Gloucester County is located on the Virginia Middle Peninsula and is bordered by the Mobjack Bay, and the York and North Rivers.The county has a total area of 217 sq. miles, and a population of about 35,000 people, The history of Gloucester County began soon after the settlement of Jamestown in 1607. Named for Henry, Duke of Gloucester, third son of Charles I, Gloucester County figured prominently in the history of the colony and the Commonwealth of Virginia."

"The Gloucester County School Board provides an equal opportunity for every student to achieve maximum intellectual, social, emotional and physical growth, to ensure that each individual be equipped to communicate effectively with other people, to be competent both in the work place and in higher education, and to feel confident of the ability to make creative and constructive decisions in his/her life."

Hampton is an independent city located at the southern end of the Virginia Peninsula, bordering on Hampton Roads Harbor and the Chesapeake Bay. The city is 52 square miles in size and has a total population of 146,437. Major industries are NASA and high-tech firms, seafood processing, military and tourism. In 1992, the Virginia Air and Space Center opened on the downtown waterfront with almost 300,000 visitors a year.

Hampton is the oldest continuously settled English community in the United States. As an Indian village called Kecoughtan, it had been visited by the first English colonists before they sailed up the James River to settle in Jamestown. The famous battle between the first ironclad battleships, the Monitor and the Merrimac, was fought just offshore.

"Hampton’s School Division ranks # 2 in the state for National Board Certified teachers. The school’s parent approval rating is 20% above the national average. The school division prides itself on the individual development of every child with its many progressive programming choices offered to parents and students. Whether it's Robotics, AP Calculus or our nationally recognized Food Service Program, the Hampton school division has something for everyone."

James City County, Virginia, covers 144 square miles, has a population of about 35,000 people, and the county seat is the city of Williamsburg. The County's main economic activity is tourism. As the home of Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in America, and Colonial Williamsburg, known worldwide for its authentic reconstruction of eighteenth century life, James City County hosts visitors year-round from all over the world. The College of William and Mary, second oldest college in the U.S., is located in the heart of Williamsburg.

James City County took its name from James City, the original name of Jamestown. Both were named in honor of James I of England (1566-1625). The county grew from the 1607 Jamestown settlement and was the capitol of Virginia until the state house burned in 1698. Soon afterwards the capitol was moved to Williamsburg.

"The James City School Board is committed to providing an excellent education, in partnership with families and the community, so that each and every student is prepared for lifelong learning, independent thinking, and responsible citizenship. We will be a national leader providing outstanding programs and opportunities, continually developing the potential and meeting the unique needs of each and every student. We will prepare productive members of society in a safe, challenging, and nurturing environment through collaboration with families and our community."

Present-day King and Queen County covers an area of 327 square miles with a population of under 6000. It is long and narrow, being about sixty miles in length and ten miles in width. The county is primarily rural with several small communities.

Formed in 1691 from New Kent County, King and Queen County was named for King William III and Queen Mary. It is located on the Middle Peninsula of Virginia with its county seat at King and Queen Court House close to the Mattaponi River.

"The mission of the King and Queen County Schools is to provide a quality and individualized education while challenging each student to reach the highest level of achievement according to his/her unique abilities, talents, and aspirations. We are dedicated to enabling all students to become effective, productive, and contributing citizens in our competitive global society."

Settled in the mid-1600's, Lancaster County is located at the south eastern tip of Virginia's Northern Neck peninsula approximately 75 miles east of Richmond, 120 miles southeast of Washington, DC." It has an area of 133 square miles and a population of 11,567 people.

"Lancaster County Public Schools realize the significant impact Technology has on our society today and its implications for the future. The school division realizes that for our students to be competent and competitive in technology, they must have access to the latest technology hardware, software, and skills so that they may develop appropriately and move competently into the technology which surrounds them."

Mathews County, the smallest of Virginia's rural counties, is located at the southeastern end of Virginia's Middle Peninsula. It is 94 square miles in area and surrounded by more than 200 miles of shoreline on the Piankatank, East, and North Rivers, as well as the Chesapeake and Mobjack Bays. It has aa population of 9,207. Mathews County was originally delineated in 1651 as Kingston Parish, a part of Gloucester County. In 1791, the two were separated, and Mathews became an independent county. It was named for a prominent American Revolutionary officer, Major Thomas Mathews of Norfolk.

"The mission of the Mathews County Public School system is to provide educational programs to meet the identified needs of all students in a learning environment that will instill academic achievement, develop a positive outlook, and foster respect for individual differences."

Middlesex County is located at the northeastern end of Virginia's Middle Peninsula. The County is bounded by the Rappahannock River to the north, by the Chesapeake Bay to the east, by the Piankatank River to the southwest, and by Essex County to the northwest. The County has a land area of 132 square miles, 135 miles of shoreline and a population of 9,932.

Middlesex County was probably named for the English county. Settlement of the area began around 1640 with the County being officially formed in 1669 from a part of Lancaster County. The County's only incorporated town, Urbanna, was established in 1680 serving initially as a port for shipping agricultural products and later as the County's commercial and governmental center.

"Middlesex County Public Sclools Framework For Excellence. To Improve academic achievement for ALL students while closing achievement gaps. Establish and maintain school climates and facilities that are safe, orderly and supportive of effective teaching and learning. Reduce the over-representation of minority and other at-risk students in Special Education. Develop programs to promote the recruitment and retention of a quality staff. Promote and encourage positive home, school, business and community relations that encourage student achievement."

Newport News is an independent city in southeast Virginia at the mouth of the James River off Hampton Roads. It is a port for transatlantic and intracoastal shipping; commodities handled include coal, oil, tobacco, grain, and ores. Newport News is also one of the nation's major shipbuilding and repair centers.It has an area of 69.2 square miles and a population of 181,000.

Settled in 1620, it gained economic importance with the beginning of its shipbuilding industry in the 1880s, when it became the eastern terminus of the Chesapeake and Ohio RR. In 1862 the famous battle between the ironclad ships Monitor and Merrimack took place off the shores of Newport News and Hampton.

"Newport News Public Schools division educates approximately 32,500 children in five early childhood centers, 28 elementary schools, eight middle schools and five high schools. Newport News Public Schools has used the results of a curriculum management audit to improve how we teach children, devised a six-year strategic plan, expanded preschool and kindergarten programs, implemented a new reading program in all elementary and middle schools, started a new college prep program in middle and high schools, and worked with the HOPE Foundation to improve school leadership, among other initiatives."

Northumberland County is located on the northeastern end of Virginia's Northern Neck. It has an area of 192 square miles and a population of 12,259. It is bordered on the North by the Potomac River and on the East by the Chesapeake Bay.

"It is the philosophy of the Northumberland County School Board to provide equal opportunity for every student to achieve maximum intellectual, social, emotional and physical growth, to insure that each individual be equipped to communicate effectively with other people, to be competent both in the work place and in higher education, and to feel confident of the ability to make creative and constructive decisions in his/her life."

York County is located on the northern part of the Virginia Peninsula. It has an area of 123 square miles and a population of 56,298. Yorktown is the county seat of York County. It is a major part of the historical area of attractions known as the Historic Triangle of Yorktown, Jamestown and Williamsburg, and is the northern terminus of the scenic Colonial Parkway operated by the U.S. National Parks Service which links the three.

The county was formed in 1634 as Charles River Shire for King Charles I, one of the eight original shires in the Colony and Dominion of Virginia. It was renamed in 1642-43 as York County probably in honor of James, Duke of York, the second son of Charles I. The river, county, and town are believed to have been named for York, a city in Northern England. It is most famous as the site of the surrender of General Cornwallis to General George Washington in 1781, ending the American Revolutionary War.

"The mission of the York County School Division is to ensure the success of all students through a rigorous and innovative instructional program of public education that expects the highest levels of excellence from staff and students. All students will become lifelong learners prepared to compete in a global economy."