Dear Charlottesville City Schools staff and families,

Due to a recently announced Special Election in the Commonwealth of Virginia, there will be no school for students on Tuesday, April 21. The day will be a Teacher Workday for staff, with 12-month staff reporting for work as normal. CHS Athletics practices/events and CATEC nursing board exams will proceed as scheduled that day.

Learn more about the Special Election ballot question and how to vote in the City of Charlottesville. 

Why do schools need to close on an election day? 

Eight of our 11 schools are used as voting locations. The challenges of holding voting while school is in session include:

• Limited parking at most sites

• Increased traffic around schools

• Open campus: Laws that protect voter rights have precedent over laws that restrict sex offenders and certain others from being on school grounds

• Disruptions to school day due to gyms and other spaces being used for voting instead of for school. 

If anything changes and schools will not be needed as polling places, then April 21 will revert to a normal instructional day, and families will be notified as soon as possible. 

For more details, see the full presentation given to the School Board last night.