CCPS Express

Superintendent's Message to our Caroline Community

A Season of Gratitude and Advocacy

Dear CCPS Families,

As November brings crisp mornings and colorful leaves, I am reminded how thankful we are for our students, staff, and families. Your partnership strengthens our schools and supports our children each day and we need you know more than ever.

Caroline County is growing, and our student population has outpaced available school space. Our staff continue to find creative solutions, but these arrangements are not sustainable. These are real challenges with real impacts on teaching and learning and the time to engage is now.

Please join these important conversations:

November 4 — School Board Town Hall at LCES: Hear a short presentation, ask questions, and learn about our growing facility needs.
November 12 — Board of Supervisors Meeting at the Community Services Building in Bowling Green: Share your perspective during public comment and advocate for our schools.

Your voice matters as we plan for our children’s future. Thank you for your continued support and commitment to CCPS. Wishing your family a wonderful season of gratitude!

Warmly,

Sarah Calveric, Ph.D.

We hope you can make it in person but if you are unable to attend, we are offering the YouTube link for the event and you will be able to make comments and ask questions during the LIVE STREAM!

https://www.youtube.com/@carolinecountypublicschool3335/streams

Capital Improvement season is here!

The school district's updated Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) currently includes 88 total items, combining 36 new requests with carry-over items from prior years—most notably essential deferred maintenance projects and plans for a new fourth elementary school. The 36 new requests represent an estimated investment of $23,907,590.91 and are grouped into four primary categories: Transportation & Fleet Operations (13 requests for buses, support vehicles, shop cooling, and a new maintenance facility); Athletic & Extracurricular Facilities (10 requests covering stadium seating, ADA accessibility, track resurfacing, field irrigation, and a new gym addition); Building Maintenance & Infrastructure Upgrades (7 requests for middle school stage and bleacher repairs, restroom upgrades, and HVAC chiller replacement); and Safety, Security & Site/Capacity Expansion (6 requests addressing growth through classroom trailers, security access systems, playground expansion, and parking lot improvements).

The approval process begins on November 9st with a CIP Workshop and First Read at the School Board meeting. The board will consider the plan for final approval during a Second Read at the December 14 School Board meeting, after which the finalized CIP will be submitted to the county for final adoption.

November Closure Days

📚 Caroline Reads: Round 3 Book Club Information

Readers are Reading! The Caroline Reads – Round 3 Adult Book Club is underway!

The Book clubs will close out with their discussion meeting on November 8, 2026!

The titles and discussion locations for this round are:

Christine Rice-Historical Fiction-Frozen River By Ariel Lawhon-Virtual

Amanda Fletcher-Mystery/Thriller-Culpability (An Oprah Book Club pick) by Bruce Holsinger (A Northern Virginia native)-YMCA

Emily Bailey-Contemporary Fiction-This Book Made me Think of You By Libby Page-The new Cavalier Cafe and Bookshop located in Caroline High School

We hope everyone is enjoying their new book! See you on Nov. 8th at your specific locations.

Instructional Information

Trey Baker Visits CHS- Thank you to our sponsor....Caroline Education Foundation

When award-winning poet and author Trey Baker visited Caroline High School, he did far more than perform. He created a moment of raw truth that left hosts Bryan and Faith reflecting on how fast young people are forced to grow up. In this powerful interview, the author of When I Look Up unpacks the story behind his book, the struggle of adolescent identity, and why tapping into elementary school honesty is the ultimate superpower for adults and teens alike. Press play for an episode that will make you pause, reflect, and look up.

Listen to this episode on YouTube.

In Oct. each of our Elementary schools hosted incredible STEM Expos! Every classroom participated by showcasing a STEM project, along with more than 55 individual student projects!

Thank you to our amazing Community judges joined us to listen as students proudly presented their projects, share their discoveries, and explain the scientific thinking behind their work. What a wonderful experience to see our young scientists demonstrate their creativity, curiosity, problem-solving skills, and confidence! Take a look here!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1v4xSbkxMsVLAnHHn4IEUOEvbYdmF_cFp/view?usp=sharing

CTE Spotlight

Career & Technical Education & Recent Partnership Event Updates

Morgan Dawson with Topside Federal Credit Union visited to provide classroom lessons on budgeting, financial responsibility, and financial literacy.
SSG Houchins and Specialist White spent time with our JROTC students, helping them prepare for the physical fitness test while also providing hands-on instruction and mentorship focused on discipline, teamwork, and readiness.
JA Future Ready Leaders: Day 2 of training is complete! Dakota Bailey and Cynthia Pantaleo with Junior Achievement led our students through another engaging day of preparation as they continue developing the skills and confidence needed to step into the classroom as Future Ready Leaders. We are one step closer to seeing them bring their training to life with our elementary students!

Thank you to everyone who continues to support our students through these hands-on learning experiences!

Parent Guidance & Coaching

A NOTE FROM CARE SOLACE & CCPS

As we head into November and the Thanksgiving season, it's a wonderful time to reflect on the things that matter most and the connections we share with others. I've gathered a few resources to help families build positive habits, strengthen relationships, and support emotional well-being.

Please feel free to use and share any of the resources below that are helpful!

On-Demand Course: Everyday Happiness

English Parent Flyer | Spanish Parent Flyer

On-Demand Course: How to Develop Self-Compassion

English Parent Flyer | Spanish Parent Flyer

Newsletters:

Gratitude & Mental Health
Friendship Skills: Teaching Your Child How to Make and Maintain Healthy Friendships

Articles:

How to Practice Gratitude Daily
Understanding the Science of Gratitude

Ask a Therapist Response: My Child is Just Not Happy

Exceptional Education News

Special Education includes specially designed instruction and related services delivered at no cost to the parent that adapts the curriculum, materials, or instruction for students identified as having educational or physical disabilities under federal law and tailored to the individual student's needs and learning style and provided in a general education or special education classroom, home, hospital, separate school or other setting.

Professional Learning for the Visual Arts

Visual Art teachers had the opportunity to explore murals throughout the city of Richmond during our October Professional Learning session. The teacher used a scavenger hunt app that gave clues to find the art with background information as well as asked thought provoking questions. The group worked as a team to connect and collaborate as they reflected on the use and durability of materials, placement and intention, and the maintenance to care for a large scale work of art.

This was also a timely discussion as Ms. Cunion of MES, wrote a Caroline Education Grant to create a RCA mural with students. We brainstormed and discussed possibilities of how to logistically implement this project with students. It was a great day to explore beyond the school walls and see firsthand how art can transform communities and tell stories through visual imagery.

Caroline Career Connections

Join the Caroline County Public Schools Team!

CCPS Employment Opportunities – Caroline Express Community Newsletter

Join Our Team at Caroline County Public Schools!

Caroline County Public Schools is hiring! We are seeking dedicated, passionate individuals to join our team and make a difference in the lives of our students.

Current opportunities include elementary, Pre-K, special education, middle school, and high school teaching positions, as well as an Elementary Math Coach at Bowling Green Elementary School, an Exceptional Education Specialist, and an ASL Interpreter.

Why work for CCPS? We offer competitive pay, tuition reimbursement, comprehensive health and dental benefits, Virginia Retirement System eligibility, and support for new teachers.

Our Elementary Math Coach position at Bowling Green Elementary School is a 10.5-month position and is eligible for a three-year sign-on bonus.

Ready to make a difference? Explore our opportunities and apply today!

Apply: www.workingcaroline.com
Email: hr@ccps.us

Come grow with us at Caroline County Public Schools!

School Board Highlights

Take a look at the Oct. 19, 2026 School Board Meeting highlights:

Oct. 19, 2026 Regular School Board Meeting

Workshop (4:30PM): School Performance & Support Framework Update
School Board Meeting Agenda

Achieve 2027 Spotlight: Post-Secondary Transition Program
Recognitions: Superintendent Art Award, 1st Quarter ABCD Awards, and Virginia State Fair Awardees
Information from the School Division: Legislative Priorities, Accreditation & Accountability Review, Overview of FY25 Completed Audit and Update on FY26 Audit, Monthly Update on Revenues, and Expenditures.
Citizen Comments: 1
Action: 2027 School Board Compensation & VSBA Policies
New Business: New Course Proposal for SY 27-28 & FY27 Budget Calendar

Next Regular School Board Meeting Date: Nov. 9, 2026 @ Caroline Middle School

The School Board would like to thank our citizens that attend, advocate, and speak during public comment. For more information on these topics, you can access the Boarddocs link or view the meeting at our CCPS YouTube Channel.