Greendale would like to congratulate their PTA for winning the Outstanding Unit Award at the county PTA Banquet last week. Some of the activities cited for winning the award were an increase in membership, the Fitness Maniacs after-school program, the offering of CPR/First Aid classes to parents and teachers, our participation in the Reflections Program, and the Teacher Grant Program. Greendale is very proud of it's PTA and we are very fortunate to have their support.

High Point Elementary School students in Grades 3, 4, and 5 recently had an opportunity to display their knowledge relative to the Virginia Standards of Learning at the PTA sponsored SOL Night Competition between the grades. Each student had two hundred questions to answer in forty-five minutes. After answering each question, the students had to deposit the correct response in one of six hundred containers corresponding to each question and hidden somewhere in the hallways of the school. Each correct response counted a point for the grade level team. Fourth grade students had the highest score in the competition and won a trophy for their grade.

The top three scorers in each grade are pictured standing: Marlena M., Taylor G., Matthew G., Noah C., Adam C., and kneeling: Taylor H., Alexis T., Chase D., and Emily M. Alexis T. was the top scorer of the evening. The program was planned and conducted by Bev Tester, PTA Vice President.

Abingdon Elementary School students Audrey S. and Stephanie L. were winners in the Washington County Schools Calendar/Handbook contest. Their artwork will appear in the 2005-2006 calendar.

During this past year, High Point Elementary School lost a much loved and valued faculty member, Mary Ann Riffe, after a courageous battle with cancer. While Mary Ann was the music teacher at High Point, she created a singing, performing group of staff members called The Teacher Act. This group has performed a musical program for the P.T.A. and community each spring and this year the tradition will continue in her honor.

On Tuesday, May 24th at 7:00 p.m., The Teacher Act of High Point Elementary School will present The Circle of Life-Music of the Decades in the High Point school gymnasium. This will be a benefit performance with admission by donation and all proceeds will be donated to The American Cancer Society in memory of Mary Ann Riffe. Come enjoy seeing some of our local talent perform music from past years in honor of their colleague, Mary Ann.

The second grade at Valley Institute Elementary went to see the play, "A Thousand Cranes", at Barter Theatre. After the production, students were told about a project in which they could participate. Barter Theatre challenged anyone who watched the play to fold an origami crane to send to the Children's Monument in Hiroshima, Japan. Barter hopes to have 1000 origami cranes to send to Japan. The VIES second graders tackled this project with great enthusiasm. They have folded over 150 cranes to send to Japan!