Supporting Our Schools: A special thanks to all of our Abingdon Elementary families that took part in a fundraising dinner at Barberitos this week. We hope you had a great meal with your family and had some time to visit with AES friends. Thank you to Barberitos for hosting!
Washington County Public Schools will be CLOSED Friday, September 27, 2024. The decision to close is based on forecast models calling for heavy rain to continue into Friday, which could lead to flash flooding. Hurricane Helene is also expected to bring strong winds, possibly gusting over 65 mph at times. Governor Glenn Youngkin declared a State of Emergency for Virginia due to the anticipated impacts of Hurricane Helene and we have been informed that swift water rescue and other emergency teams have been dispatched to the area as a precaution.
Because of this closure, child care will be offered for working parents from 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Friday, at each elementary school. Breakfast and lunch will be provided for all students by Washington County Public Schools. Each elementary school will send out additional information about child care. The Boys and Girls Club will also provide child care for students already enrolled in the program, at Woodland Hills Christian Church beginning at 9:00 a.m. Washington County Public Schools will provide breakfast and lunch for those students as well. *Please have a backup plan for child care in the event conditions deteriorate overnight to the point it is unsafe to travel -- A final decision on child care availability will be made after reevaluating conditions in the morning.
Please take the following steps to prepare for the impacts of Hurricane Helene to help ensure the safety of your family:
Be Self-Sufficient for 72 Hours: Make sure you have enough food, water, medication, flashlights and other essential supplies to last for at least three days.
Stay Informed: Keep an eye on trusted weather reports and updates on the storm's path and any potential impacts to our area
Expect Road and Utility Disruptions: Roads could be blocked, and various utilities such as power, water and communication services may be impacted. Plan accordingly.
Exercise Caution: Avoid travel during heavy rain and wind, especially in areas prone to flooding or landslides. Do not attempt to drive through flooded roads.
Due to flood warnings, downed trees, and the potential of another 5 inches of rain today Washington County Public Schools will be CLOSED on Thursday, September 26, 2024.
Student Input: The School Nutrition Department hosted its first ever School Menu Student Advisory Meeting on Wednesday. High school students representing the four school communities participated in a great discussion, where they shared input and ideas when it comes to school meals and menu planning!
Thank you to WCYB for highlighting a trip several Damascus Middle School students took to Laurel Creek Park. Click the link to read and watch the story: https://wcyb.com/news/local/middle-schoolers-engage-in-hands-on-environmental-learning-aiming-to-preserve-local-park
Reminder: You have a few days left to vote! Communities in Schools of Appalachian Highlands is a Regional Finalist for the 2025 Chick-fil-A True Inspiration Awards grant! Be sure to cast your vote to help CIS-AH become a regional winner & further their impact throughout our community. See the flyer on how to vote.
Be sure to check out the latest edition of The Washington Way: It's our division newsletter to help you stay updated with what is going on across the WCPS system. Visit this link to read the news: https://shorturl.at/fWFM6
Real World Learning: Gifted and Talented Education Program students from Damascus Middle School visited Laurel Creek Park. The students heard from the town manager and town staff about a creek bank erosion and will now spend the rest of the year exploring ways to solve the issue. This project will give students a real-world application to something they are working on in the classroom. WCYB came out to the park to interview students about the importance of this project and talked with them about what they are hoping to learn. Tune in to WCYB News at 5:30 this evening to see the report.
Fresh Flavors: Culinary Arts students at the Washington County Career & Technical Education Center whipped up a delicious Tomato Basil Bisque. Their creations brought fresh flavors to the table!
Communities across the Commonwealth were recently invited to join in a fireside chat with First Lady Suzanne Youngkin and award-winning social psychologist, author and researcher Dr. Jonathan Haidt. The conversation focused on the findings of Haidt's book The Anxious Generation and how it informs our communities and schools in limiting social media and cell phone use to help restore childhood and play. If you missed the chat, click here to view a recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1w287BCT4Mw
Book Fair Fun: Valley Institute Elementary students recently had a chance to visit the Book Fair! We love seeing our students bonding over books and dreaming about the adventures on the pages. Happy reading!
Surgeons in Training: Ms. Maples and Ms. Hicks led Wallace Middle School 7th grade "surgeons in training" in performing the correct mathematical order of operations on their patients. Good news -- all patients are expected to make a full recovery!
Special Honors: Congratulations to the John S. Battle 2024 Yearbook Staff for winning Honorable Mention in Balfour's Yearbook Yearbook! This award only goes to the top 10% of Balfour's schools! View the 2024 Yearbook: https://issuu.com/balfour/docs/2024_yearbook_yearbook_issuu
We wanted to share a fun fact with you that will greatly benefit your students! All students in Washington County Public Schools eat for FREE! But did you also know that even if a student packs their lunch, they may pick up three additional items from the cafeteria for FREE to add to their meal? For it to be a qualifying free meal, students must choose an item from three food groups, with one item being a fruit OR vegetable. This is a program available to ALL students in ALL schools!
Career Cafe: Damascus Middle School hosted its first Career Cafe, sponsored by school counselor Jamie Moser. Students had a chance to learn about veterinarian & veterinary technician careers! Dr. Emily Winebarger Hoss & Chlowe Taylor shared the joys & challenges of their jobs.
Immersive Learning: Check out this great article from Cardinal News highlighting some of our students taking part in Southwest Virginia's first lab school: https://shorturl.at/C09Z5
Taco Night: Greendale Elementary School hosted a taco night on Tuesday! Families, faculty and staff enjoyed a free taco dinner sponsored by the Greendale Elementary School PTO and Communities in Schools. We love seeing our school community enjoying a tasty meal!
Planning for the Future: Members of the Teachers for Tomorrow programs at Abingdon High School, John S. Battle, Patrick Henry and the CTE center visited Emory & Henry University. The students met with the education department, sat in on classes, and took a tour of the campus.
School Spirit: Glade Spring Middle School recently hosted Damascus Middle School for a friendly volleyball game during the school day to boost school spirit and assure that all students had a chance to see their friends play!
Reminder: School will dismiss three hours early today for an afternoon of fun at the Washington County Fair!
