PETERSBURG, Va. — Petersburg City Public Schools (PCPS ) opened the new school year Tuesday with upgraded security measures, a new five-year strategic plan, and a continued effort to reduce chronic absenteeism.
Tuesday marked Superintendent Yolanda Brown's second full calendar year leading the division.
Brown said excitement was the word she heard most as students, parents, and staff returned to classrooms.
One of the most visible changes this year was the rollout of new X-ray machines at Petersburg schools.
The machines allow students with clear backpacks to send their bags through screening, giving school officials another tool to identify potential safety threats.
"Of course, we had machines before, but not to this level where you have the bags that are scanned through," Brown said.
Petersburg School Board Chair Kenneth Pritchett said the division also hired more security guards at the high school, middle school and elementary schools.
"Parents should be very proud of that. We're making sure that our staff and students are safe," Pritchett said.
Adrian Dance, the Ward 7 representative on the Petersburg School Board, said many certified teachers returned alongside new employees across the division.
"We're looking forward to having a very exciting and productive school year," Dance said.
This week, Brown's administration is introducing Petersburg 2031, the school division's new five-year strategic plan.
The plan focuses on 5 areas:
- Student achievement, wellness and support
- Talent acquisition, development and retention
- Facilities and infrastructure
- Financial stewardship
- Family and community engagement
Brown said the goal was to keep building on the division's progress while planning for the next five years.
PCPS is also moving forward with plans for a new Walnut Hill Elementary School, the first new school built in Petersburg in more than 50 years.
A contractor has been selected and the project has entered the design phase.
Officials plan to seek input from the community and school staff as the design takes shape.
Reducing chronic absenteeism remains another major focus.
The school board set a goal for the superintendent to reduce chronic absenteeism by 3% each year. Final data from the previous school year has not yet been released by the Virginia Department of Education, but Pritchett said officials were encouraged by early indications.
"We're hearing positive, and we're hearing we have surpassed that number tremendously," Pritchett said.
Brown said the focus on attendance would continue because the division's academic goals depend on students being in school every day and on time.
For some Petersburg families, the return to school brought a mix of excitement and nerves.
Beryl Wiggins, whose 4-year-old grandson attends Westview Early Childhood Education Center, said he had grown since attending Head Start but was still adjusting to a new school year and a new teacher.
Wiggins said she used Spider-Man to help make the transition easier.
"Spider-Man's gonna have a good day," she told him, encouraging him to look forward to school and spending time with other children.
She said adjusting to a new teacher can be challenging for young children, but she recognized the importance of helping them become more independent.
District leaders said the goal was not only to address the immediate needs of students, but to continue building toward the division's longer-term future.
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