VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Amid new developments for the district, Virginia Beach City Public Schools welcomed students and staff back for the 2025-2026 school year on Monday.
This year, school leaders told News 3 they’ve added two security assistants to all elementary schools along with an Office of Security and Emergency Management.
“Safety is a priority. Kids can’t learn if they don’t feel safe. Staff can’t teach if they don’t feel safe,” explained Superintendent Dr. Donald Robertson.
This year, VBCPS is projected to have around 64,500 students.
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“[I’m] so excited,” shared Kiara Moore, a parent with a kid in the 2nd grade. “It feels like a fresh start. I know that we’re excited about the teachers.”
Several teachers and staff were also excited to be back. Many still had questions about a new increase in their healthcare options that are set to take effect January 2026. This is something Dr. Robertson says will be addressed at Wednesday’s school board meeting.
“Staff must know how we calculate compensation, and health care is a part of compensation,” shared Dr. Robertson, Superintendent of VBCPS.
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Another big change for schools across the state: No cell phones during the learning period. Dr. Robertson says cell phone usage during emergencies will not result in a punishment.
“If there is a real emergency in a school and a student chooses to use their phone and call their parent and say, ‘Mom, I’m okay,’ there’s no discipline there," Dr. Robertson said. "We understand that’s an extraordinary circumstance. What we’re really asking is [for] parents [to] do their part and try not to contact their children on a regular basis to remind them: ‘Hey, I’m going to be late home tonight,’ or ‘Do you remember you have practice?’”
