Washington County Public Schools

As you may be aware, some counties in Southwest Virginia are under a winter storm warning. It is possible that some parts of our county will be affected. We will be closely monitoring the potential for winter weather this evening into tomorrow morning. Our road checkers will be out assessing road conditions across the county during the early morning hours. Please be aware this potential winter weather could result in a schedule change for Tuesday, February 11. If necessary, we will announce any changes as early as possible.

🎉Special Congratulations🎉 The following WCPS students auditioned for and were selected as delegates for the All-Virginia Chorus this year! These students will travel to Richmond in April to sing alongside high school singers from all over the Commonwealth. This is one of the highest honors choral students in Virginia can receive! Please congratulate these fine musicians on their accomplishment! Soprano 1 *Lotte Gendel, PHHS *Kaylee Gross, JSBHS *Haylee Hansen, AHS (1st Alternate) *LillyAnna White, JSBHS (2nd Alternate) Soprano 2 *Jalyn Carter, JSBHS *Kai Ricks, JSBHS *Natalie Combs, JSBHS *Bernadette Murphy, HHS *Karyna Vang, AHS (1st Alternate) Alto 1 *Sadie Milhorne, HHS (1st Alternate) *Aubri Phillips, AHS (2nd Alternate) Alto 2 *Jaila Strebek, AHS *Janie Gayle, JSBHS *Twyla Bremner, PHHS (1st Alternate) Tenor 1 *Zach Poe, JSBHS Tenor 2 *Adam Mabry, JSBHS *Ethan Boothe, JSBHS *Greyson Pruitt, PHHS (1st Alternate) Bass 1 *Allen Sweeny, JSBHS *Noah Brown, JSBHS (1st Alternate) *Alex Schurtz, JSBHS (2nd Alternate) Bass 2 *Zen Moser, PHHS *Graydan Poe, JSBHS (1st Alternate)

⭐SkillsUSA District Competition⭐ It's been a busy and exciting day at the Washington County Career & Technical Education Center as our students have been competing with students from surrounding school divisions in the SkillsUSA District Competition! Students have been showing off their skills in carpentry, criminal justice, automotive, welding, and more. We are so proud of our students taking part in this competition and sharing all that they've learned in their classes!

Lunch & Learn: Ms. Laura Smith, instructor of Drafting/CAD; Mr. Jonathan Casteel, instructor of Robotics & Engineering; & Adia Ahn, a senior student, of the Washington County Career & Technical Education Center, were invited to share their knowledge & advice about the engineering field during a Lunch & Learn Opportunity at Holston High School! This event was coordinated by HHS Counselor Julie Matlock & was a great way to share some of the amazing programs WCCTEC has to offer!

🚓 Law Enforcement Appreciation Breakfast 🚓 This morning, Wallace Middle School students and staff hosted a special Law Enforcement Appreciation Breakfast to express their gratitude for the incredible service of our local law enforcement officers, SROs, and partners. It was a great gathering filled with delicious food, conversations, and meaningful connections. WMS students were thrilled to show their appreciation for the dedication and hard work of those who help keep our schools and communities safe every day. A big THANK YOU to all law enforcement personnel for their continued commitment to protecting and serving.

As National School Counseling Week comes to a close, we want to take a moment to celebrate and appreciate the incredible counselors across our schools. 💙 Your dedication, compassion, and support make a lasting impact on our students, helping them grow, thrive, and succeed every day! From guiding students through challenges to cheering them on in their achievements, your work does not go unnoticed. THANK YOU for all that you do! 👏✨ Drop a ❤️ in the comments to show your appreciation for our amazing counselors! ⬇️

Schedule Change: Due to water, limbs, and other debris on several roads, WCPS will operate on a 2 hour delayed schedule, today, Friday, February 7, 2025. Childcare will be provided at elementary schools for working parents.

🌞 Exciting Summer Science Opportunities for Middle and High Schoolers! 🌞 Study Science. Do Science. Summer Camp for Students: The Virginia Tech College of Science is now accepting applications for five residential summer science camps for students in grades 7-12. Dive into microbiology, neuroscience, physics, nanoscience, data science, and more! Make new friends and unlock new passions this summer! Costs are associated with each camp and need-based scholarships are available. Applications are due April 10: https://www.science.vt.edu/get-involved/camps.html Email Victoria Corbin at explorescicamp@vt.edu with any questions. Virginia Junior Academy of Science Research Symposium -- May 31, 2025: Students in grades 7-12 who wish to enter the VJAS Research Symposium are asked to submit their research paper by February 21. The 2025 Symposium will be a hybrid event where students may present in-person at Ferrum College or attend synchronously via Zoom. Membership in the VJAS is free. Click here for more information: https://vjas.org/index.html VJAS is also seeking judges both virtually and in person -- https://vjas.org/judges.html National Youth Science Camp: The NYSCamp is a residential science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics program open to current high school juniors and seniors. Two students will be selected to represent Virginia as delegates in this fully in-person experience! The camp will be held July 10 - August 2 and is offered at no cost to the selected participant. Apply by February 28: https://www.nysacademy.org/programs/nyscamp/

Career Cafe: Damascus Middle School recently welcomed another awesome presenter for the DMS Career Cafe series. A best-selling author spoke with students about writing as a career. He shared details about the creative writing and publishing process with students and really piqued their interests!

🌟 Get to Know Your Washington County School Board Members 🌟 As we celebrate School Board Appreciation Month, it's the perfect time to get to know the dedicated individuals who work tirelessly to ensure our students have the best educational experiences possible! Today, we are spotlighting Dr. Sandy Frederick.

MAP Fun: Take a look at some of the adventures students in MAP (Meadowview Afterschool Program) have been having, even on the weekend! Students had a chance to visit Hands On! Discovery Center this past Saturday where they spent the day exploring, learning and having a blast!

🎉 National Signing Day Celebration 🎉 We're proud to celebrate our talented Abingdon High School students as they officially sign to continue their athletic careers at the next level! These student-athletes have worked tirelessly to reach this milestone and today marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter in their journey. *Abigail O'Quinn -- Basketball -- Bluefield *Muriel Dillow -- Softball -- Tusculum *Riley Singleton -- Softball -- SWCC *Owen Barr -- Football -- Emory & Henry *Luke Honaker -- Football -- Emory & Henry *Isaac Doss -- Football -- Bridgewater *Alex Hawkins -- Football -- Bridgewater *Cole ReMine -- Football -- Bridgewater *Turner ReMine -- Football -- Bridgewater

Interactive Learning: Students at Glade Spring Middle School have been busy interacting with a Black History Month STEM bulletin board and learning about the important contributions of individuals such as Lewis Latimer, George Washington Carver, and Dr. Patricia Bath. A special thank you to Ms. Surber for organizing this bulletin board for students.

🌟 Get to Know Your Washington County School Board Members 🌟 As we celebrate School Board Appreciation Month, it's the perfect time to get to know the dedicated individuals who work tirelessly to ensure our students have the best educational experiences possible! Today, we are spotlighting Mr. Sanders Henderson.

Watch Now: We are so proud of our teams from Patrick Henry High School and John S. Battle High School for their success at the recent National Robot Drone League Competition! Watch this feature from WCYB to hear more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXzE9OsrjHw

🌟 Happy National School Counseling Week! 🌟 This week, we’re celebrating our incredible school counselors who make a difference every day! From providing guidance and encouragement to working with teachers, staff, and families to help their students thrive, their impact is felt across our schools. ❤️ Counselors were asked how they know students are thriving. Here is what they had to say: "When they stop by (all smiles) just because" "When they show a positive attitude towards their education" "When they are happy, healthy, & excited!" Join us in thanking our counselors for their dedication and hard work!

Empowering Future Professionals: In Ms. Fuller's Marketing Co-op class at John S. Battle High School, students aren't just learning about marketing strategies -- they're gaining real-world skills that will benefit them for years to come! As part of this unique course, every student has a job, and they've been taking a deep dive into something just as important: understanding their W-2 forms and filing taxes. These real-life lessons not only equip students with the tools they need for financial literacy but also help them feel confident and empowered in handling their finances as they move into the next phase of their careers.

Tune In: Thank you to WCYB for coming out to Patrick Henry High School this morning to talk with students about the robotics programs in WCPS, and the recent RDL Competition! Be sure to watch WCYB this evening for the full story.

School Board Appreciation: February is School Board Appreciation Month in Virginia, and we want to take a moment to thank the dedicated members of our School Board! Your commitment to the success and well-being of our students and schools is inspiring, and your hard work doesn't go unnoticed. We appreciate everything you do to make Washington County Public Schools a great place for our students, staff, and families!

Special Resources: Parents, February is all about love and relationships. Join Parent Coaching to nurture and strengthen your connection with your children. This free resource pairs you with a parenting coach and offers content designed by therapists. Click here to register and receive ongoing support: https://cookcenter.info/coaching