š Asian Cuisine Bar Friday was a hit
Our middle and high school students got to enjoy the Asian Cuisine Bar in their cafeterias today, with plenty of delicious options to choose from!
A big shoutout to our incredible School Nutrition teams for all of the planning, preparation and hard work that goes into making meals like this possible. From preparing the food to getting everything ready for students, they work hard to bring fun and fresh lunch options to our cafeterias.
Our middle and high school students got to enjoy the Asian Cuisine Bar in their cafeterias today, with plenty of delicious options to choose from!
A big shoutout to our incredible School Nutrition teams for all of the planning, preparation and hard work that goes into making meals like this possible. From preparing the food to getting everything ready for students, they work hard to bring fun and fresh lunch options to our cafeterias.
š¦š Celebrating Dolly's Life and Legacy at GSMS
Students and staff at Glade Spring Middle School came together to honor the life and legacy of Dolly Parton with a Dolly-inspired dress-up day and a school full of beautiful butterflies.
Through dressing up, spreading kindness and creating colorful butterflies, students celebrated Dolly's incredible spirit and her lifelong message of using our gifts to lift others up and make a difference.
We love seeing our students find meaningful and creative ways to remember an inspiration whose impact reached far beyond music.
Students and staff at Glade Spring Middle School came together to honor the life and legacy of Dolly Parton with a Dolly-inspired dress-up day and a school full of beautiful butterflies.
Through dressing up, spreading kindness and creating colorful butterflies, students celebrated Dolly's incredible spirit and her lifelong message of using our gifts to lift others up and make a difference.
We love seeing our students find meaningful and creative ways to remember an inspiration whose impact reached far beyond music.
š Learning to Follow the Evidence
Students at the Washington County Career & Technical Education Center recently put forensic techniques into practice! Criminal Justice students learned how to visualize oil residues left on touched surfaces and then used fingerprint powder to develop the prints.
It's a hands-on lesson in how forensic evidence can help investigators uncover clues and piece together a story.
Students at the Washington County Career & Technical Education Center recently put forensic techniques into practice! Criminal Justice students learned how to visualize oil residues left on touched surfaces and then used fingerprint powder to develop the prints.
It's a hands-on lesson in how forensic evidence can help investigators uncover clues and piece together a story.
š Asian Cuisine Bar is Tomorrow
Middle and high school students, our August Food Bar Fridays continue this Friday with an Asian Cuisine Bar!
Try something new and enjoy a fun new lunch option in the cafeteria!
*Friday, August 28
*Asian Cuisine Bar
*Available at WCPS middle and high schools
See you in the cafeteria!
Middle and high school students, our August Food Bar Fridays continue this Friday with an Asian Cuisine Bar!
Try something new and enjoy a fun new lunch option in the cafeteria!
*Friday, August 28
*Asian Cuisine Bar
*Available at WCPS middle and high schools
See you in the cafeteria!
š¶ A little piece of Washington County history
Thanks to the Bristol Herald Courier for sharing this newspaper clipping from 1967, advertising a Dolly Parton show at John S. Battle High School!
Long before she became a country music icon, a 21-year-old Dolly was making her way to Washington County for a Wednesday night show at John Battle.
Who remembers this? Were you there that night, or have you heard stories from someone who was?
Weād love to hear your memories in the comments!
šø Newspaper clipping courtesy of the Bristol Herald Courier
š©ŗ Hands-On Learning at the Washington County Career & Technical Education Center
Students in the Sports Medicine program have been building important skills theyāll use in future health care careers. Before they can accurately check a patientās blood pressure, students first need to master two key skills: locating the brachial artery and properly positioning the blood pressure cuff -- which can be trickier than it looks!
This recent lesson gave students the opportunity to practice these foundational skills through hands-on learning and prepare for what comes next in their Sports Medicine training.
Students in the Sports Medicine program have been building important skills theyāll use in future health care careers. Before they can accurately check a patientās blood pressure, students first need to master two key skills: locating the brachial artery and properly positioning the blood pressure cuff -- which can be trickier than it looks!
This recent lesson gave students the opportunity to practice these foundational skills through hands-on learning and prepare for what comes next in their Sports Medicine training.
š¢ Washington County Public Schools Outperforms Statewide SOL Pass Rates
2025-2026 results show higher pass rates in all five reported areas
WASHINGTON COUNTY, VA - Washington County Public Schools (WCPS) students exceeded Virginia statewide Standards of Learning (SOL) pass rates across every area included in results released by the state on August 25, 2026, for the 2025-2026 school year.
The results show particularly strong performance in elementary and middle school reading and mathematics, with WCPS students outperforming the statewide rate by 9.6 percentage points in grades 3-8 reading and 10.7 percentage points in grades 3-8 mathematics. Washington County students also surpassed statewide pass rates on high school end-of-course assessments in mathematics, reading, and science.
KEY RESULT: Washington County exceeded the statewide pass rate in all five reported SOL areas, with advantages ranging from 3.1 to 10.7 percentage points.
š
Learning from Tradition
Students at Patrick Henry High School recently had the opportunity to learn about gardening, food preservation, and Appalachian traditions when Deborah Kiser, grandmother of PHHS student Jonathan P., visited Ms. Sexton's class.
She shared her knowledge of traditional gardening and canning, walking students through the process and demonstrating how to can tomatoes using the water bath method.
Experiences like this connect classroom learning with the knowledge, traditions, and skills that have been passed down through generations. What a wonderful way for students to learn from someone in their own community!
Students at Patrick Henry High School recently had the opportunity to learn about gardening, food preservation, and Appalachian traditions when Deborah Kiser, grandmother of PHHS student Jonathan P., visited Ms. Sexton's class.
She shared her knowledge of traditional gardening and canning, walking students through the process and demonstrating how to can tomatoes using the water bath method.
Experiences like this connect classroom learning with the knowledge, traditions, and skills that have been passed down through generations. What a wonderful way for students to learn from someone in their own community!
šWCPS Alumni Spotlight: Dakota Dixon ~ Abingdon High School ~ Class of 2013
We are thrilled to highlight Dakota Dixon, a proud Abingdon 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
We are thrilled to highlight Dakota Dixon, a proud Abingdon 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
š„¬ Yesterday, we shared the story of Holston High School students harvesting lettuce they had grown in their greenhouse. Today, that lettuce made its way to the salad bars in our middle and high school cafeterias!
Itās pretty cool to see something that started with our students in the greenhouse make its way onto the plates of students across WCPS.
A huge thank-you to our Holston Horticulture students and staff, School Nutrition team, and everyone who helped make this project possible!
Itās pretty cool to see something that started with our students in the greenhouse make its way onto the plates of students across WCPS.
A huge thank-you to our Holston Horticulture students and staff, School Nutrition team, and everyone who helped make this project possible!
š Fall 2026 Gifted Education Referrals
Fall 2026 Gifted Education referrals will be accepted through Friday, September 11.
Families interested in referring a student are encouraged to complete the referral form.
Have questions about the referral process? Please contact Ms. Susan O'Dell at sodell@wcs.k12.va.us or Dr. Sherry King at sking@wcs.k12.va.us.
š Fall 2026 Gifted Education Referral Form:
https://forms.gle/tUHfa9tXEG6yYbG7A
Fall 2026 Gifted Education referrals will be accepted through Friday, September 11.
Families interested in referring a student are encouraged to complete the referral form.
Have questions about the referral process? Please contact Ms. Susan O'Dell at sodell@wcs.k12.va.us or Dr. Sherry King at sking@wcs.k12.va.us.
š Fall 2026 Gifted Education Referral Form:
https://forms.gle/tUHfa9tXEG6yYbG7A
š¬ Density Detectives at Work
Students at Glade Spring Middle School are getting hands-on with density in science class!
Using cubes made from a variety of materials -- including steel, copper, acrylic, and different types of wood -- students are measuring mass and volume, collecting data, and using their calculations to determine and compare the density of each material.
Itās science you can see, measure, and touch -- and a great example of how hands-on learning helps students put science concepts into practice!
Students at Glade Spring Middle School are getting hands-on with density in science class!
Using cubes made from a variety of materials -- including steel, copper, acrylic, and different types of wood -- students are measuring mass and volume, collecting data, and using their calculations to determine and compare the density of each material.
Itās science you can see, measure, and touch -- and a great example of how hands-on learning helps students put science concepts into practice!
š„¬ From the greenhouse to our cafeterias
Two years ago, the Horticulture students at Holston High School began working to build a hydroponic growing system and figure out how to make locally grown produce a reality for our schools.
On July 17, students planted lettuce in the greenhouse. Yesterday, August 19, they harvested it -- and tomorrow, that same lettuce will be headed to salad bars at our middle and high schools!
Making this happen has taken two years of planning, building, growing, problem-solving and figuring out the logistics needed to make a harvest like this possible at scale.
During yesterday's harvest, every student had a part to play. Some students harvested the lettuce, others packaged it, prepared transport crates to help keep it fresh, or moved it straight to the cooler. They worked together to keep the process moving from the greenhouse to the cooler.
This is hands-on learning at its best -- students putting their skills to work and seeing the results make their way from the greenhouse to the plates of their fellow students.
We're incredibly proud of our Holston Horticulture students and all the time, effort and teamwork they've put into making this possible. What started as an idea two years ago is now growing food for our schools.
Two years ago, the Horticulture students at Holston High School began working to build a hydroponic growing system and figure out how to make locally grown produce a reality for our schools.
On July 17, students planted lettuce in the greenhouse. Yesterday, August 19, they harvested it -- and tomorrow, that same lettuce will be headed to salad bars at our middle and high schools!
Making this happen has taken two years of planning, building, growing, problem-solving and figuring out the logistics needed to make a harvest like this possible at scale.
During yesterday's harvest, every student had a part to play. Some students harvested the lettuce, others packaged it, prepared transport crates to help keep it fresh, or moved it straight to the cooler. They worked together to keep the process moving from the greenhouse to the cooler.
This is hands-on learning at its best -- students putting their skills to work and seeing the results make their way from the greenhouse to the plates of their fellow students.
We're incredibly proud of our Holston Horticulture students and all the time, effort and teamwork they've put into making this possible. What started as an idea two years ago is now growing food for our schools.
šOur High Point Elementary preschoolers have been busy!
From building with blocks and putting puzzles together to rolling, twisting and cutting Play-Doh in art, our youngest learners are developing important skills through hands-on activities and plenty of creativity.
Along the way, they're learning to share materials, take turns, work together, solve problems and strengthen their fine motor skills -- all while exploring, creating and having fun with their classmates.
We're so proud of the curiosity, creativity and teamwork happening in our preschool classrooms at High Point!
From building with blocks and putting puzzles together to rolling, twisting and cutting Play-Doh in art, our youngest learners are developing important skills through hands-on activities and plenty of creativity.
Along the way, they're learning to share materials, take turns, work together, solve problems and strengthen their fine motor skills -- all while exploring, creating and having fun with their classmates.
We're so proud of the curiosity, creativity and teamwork happening in our preschool classrooms at High Point!
š
Mark your calendars
The Washington County Public Schools Parent Resource Center is hosting its annual Kickoff to Connection! Resource Fair on Monday, September 28, and families are invited to join us!
*Monday, September 28, 2026
*SWVA Higher Education Center ā Abingdon
*5:00ā7:30 p.m.
More than 20 community partners will be on hand, including several new organizations this year. Families will have the opportunity to meet local organizations, learn about available resources and services, ask questions, and make connections that can support students and families throughout the school year.
Raffle prizes will also be given away throughout the evening!
We hope you'll join the Parent Resource Center for an evening of learning about the many resources and services available to WCPS families right here in our community.
Be sure to follow the Washington County Virginia Schools - Parent Resource Center: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61577049952532
The Washington County Public Schools Parent Resource Center is hosting its annual Kickoff to Connection! Resource Fair on Monday, September 28, and families are invited to join us!
*Monday, September 28, 2026
*SWVA Higher Education Center ā Abingdon
*5:00ā7:30 p.m.
More than 20 community partners will be on hand, including several new organizations this year. Families will have the opportunity to meet local organizations, learn about available resources and services, ask questions, and make connections that can support students and families throughout the school year.
Raffle prizes will also be given away throughout the evening!
We hope you'll join the Parent Resource Center for an evening of learning about the many resources and services available to WCPS families right here in our community.
Be sure to follow the Washington County Virginia Schools - Parent Resource Center: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61577049952532
š§© Drafting students at the Washington County Career & Technical Education Center put their teamwork and problem-solving skills to the test Friday with a Team Puzzle Challenge.
Working in teams, students tackled mystery 300-piece puzzles -- without a picture to guide them! Just when they were getting comfortable, students rotated to new groups, worked with new teammates, and picked up where someone else had left off. Later, they were given the puzzle picture and challenged to see how much they could accomplish with a clear goal in sight.
The challenge was about much more than completing a puzzle. Students practiced adaptability, communication, collaboration, and perseverance -- skills that are essential in the classroom and in the workplace.
In the real world, we don't always know what the finished product will look like, who we'll be working with, or where someone else left off. Learning how to communicate, support one another, adapt to change, and keep working toward a goal helps students become better prepared for whatever comes next.
Working in teams, students tackled mystery 300-piece puzzles -- without a picture to guide them! Just when they were getting comfortable, students rotated to new groups, worked with new teammates, and picked up where someone else had left off. Later, they were given the puzzle picture and challenged to see how much they could accomplish with a clear goal in sight.
The challenge was about much more than completing a puzzle. Students practiced adaptability, communication, collaboration, and perseverance -- skills that are essential in the classroom and in the workplace.
In the real world, we don't always know what the finished product will look like, who we'll be working with, or where someone else left off. Learning how to communicate, support one another, adapt to change, and keep working toward a goal helps students become better prepared for whatever comes next.
Due to impacts from yesterdayās storms, Walden Road in Abingdon remains closed from Stanley Street to Branch Street.
Families and staff traveling to E.B. Stanley Middle School and Abingdon High School should plan their routes accordingly and allow extra travel time this morning. Abingdon Town Police will be in the area directing traffic; however, delays are expected.
Thank you for your patience and understanding as crews continue to address storm-related impacts.
šWCPS Alumni Spotlight: Kevin Nunley ~ Abingdon High School ~ Class of 1992
We are thrilled to highlight Kevin Nunley, a proud Abingdon 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
We are thrilled to highlight Kevin Nunley, a proud Abingdon 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
ššBurger Bar Friday was a hit
Our middle and high school students got to build their burgers their way today as we kicked off Food Bar Fridays in WCPS cafeterias!
A big thank-you to our School Nutrition team for bringing this fun new lunch option to our students.
And a special thank-you to E.B. Stanley Middle School for letting us join students during lunch to capture some photos and videos, and to Holston High School for sharing a peek at their secret burger sauce!
This is just the beginning -- more Food Bar Fridays are coming later this month!
Our middle and high school students got to build their burgers their way today as we kicked off Food Bar Fridays in WCPS cafeterias!
A big thank-you to our School Nutrition team for bringing this fun new lunch option to our students.
And a special thank-you to E.B. Stanley Middle School for letting us join students during lunch to capture some photos and videos, and to Holston High School for sharing a peek at their secret burger sauce!
This is just the beginning -- more Food Bar Fridays are coming later this month!
šļø A New EmpowerED Podcast Episode Is Now Live!
The Washington County Public Schools Parent Resource Center has released the latest episode of its EmpowerED Podcast, featuring VCUās Dr. Staci Carr and Candice Zimmerman discussing self-regulation for individuals on the autism spectrum.
Based on feedback and questions from WCPS families, this episode explores practical strategies for supporting children with self-regulation, including:
*Recognizing early signs of dysregulation
*Using co-regulation to support children before expecting independent coping skills
*Sensory strategies for anxiety, frustration, and unexpected changes in routine
*Compassionate approaches to meltdown recovery
*Creating consistency between home and school
š§ Listen to Episode 5 on Spotify: https://shorturl.at/IPMk8
A big thank you to the WCPS parents and caregivers who shared their questions and feedback to help shape this conversation!
Be sure to follow the Washington County Virginia Schools - Parent Resource Center on Facebook for updates, resources, and information about upcoming events throughout the 2026-2027 school year: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61577049952532
The Washington County Public Schools Parent Resource Center has released the latest episode of its EmpowerED Podcast, featuring VCUās Dr. Staci Carr and Candice Zimmerman discussing self-regulation for individuals on the autism spectrum.
Based on feedback and questions from WCPS families, this episode explores practical strategies for supporting children with self-regulation, including:
*Recognizing early signs of dysregulation
*Using co-regulation to support children before expecting independent coping skills
*Sensory strategies for anxiety, frustration, and unexpected changes in routine
*Compassionate approaches to meltdown recovery
*Creating consistency between home and school
š§ Listen to Episode 5 on Spotify: https://shorturl.at/IPMk8
A big thank you to the WCPS parents and caregivers who shared their questions and feedback to help shape this conversation!
Be sure to follow the Washington County Virginia Schools - Parent Resource Center on Facebook for updates, resources, and information about upcoming events throughout the 2026-2027 school year: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61577049952532
