Washington County Public Schools

Happy National Maintenance Worker Appreciation Day! We are giving a HUGE shoutout to the incredible Maintenance Department at Washington County Public Schools. Whether it's fixing a leaky faucet, keeping our classrooms sparkling clean, or ensuring our schools are safe and functional every day -- they're the unsung heroes making it all happen. We are so grateful for their hard work, dedication, and behind-the-scenes efforts that keep our schools running smoothly. Thank you for all you do!

It's the last day of National School Breakfast Week, and we've got a clue for you: Today's breakfast was a scoop of fun! To wrap up the week, our students enjoyed freshly churned breakfast ice cream! We all scream for ice cream -- especially when it's a sweet start to the day! A huge thank you to our amazing School Nutrition Department for making this week so fun and delicious. You served up some excitement and set the bar high for breakfast! Remember, breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and today we cracked the case on how to make breakfast even cooler!

Special Congratulations Damascus Middle School competed in the KidWind Regional Challenge at Virginia Tech where they came home as Champions! The KidWind Challenge is a hands-on design competition where student teams design, build, and test small-scale wind turbines and solar devices, showcasing their knowledge and skills in clean energy technologies. These students entered the solar energy portion of the competition where they created an Otter Habitat. They created and designed a Solar Island powered completely by solar energy. This team has now qualified for the State Tournament at James Madison University in April! Damascus Middle School would like to thank the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center for sponsoring the team and bringing this opportunity to our region.

Valley Institue Elementary School Art Show Talented young artists from Valley Institute Elementary School showcased their incredible artwork at Blackbird Bakery in honor of Art Appreciation Month on Thursday! From vibrant colors to creative designs, these students filled the space with a lot of fun. You can still check out their masterpieces -- the art will be on display throughout March at Blackbird. A perfect time to grab a coffee and a sweet treat and enjoy the awesome artwork of our students!

March Madness isn't just about basketball — it's about Full Court Support, too! Our Central Services team is dribbling into action all month long to help out our amazing schools. From serving as bus aides to washing dishes, sweeping floors, and supervising recess, they are ready to jump in and take some of the pressure off! Principals are calling the plays and assigning members of the Central Services team to assist – letting staff catch a breather. Glade Spring Middle School sends a special shoutout and thank you to Dr. Yost and Mrs. O’Neill for helping out today! We are turning up the teamwork to make this March Madness a slam dunk for everyone!

✨📚 Read Across America Fun ✨📚 Mrs. Blackburn's English 7 student authors from Damascus Middle School read their books to kindergarten students at Rhea Valley Elementary School in celebration of Read Across America Week! This annual activity meets a variety of learning goals for the older students, including the opportunity to develop both their written and spoken voices with a specific audience in mind. They also had a chance to see how their words bring joy to others!

Day 4 of National School Breakfast Week -- Time to CLUE IN to a tasty start! Today's breakfast? A delicious Cinnamon Toast Muffin! The secret? Nothing goes better with breakfast than orange juice, milk, and a muffin! A big thanks to our School Nutrition Department for keeping breakfast tasty and fun -- and for helping our students fuel up with whole grain goodness!

Day 3 of National School Breakfast Week is here, and today's breakfast is spreading happiness one bite at a time with Caramel Mini Cinnis! Thank you to our amazing School Nutrition Department for serving up more than just tasty meals -- they've also created fun displays to help students solve the mystery on why breakfast is the secret to a strong start. Remember, when you CLUE IN to School Breakfast, you're cracking the code for a day full of success!

Hands-On Learning: Watauga Fifth Graders Dive into Volume Fifth grade students at Watauga Elementary School have been busy learning about volume. Students teamed up with partners to take on the "All Boxed In" activity. They measured and calculated the volume of boxes we see every day -- from cereal boxes to shoe boxes -- turning these items into math problems!

Congratulations to our WCPS Nurses! We're thrilled to announce that six nurses in Washington County Public Schools have earned the prestigious title of Nationally Certified School Nurses by the National Board for Certification of School Nurses. This certification is a formal recognition of their advanced knowledge, competence, and commitment to excellence in school nursing. To be eligible to take the exam and earn this honor, nurses must hold a bachelor's degree or higher and have worked full time for at least three years as a school nurse. A big thank you to these dedicated professionals for their hard work and passion in supporting the health and well-being of our students! Pictured are R. Smith, K. Fuller, S. Thomas, P. Nichols, M. Cleary, and D. Robinson. These nurses were recipients of the CDC Public Health School Based Workforce which covered the costs of the examination fee and preparation supplies.

Read Across America Week Fun at Washington County Public Schools! Our students at Abingdon Elementary School kicked off Read Across America Week in style on Monday. Students dressed to impress for the occasion, showing off their best outfits while celebrating their love of reading! Thank you to our amazing guest readers for bringing the magic of books to life! We can't wait to see what the rest of the week has in store at all of our schools.

Blending Up Fun: Day 2 of National School Breakfast Week! This morning, our students had a chance to CLUE IN to a delicious breakfast twist -- freshly blended smoothies! A tasty and nutritious way to fuel up for a day of learning and fun! Thank you to our awesome School Nutrition Department for making sure our students start their day on a "smooth" path to success. Keep your breakfast sleuthing skills sharp -- we've got more tasty surprises coming your way as we celebrate the power of breakfast all week long for National School Breakfast Week!

WCCTEC Students Shine in Congressional App Challenge Sponsored by CGI: CGI is a proud sponsor of the Congressional App Challenge, a program hosted by Members of Congress that empowers middle and high school students to learn coding and inspires them to pursue careers in computer science. Our WCCTEC students showcased remarkable creativity and innovation through their projects for this year's competition! Team Solar Go Kart Analytics Members: Bradley L., Stewart C., and Zack F. Project: Developed an app focused on Solar Go Kart Analytics. Watch their presentation here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kX66lhkJq8A Team WelPal (winner of the CGI Lebanon Voting Overall Award) Members: Parker S., Riley T., Joseph H., Serena K., and Richard H. Project: Created an app called WelPal. Watch their presentation here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qk0qn_f9lWI Additionally, kudos to Dane A. and Parker M. for receiving Honorable Mentions for their exceptional contributions!

PHHS Chorus Alumni -- We Need Your Help! We've got some exciting news to share! This past weekend saw the completion of a months-long project Mr. Brad Fore initiated on behalf of PHHS alumni to preserve the amazing performances of the PHHS Choruses. VHS recordings from Dr. Shea Clay's time at PHHS have been digitized and are on their way to becoming part of a comprehensive archive for all alumni to enjoy! But we need your help to make this project even better! If you have any digital recordings of performances from your time at PHHS, we'd love to add it to our growing collection. Don't have digital copies? No worries! If you have any old VHS recordings, let us know! We might be able to arrange for another batch of digitization to ensure as many memories are preserved as possible. If you have anything to share, please email Mr. Brad Fore at bfore@wcs.k12.va.us We can't wait to get these performances back in front of you all!

WCPS Celebrates Read Across America Week: We're celebrating the joy of reading this week, and our students are in for a treat! Special guests are stopping by to read their favorite stories and inspire our future readers for Read Across America Week! We are making this week extra special with fun stories and excitement. Who doesn't love a good story?! Take a look at some of our special guest readers today from Glade Spring Middle School!

The Mystery of a Perfect Morning -- SOLVED! This week is National School Breakfast Week, and to celebrate, we're helping students CLUE IN to School Breakfast! Today's meal was a delicious one: freshly made yogurt parfaits! We also want to send a huge shoutout and thank you to our amazing School Nutrition Department for fueling our students with healthy, tasty meals every morning. You're helping our students start their day and set the stage for success. Ready to crack the case of the best start to the day? Breakfast is the answer!

WCPS Alumni Spotlight: Anne (Myhill) Krantz -- John S. Battle High School -- Class of 1999. We are thrilled to highlight Ms. Anne (Myhill) Krantz, a proud John S. Battle High School graduate! Are you a graduate of Washington County Public Schools? If so, we'd love to hear from you! We're excited to learn about your accomplishments and share your story and advice with our current students, families, and community. Please click here, to fill out a submission form: https://forms.gle/7qzqxJCpCjryVsfW8 OR Do you know a graduate from Washington County Public Schools who has made a positive impact in their community? Nominate them to be featured in our Alumni Spotlight Series! Click here, to nominate a WCPS graduate: https://forms.gle/LFV1PwdpHnLfYRhn8

Special Congratulations: Over the weekend, the incredible Patrick Henry High School Scholastic Bowl team competed at the VHSL State Championships and came home as the 2024-2025 State Scholastic Bowl Runner-Up for Class 1! Their dedication, quick thinking, and teamwork lead them to an impressive finish, and we're so proud of all their hard work this season!

March Parent Coaching: Parents, luck happens when preparation meets opportunity. Our district is offering FREE coaching sessions thanks to our partners at Parent Guidance to help strengthen your relationships. Take advantage of this resource created by therapists to support you and your loved ones. Click here to register: https://cookcenter.info/coaching

E.B. Stanley Middle School STEM Career Fair: E.B. Stanley Middle School students had a great opportunity to explore a variety of careers at the STEM Career Fair! They learned from experts in fields like science, technology, engineering, and math, and had the chance to ask questions about potential job opportunities in these exciting industries. A big thank you to all the professionals who participated and helped make this event a success. Your time and expertise are truly appreciated! We're excited to see how this experience inspires our future STEM leaders!