Dear HCPS Families,
Recent guidance issued by the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE), as required by
Executive Order 28, directs all local school divisions to notify “all parents within a school division through regular communication channels within 24 hours of a school-connected student overdose, while always ensuring protection of student privacy.” As a result, you will begin to receive notices from Hanover County Public Schools regarding any confirmed or suspected drug-related overdoses involving a student that are school-connected.
In accordance with these requirements, we are writing to notify you that we received a report within the past 24 hours that a Hanover County Public Schools middle school student may have experienced a possible non-fatal overdose involving prescription medication at school. The prescription medication is believed to belong to the student.
While we understand this news is concerning and you may want further information, we are unable to share any additional or specific details regarding this incident in order to protect student privacy, as required by
Executive Order 28. In the meantime, we would like to take the opportunity to reassure you that the safety, health, and well-being of our students, faculty, and staff is our top priority each day.
Our parents and guardians are an important partner in these collective efforts. As a result, we ask that you review the resources provided in the VDOE guidance (starting on page three), talk with your child about the dangers of substance use, and contact a counselor, principal, administrator, teacher, or other trusted adult should your student need support.
Specifically, our Intervention Counselors stand ready to assist our students as they are dedicated to providing substance use prevention and intervention for all of our middle and high schools. This includes prevention education, risk assessment, individual and group counseling, referral information, training and professional development for staff, parent workshops, and school-wide programming and activities. More information, including the Intervention Counselor Referral Form, can be found
on our website.
Thank you.
Hanover County Public Schools