Virginia Beach City Public Schools (VBCPS) has announced that Melissa Schappell, an art teacher at the Visual and Performing Arts Academy at Salem High School, has been recognized as a 2027 Citywide Teacher of the Year finalist.
According to VBCPS, Schappell fosters students’ artistic growth by encouraging critical thinking, creativity, and self-expression. She leads significant projects such as Salem’s Timbaland Way Day parade float and the annual Raku-B-Que art show, providing students with hands-on experiences that enhance learning and expand opportunities for artistic exploration both inside and outside the classroom.
“In my classroom, it is important for students to be able to make personal and interdisciplinary connections that they can apply to multiple facets of life,” said Schappell, according to a VBCPS The Core blog. “Creative and critical thinking strategies that help students to solve problems and analyze the world in which we live are encouraged.”
The Visual and Performing Arts Academy at Salem High School offers a rigorous arts education across five disciplines: instrumental music, vocal music, dance, theatre, and visual arts. Its curriculum emphasizes performance, exhibition, theory, and history while offering independent seminars and seasonal performances. Admission is based on auditions or portfolio reviews, teacher recommendations, academic achievement, extracurricular involvement, and honors in the arts. The program aims to equip students with skills needed for success in higher education and future careers by combining challenging instruction with practical experiences in the arts.
Virginia Beach City Public Schools operates 86 fully accredited schools serving approximately 65,550 students. It is the largest division in Hampton Roads. The district provides a one-to-one student-to-laptop ratio and reported $118 million in scholarships awarded to the class of 2024. Transportation services cover about 5.7 million miles annually. VBCPS emphasizes student achievement through academic programs that consistently perform above state and national averages. The division’s mission focuses on preparing students as lifelong learners and engaged citizens while its vision highlights maximizing student potential in a challenging environment. Dr. Donald Robertson serves as superintendent.
