11, 2026. However, the other options release students on June 9, 2026 (a pre-Labor Day start) and June 16, 2026 (a post-Labor Day start).
Some options have Thanksgiving Break as a half-day on Wednesday and then schools closed on Thursday and Friday, while other options have three full days off.
Spring Break for students is April 3-10 or April 6-10 in each of the options.
Graham said focus groups of students, teachers and community members have already been held.
“This information was used to improve the options to present them to the community at large,” Graham said.
School Board Vice Chair Thomas Mercer Sr. noted that past surveys have showed a sizeable majority want to maintain a post-Labor Day start. In the current school year, Chesapeake was the only local school district that started after Labor Day, as others have moved to a pre-Labor Day start in recent years.
“I’m going to abide by what people feel like is the majority rule on this,” he said.
A survey for parents to give their input on the calendars is open now and closes Oct. 17. The survey is available at cpschools.com/surveys, and people taking the survey can view all of the options before providing their input.
