CONTACT Tim Bullis
Director, Community Relations
748-1433
Sept. 3, 2009

For immediate release

Recently, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announced that the President of the United States will speak to the nation’s schoolchildren in an address to be delivered on Sept. 8. That day, the President intends to emphasize the importance of education to our children, nation and future.

By Sept. 8, many schools across the nation will have been in session for several days or weeks. However, this is the first day of school for most of Virginia’s children. Dr. Patricia Wright, the Superintendent for Public Instruction for the Commonwealth of Virginia, has advised local school divisions to consider the demands of the instructional day on Sept. 8 in determining whether to broadcast the President’s live address.

Chesterfield County Public Schools takes pride in its staff’s ability to welcome students back to school in a positive and well-organized manner. Though Chesterfield County Public Schools embraces the President’s message on challenging students and is grateful for the support he has extended in the form of federal stimulus funding for public education, we do not wish to interfere with our staff’s ability to repeat past opening day successes.

Teachers and administrators will have access to the content of the speech in the future and may use it within their curriculum and programs as appropriate. Should a school choose to show the President’s message at a later date, building administrators will honor parents’ requests to provide alternative activities for students.

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