Teacher charged with assaulting Chesterfield County student

TL;DR: A 50-year-old special education teacher at Chester Early Childhood Learning Academy in Chesterfield County has been charged with assault of a male student following an April 6, 2026 incident.

The story

Jennifer Repole, a 50-year-old special education teacher at Chester Early Childhood Learning Academy in Chester, has been charged with assaulting a male student following an incident on April 6, 2026. Chesterfield Police received a report of the assault and, after investigation, obtained a warrant for Repole on April 10, 2026. She was served with a releasable warrant and is scheduled to appear in court on June 16, 2026.

Chester Early Childhood Learning Academy, located at 15501 Harrowgate Road, is a public preschool established in 2021 that serves 4-year-old children in Chesterfield County, particularly those identified as having economic needs or environmental risk factors affecting kindergarten readiness. The school serves approximately 378 students with a student-teacher ratio of 11:1, lower than Virginia's state requirement of 14:1.

The Chesterfield County Public Schools division stated that "the employee will not return to the school division pending adjudication of the charges," effectively suspending Repole from her position. The specific circumstances and details of the alleged assault remain limited, with neither police nor the school division providing detailed accounts of what allegedly occurred.

The case is now proceeding through the criminal justice system, with the June court date marking the next official step in the matter. Chesterfield Police have not released additional information about the investigation, and the school division has offered no further comment beyond the suspension notice.

Key players

• Jennifer Repole — Special education teacher at Chester Early Childhood Learning Academy; charged with assault
• Chesterfield County Public Schools — Employer; has suspended employee pending adjudication
• Chesterfield Police Department — Investigated incident and obtained warrant

Key dates

• 2026-04-06 — Alleged assault incident at Chester Early Childhood Learning Academy
• 2026-04-10 — Warrant issued for Jennifer Repole; served releasable warrant
• 2026-06-16 — Scheduled court appearance for Jennifer Repole

Why it matters: The incident raises concerns about student safety in Chesterfield County schools and the protection of young children in early childhood education settings. Parents and community members typically focus on teacher accountability, background checks, and district oversight mechanisms following allegations of physical assault on students.

Places

• Chester Early Childhood Learning Academy
• Chester, Virginia

Related links

• Chesterfield County Public Schools Official Site
• Chester Early Childhood Learning Academy
• Chesterfield County Student Conduct Standards

Read the original at Google News: Chesterfield Schools →

Sources

• 12 on Your Side: Teacher charged with assaulting student in Chesterfield
• WTVR: Chesterfield teacher charged with assaulting student
• WRIC: Chesterfield early childhood teacher charged in alleged assault of student
• Chesterfield County Official News: Teacher Charged with Assaulting Student
• Chester Early Childhood Learning Academy Official Site