In the news
virginia's first lady and secretary of education visit WDES
Washington District Elementary School teachers and students were pleasantly surprised on Tuesday, May 4, when Virginia’s First Lady, Pamela Northam and Secretary of Education, Atif Qarni stopped by for a visit. Kicking off the celebration for Teacher Appreciation Week, they were joined by representatives from the Virginia Lottery to host a Mexican luncheon for teachers. Additionally, the First Lady and Secretary Qarni and their staffs visited with a classroom of fifth grade students and preschoolers. Other guests included Dr. Michael Perry, WMLCPS Superintendent and Ralph Fallin, Chair of the WMLCPS School Board.
Mrs. Northam and Secretary Qarni answered student’s questions while visiting the fifth graders in Mrs. Simpson-Lorne’s class. They briefly discussed what the Governor does and how education plays a role in everyone’s day. Students were each given a special coin from the Governor’s office. Ms. Wilson’s pre-K class were delighted to share everything about themselves to their visitors. Unlike the shy fifth graders, the little ones exclaimed over everything with the First Lady. Mrs. Northam and Secretary Qarni knelt down to listen to family tales and stories. Mrs. Northam also left an autographed book with the class.
WDE principal, Christie Douglas, led the way to the sumptuous luncheon provided by the Virginia Lottery. Prepared by El Mariachi Mexican Restaurant in Montross, Virginia, the tables were loaded with a variety of specialty dishes. Teachers also received special “scratch-off’ tickets as part of the celebration. The teachers and students enjoyed the visit with the First Lady, Secretary, and their staffs. We salute all of the WMLCPS teachers and thank them for their service.
Mrs. Northam and Secretary Qarni answered student’s questions while visiting the fifth graders in Mrs. Simpson-Lorne’s class. They briefly discussed what the Governor does and how education plays a role in everyone’s day. Students were each given a special coin from the Governor’s office. Ms. Wilson’s pre-K class were delighted to share everything about themselves to their visitors. Unlike the shy fifth graders, the little ones exclaimed over everything with the First Lady. Mrs. Northam and Secretary Qarni knelt down to listen to family tales and stories. Mrs. Northam also left an autographed book with the class.
WDE principal, Christie Douglas, led the way to the sumptuous luncheon provided by the Virginia Lottery. Prepared by El Mariachi Mexican Restaurant in Montross, Virginia, the tables were loaded with a variety of specialty dishes. Teachers also received special “scratch-off’ tickets as part of the celebration. The teachers and students enjoyed the visit with the First Lady, Secretary, and their staffs. We salute all of the WMLCPS teachers and thank them for their service.
former coach malcolm lewis given 2021 vhsl regional award of merit
A group of W&L educators joined school administrators as retired Washington & Lee High School coach Malcolm Lewis was honored by the VHSL on April 29, 2021. Nominated by W&L principal, Roger Coleman and AD Spencer Sadler, Coach Lewis was given the VHSL Regional Award of Merit by VHSL representative Region Director Mike Myers, Principal of Northampton High School, for his many years of service to athletics at Washington & Lee High School. According to the VHSL, the award is given to “individuals who have had a positive impact on high school athletic and activity programs, not only at the school, conference, regional or state level.” His nomination noted, “Coach Lewis has tirelessly dedicated himself to positively impacting our school and student-athletes for almost two decades as the Athletic Director and even longer as a coach.”
In his congratulatory introduction, W&L principal, Roger Coleman, gave a brief review of Mr. Lewis’ career at Washington & Lee. “Coach Lewis grew up in Montross, Virginia and played high school football. He graduated with the class of 1982. That’s why it was important for him to return to W&L as an adult, not so much to be a coach and administrator, but simply to “return home.”
Malcolm began his career as an art teacher and coach at A. T. Johnson Junior High School in 1994 after a similar 8-year stint at Middlesex. In 1998-99, he became the art teacher at Montross Middle School. In 2001, Malcolm worked as the Administrative Services Coordinator at the Central Office. In 2002, he moved to Washington & Lee High School as an Administrative Assistant/teacher. In 2004, he became the Athletic Director. Some of the highlights of his career were winning the 2001 Group A, Division 2 state championship, six district titles, and eight state playoff appearances.
Mr. Coleman noted the impact that Malcolm Lewis has made on so many former players. “Coach Lewis is charismatic and creative and he thinks differently, outside the box. He has shown his Eagle pride in the classroom and on the field and has developed a rapport with students, colleagues, and parents that is characterized by mutual respect. He has many notes and emails that compliment his legacy and the impact he has had on his community.” Among those he mentored are Andrew Lacey, men’s basketball head coach at Richard Bland College; Cole Vanover, Assistant Principal at Essex High School; Todd Jones, Essex AD and Matthew Pearman, AD at Monticello High School.
Joe Taylor, the quarterback of the 2001 Eagle team, poignantly reminisced of their time together. “I learned a lot about grass and life. I’ll never forget those long car rides and the talks we had.” He recalled Lewis dropping him off at multi-day football camps and always being available to him. Taylor went on to play at the U.S. Naval Academy and came back to W&L to teach and be an assistant coach. He is currently an engineer in Arizona.
Malcolm thanked all those who helped him in his career, not the least his mother and his wife, Tricia.
WMLCPS congratulates Malcolm Lewis on this prestigious award and wishes him much success in his retirement.
In his congratulatory introduction, W&L principal, Roger Coleman, gave a brief review of Mr. Lewis’ career at Washington & Lee. “Coach Lewis grew up in Montross, Virginia and played high school football. He graduated with the class of 1982. That’s why it was important for him to return to W&L as an adult, not so much to be a coach and administrator, but simply to “return home.”
Malcolm began his career as an art teacher and coach at A. T. Johnson Junior High School in 1994 after a similar 8-year stint at Middlesex. In 1998-99, he became the art teacher at Montross Middle School. In 2001, Malcolm worked as the Administrative Services Coordinator at the Central Office. In 2002, he moved to Washington & Lee High School as an Administrative Assistant/teacher. In 2004, he became the Athletic Director. Some of the highlights of his career were winning the 2001 Group A, Division 2 state championship, six district titles, and eight state playoff appearances.
Mr. Coleman noted the impact that Malcolm Lewis has made on so many former players. “Coach Lewis is charismatic and creative and he thinks differently, outside the box. He has shown his Eagle pride in the classroom and on the field and has developed a rapport with students, colleagues, and parents that is characterized by mutual respect. He has many notes and emails that compliment his legacy and the impact he has had on his community.” Among those he mentored are Andrew Lacey, men’s basketball head coach at Richard Bland College; Cole Vanover, Assistant Principal at Essex High School; Todd Jones, Essex AD and Matthew Pearman, AD at Monticello High School.
Joe Taylor, the quarterback of the 2001 Eagle team, poignantly reminisced of their time together. “I learned a lot about grass and life. I’ll never forget those long car rides and the talks we had.” He recalled Lewis dropping him off at multi-day football camps and always being available to him. Taylor went on to play at the U.S. Naval Academy and came back to W&L to teach and be an assistant coach. He is currently an engineer in Arizona.
Malcolm thanked all those who helped him in his career, not the least his mother and his wife, Tricia.
WMLCPS congratulates Malcolm Lewis on this prestigious award and wishes him much success in his retirement.
W&L senior Makaila veney to play volleyball at ferrum college
Washington & Lee High School senior, Makaila Veney, recently signed a letter of intent to play volleyball at Ferrum College. Ms. Veney, an all-district Eagle for four years, also plays softball and basketball. She holds the school record in solo blocks (306) and kills (350). She is the daughter of Tyrell Veney and Chantel Roane.
mms art student wins VSBA regional art contest
Montross Middle School student, Julianna Lewis, was named first place winner in the middle school level, at the 2021 VSBA (Virginia School Boards Association) Spring Networking Forum, Eastern Division. Each year, the fifteen schools in the Eastern region meet to learn and advocate education. One of the highlights of the meeting is the Regional Art Show which showcases the artwork of students from the regional schools. Three winners, one from the elementary, middle, and high school level are selected at the nine regional Virginia School Boards Association meetings held throughout the Commonwealth. This year’s meeting was held virtually and the VSBA judges had to meet via Zoom to evaluate the student art work.
Students receive a blue ribbon and certificate from the VSBA. Additionally, an anonymous donor gave a $50 gift card to each of the first place winners. Cindy Flickinger, MMS art teacher, added some insight to Julianna’s artwork. “This is my second year working with Julianna. She loves art and likes drawing. She takes direction well and is extremely creative. This assignment was for our unit on Ancient Art covering Greek and Roman art. For the Roman art, I had the students do a mosaic using Google Draw as their format. The students were to find an image they liked and then create sections on top of it using the polyline tool, adding color to match their image and then when done, remove the image thus making it look like a mosaic.”
“This was a virtual lesson. In a regular year, we would be making mosaics using foam sheets. In searching for a virtual activity, I came across other art teachers using Google Draw. I shared with my students a demonstration and then let them create. This was my first state winner for the VSBA art show. Each year I submit someone’s work, but this is the first time I’ve had one do this well. I am so proud of Julianna.”
William Bowen, MMS principal added, “"Montross Middle is so proud of Julianna, and her artistic achievement. To win an award of this caliber amongst all of the other entries around the state is truly an honor. Julianna's wolf mosaic is absolutely beautiful. Art is a form of expression, and I'm happy that her art teacher, Mrs. Flickinger, was able to provide an activity in the virtual setting that allowed her students to tap into their creativity."
WMLCPS congratulates Ms. Lewis on this wonderful achievement and wishes her many more years of artistic endeavors.
Students receive a blue ribbon and certificate from the VSBA. Additionally, an anonymous donor gave a $50 gift card to each of the first place winners. Cindy Flickinger, MMS art teacher, added some insight to Julianna’s artwork. “This is my second year working with Julianna. She loves art and likes drawing. She takes direction well and is extremely creative. This assignment was for our unit on Ancient Art covering Greek and Roman art. For the Roman art, I had the students do a mosaic using Google Draw as their format. The students were to find an image they liked and then create sections on top of it using the polyline tool, adding color to match their image and then when done, remove the image thus making it look like a mosaic.”
“This was a virtual lesson. In a regular year, we would be making mosaics using foam sheets. In searching for a virtual activity, I came across other art teachers using Google Draw. I shared with my students a demonstration and then let them create. This was my first state winner for the VSBA art show. Each year I submit someone’s work, but this is the first time I’ve had one do this well. I am so proud of Julianna.”
William Bowen, MMS principal added, “"Montross Middle is so proud of Julianna, and her artistic achievement. To win an award of this caliber amongst all of the other entries around the state is truly an honor. Julianna's wolf mosaic is absolutely beautiful. Art is a form of expression, and I'm happy that her art teacher, Mrs. Flickinger, was able to provide an activity in the virtual setting that allowed her students to tap into their creativity."
WMLCPS congratulates Ms. Lewis on this wonderful achievement and wishes her many more years of artistic endeavors.
mms 7th grader selected as region 8 winner of vml "if i were mayor"
Montross Middle School 7th grader, Dallas Barringer, was named Region 8 winner in the Virginia Municipal League’s (VML) 2021 “If I Were Mayor” essay contest. Each year, the VML offers all Virginia seventh graders the opportunity to enter its “If I Were Mayor” essay contest. The theme for this year’s essay was “What I’ve Learned.” Due to the challenges that students had this COVID year, they were asked to imagine that they were “running for office” and they were invited to give a short speech to a small group of educators, parents, and administrators. In their speech, they had to explain something they experienced as a student that worked well; something that did not work well; or if elected, something that you would ask your constituents to do that would help people. Ms. Barringer selected the third option. She competed in Virginia’s Region 8 which consists of 15 Virginia counties, including the Northern Neck, Middle Peninsula, and Norfolk areas.
The annual speech contest is a “key component of VML’s civic education programming, which seeks to teach schoolchildren and adults how local government works and how they can become involved in making their communities better places to live, work, and play.” 7th grade Civics and Economics teacher, Ms. Cassandra Sanchez, wrote, “Dallas worked extremely hard in Civics and on her essay. The contest was completely voluntary and Dallas was very determined to take part in it. She showed a great deal of perseverance and diligence when meeting with both myself and her language arts teacher to ensure her essay was up to par. Dallas represents an outstanding student at MMS and continues to make strides even while being a 100% virtual student. Overall, I am extremely proud of Dallas and her hard work!” Her Language Arts instructor, Ms. Tanya Caruthers, added, “Dallas was highly enthusiastic about entering this contest. She worked assiduously to ensure that her written ideas were clear, concise, and thought-provoking. Dallas is the epitome of drive and determination, and she is a role model to other young persons within MMS and abroad. I am elated over her success!”
William Bowen, MMS principal added, “"In all of the years that MMS students have participated in this contest, we’ve never had a winner. As a 7th grade virtual student, I sincerely appreciate the time and effort she put into her essay, and I am so glad that she received this recognition. We have great students at Montross Middle, and she is another shining example.”
Dallas is a stellar honor roll student. Looking at a career in engineering in the future, she also is well-rounded in the arts. Dallas currently plays clarinet at MMS, and studies violin privately. She is learning to play the piano in her spare time and hopes to add playing the cello to her musical repertoire.
Dallas is the daughter and step-daughter of Jeremiah and Michelle Bowman of Kinsale. She has three other siblings, two of whom are also musically inclined. Dallas has won one other essay competition while a 5th grade student at Cople Elementary. She learned about this competition from her teacher, Mrs. Sanchez. Her favorite subject in school is Language Arts, which explains her interest in writing. One of her favorite hobbies is writing short stories. While her favorite teachers are Mrs. Caruthers and Mr. Passeretti, Dallas wanted to additionally thank Mrs. Caruthers, Mrs. Sanchez, and Mrs. Hooks for helping her with this project.
The town of Montross will be celebrating Dallas’ winning essay at their next town meeting. She will be given a recognition certificate from the town council and have a chance to meet the mayor of Montross, Terry Cosgrove.
WMLCPS congratulates Dallas Barringer on her winning entry and future endeavors. She plans to return as a regular student in the fall of 2021 to Montross Middle School.
The annual speech contest is a “key component of VML’s civic education programming, which seeks to teach schoolchildren and adults how local government works and how they can become involved in making their communities better places to live, work, and play.” 7th grade Civics and Economics teacher, Ms. Cassandra Sanchez, wrote, “Dallas worked extremely hard in Civics and on her essay. The contest was completely voluntary and Dallas was very determined to take part in it. She showed a great deal of perseverance and diligence when meeting with both myself and her language arts teacher to ensure her essay was up to par. Dallas represents an outstanding student at MMS and continues to make strides even while being a 100% virtual student. Overall, I am extremely proud of Dallas and her hard work!” Her Language Arts instructor, Ms. Tanya Caruthers, added, “Dallas was highly enthusiastic about entering this contest. She worked assiduously to ensure that her written ideas were clear, concise, and thought-provoking. Dallas is the epitome of drive and determination, and she is a role model to other young persons within MMS and abroad. I am elated over her success!”
William Bowen, MMS principal added, “"In all of the years that MMS students have participated in this contest, we’ve never had a winner. As a 7th grade virtual student, I sincerely appreciate the time and effort she put into her essay, and I am so glad that she received this recognition. We have great students at Montross Middle, and she is another shining example.”
Dallas is a stellar honor roll student. Looking at a career in engineering in the future, she also is well-rounded in the arts. Dallas currently plays clarinet at MMS, and studies violin privately. She is learning to play the piano in her spare time and hopes to add playing the cello to her musical repertoire.
Dallas is the daughter and step-daughter of Jeremiah and Michelle Bowman of Kinsale. She has three other siblings, two of whom are also musically inclined. Dallas has won one other essay competition while a 5th grade student at Cople Elementary. She learned about this competition from her teacher, Mrs. Sanchez. Her favorite subject in school is Language Arts, which explains her interest in writing. One of her favorite hobbies is writing short stories. While her favorite teachers are Mrs. Caruthers and Mr. Passeretti, Dallas wanted to additionally thank Mrs. Caruthers, Mrs. Sanchez, and Mrs. Hooks for helping her with this project.
The town of Montross will be celebrating Dallas’ winning essay at their next town meeting. She will be given a recognition certificate from the town council and have a chance to meet the mayor of Montross, Terry Cosgrove.
WMLCPS congratulates Dallas Barringer on her winning entry and future endeavors. She plans to return as a regular student in the fall of 2021 to Montross Middle School.
wmlcps food service recongnized
As part of National School Breakfast Week, March 8-12, 2021, the No Kid Hungry Virginia group is celebrating school nutrition staff and their service to WMLCPS. One year ago the WMLCPS Food Service department was turned upside down. When the pandemic outbreak began, the Governor ordered schools to close and shift to virtual learning. Food service departments throughout Virginia were forced to adapt their meal programs to home delivery or curbside delivery. Hazel Hickman, School Nutrition Supervisor, and her hard-working staff picked up their herculean task and created a meal program that fed WMLCPS students and families.
Since March, 2020, 199,037 breakfast meals and 200,380 lunch meals have been served. The food service staff (20 strong) have been divided up between three schools to serve and prepare the 399,417 meals needed to feed the students since March. Students who are virtual and at school receive the same meals.
Mrs. Hickman stated of her staff, “Westmoreland school nutrition professionals have gone above and beyond to make sure children in Westmoreland County are fed. It takes a team effort to make this production work. To keep their morale up, I give special incentives at least once a month. The little things you do for your staff are never forgotten. I will walk “the extra mile” for Westmoreland County school nutrition professionals. They are my Hero’s.”
WMLCPS congratulates the school nutrition staff for their efforts in making sure all WMLCPS students and families never go hungry.
Since March, 2020, 199,037 breakfast meals and 200,380 lunch meals have been served. The food service staff (20 strong) have been divided up between three schools to serve and prepare the 399,417 meals needed to feed the students since March. Students who are virtual and at school receive the same meals.
Mrs. Hickman stated of her staff, “Westmoreland school nutrition professionals have gone above and beyond to make sure children in Westmoreland County are fed. It takes a team effort to make this production work. To keep their morale up, I give special incentives at least once a month. The little things you do for your staff are never forgotten. I will walk “the extra mile” for Westmoreland County school nutrition professionals. They are my Hero’s.”
WMLCPS congratulates the school nutrition staff for their efforts in making sure all WMLCPS students and families never go hungry.
school board selects new high school name
At the January 25, 2021 Westmoreland County Public School’s School Board meeting, the vote was taken and a name was approved for the new high school. On a majority vote, the high school was named Westmoreland High School. This culminated a procedure that began on July 20, 2020 when the Board voted on a process to name the new high school.
For the past few months, Board members and members of the community, have engaged in conversation at five scheduled Town Halls. Each group was asked the question, “What should the name be?” Participants were encouraged to explain why that name was important and other relevant information. The community groups were divided into special segments such as civic groups, local pastors, current and former educators, current and former students, and interested community members. Additionally, there was a petition that had been started by a former graduate and a survey that was done by WMLCPS. Overall, more than a thousand opinions were expressed. The vast majority had favored a name for the new high school that was different from the name at the current high school.
The school sponsored survey was made available to citizens by placing it on the Division website. A little over three hundred individuals took advantage of this opportunity for citizen input. There were individuals who came to Board meetings to express their thoughts as well as some individuals who wrote to individual Board members and administration. More than 34 names were suggested. After whittling the names down to three, it all came down to the Board members honoring the Board policy to vote their convictions. School Policy FFA specifically states, “It is the responsibility of the Westmoreland County School Board to determine the name of the schools and school facilities in the division. The Board will solicit and accept input from the public regarding the names of schools and school facilities but reserves the right to make the final decision regarding the name of any school or school facility.”
Westmoreland County Public Schools and School Board are grateful for the input of the citizens of Westmoreland County. When the doors open in 2022 in the new Westmoreland High School, citizen input will be in place on the historic panels that are exhibited throughout the building. The story of Washington & Lee High School, A.T. Johnson High School, and the other schools that existed in our area will be honored and displayed, with their stories, so future generations never forget the role that education has played in Westmoreland County.
For the past few months, Board members and members of the community, have engaged in conversation at five scheduled Town Halls. Each group was asked the question, “What should the name be?” Participants were encouraged to explain why that name was important and other relevant information. The community groups were divided into special segments such as civic groups, local pastors, current and former educators, current and former students, and interested community members. Additionally, there was a petition that had been started by a former graduate and a survey that was done by WMLCPS. Overall, more than a thousand opinions were expressed. The vast majority had favored a name for the new high school that was different from the name at the current high school.
The school sponsored survey was made available to citizens by placing it on the Division website. A little over three hundred individuals took advantage of this opportunity for citizen input. There were individuals who came to Board meetings to express their thoughts as well as some individuals who wrote to individual Board members and administration. More than 34 names were suggested. After whittling the names down to three, it all came down to the Board members honoring the Board policy to vote their convictions. School Policy FFA specifically states, “It is the responsibility of the Westmoreland County School Board to determine the name of the schools and school facilities in the division. The Board will solicit and accept input from the public regarding the names of schools and school facilities but reserves the right to make the final decision regarding the name of any school or school facility.”
Westmoreland County Public Schools and School Board are grateful for the input of the citizens of Westmoreland County. When the doors open in 2022 in the new Westmoreland High School, citizen input will be in place on the historic panels that are exhibited throughout the building. The story of Washington & Lee High School, A.T. Johnson High School, and the other schools that existed in our area will be honored and displayed, with their stories, so future generations never forget the role that education has played in Westmoreland County.
wmlcps school board named VSBA Master board
Dr. Michael D. Perry, Superintendent of Westmoreland County Public Schools, proudly presented his school board members with a plaque and certificates for being named a VSBA (Virginia School Boards Association) Master Board at the October 19, school board meeting. The first school governance team in Virginia to earn this designation, they have now inspired at least four other school district boards to begin their training. According to the VSBA, the Westmoreland County School Board attended three sessions totaling over fourteen hours of professional training ending in July, 2020. Their training focused on team building, improving communication, listening, and board building behaviors.
School Board Chair Ralph Fallin, noted at the July announcement, “I would like to thank the entire board and the Superintendent for their willingness to become a Master Board. This program solidifies the commitment that our board has for the education of our students in Westmoreland County.” His fellow board members include Dr. Daniel Wallace, vice-chairman; Iris Lane, Sandra Ramsey, and Katherine Lewis.
The VSBA offers individualized professional development training to school boards throughout the state of Virginia. This training program guides the school board and superintendent through numerous activities that focus on building a stronger team. VSBA Executive Director, Gina Patterson, noted at the initial announcement, “To become a Master Board takes time, energy, and a deep understanding of good board governance. I would like to congratulate the Westmoreland Count Governance Team for this great accomplishment.”
Westmoreland County Public Schools congratulates Mr. Fallin and his fellow Westmoreland County Public School Board members on this prestigious honor.
School Board Chair Ralph Fallin, noted at the July announcement, “I would like to thank the entire board and the Superintendent for their willingness to become a Master Board. This program solidifies the commitment that our board has for the education of our students in Westmoreland County.” His fellow board members include Dr. Daniel Wallace, vice-chairman; Iris Lane, Sandra Ramsey, and Katherine Lewis.
The VSBA offers individualized professional development training to school boards throughout the state of Virginia. This training program guides the school board and superintendent through numerous activities that focus on building a stronger team. VSBA Executive Director, Gina Patterson, noted at the initial announcement, “To become a Master Board takes time, energy, and a deep understanding of good board governance. I would like to congratulate the Westmoreland Count Governance Team for this great accomplishment.”
Westmoreland County Public Schools congratulates Mr. Fallin and his fellow Westmoreland County Public School Board members on this prestigious honor.
wmlcps address bullying prevention month
Each October schools throughout Virginia and nationwide promote awareness of school bullying. According to the Virginia School Board Association (VSBA) students who experience bullying are at an increased risk for depression, anxiety, sleep difficulties, lower academic achievement, and dropping out of school. They note that bullying can happen anywhere, including online. Reports of cyberbullying among public school students are highest for middle school (33%), followed by high school (30%), combined school (20%), and primary schools (5%).
To address this issue, Westmoreland County Public Schools incorporated the OLWEUS Bullying Prevention program into the general curriculum in 2018. Mrs. Jacque England, WMLCPS School Social Worker noted that the county needed to take this action. “The OLWEUS Bully Prevention Program (OBPP) is a multifaceted program that allows all schools division-wide to create safe and positive schools long term. OBPP covers K-12 and has been proven to improve the school climate socially and behaviorally.”
Since its inception, staff and administration have undergone extensive training. “As the program progresses, there will be a climate and culture change and a shift to a more accepting and aware community where students feel safe,” Mrs. England stated. “everyone is reminded that “if you see something, say something and we will DO something!”
An important part of the program is student participation. Students have the opportunity to participate in classroom meetings about topics regarding and related to bullying. “These discussions will keep the topic alive and open.” It has been proven that OBPP is most successful with the shared support of the students, teachers, families, and communities.
With virtual education a key component of the WMLCPS school system this term, schools have had to adapt to working with students and making sure the bullying issue is addressed. The OBPP school work teams have been meeting monthly preparing for their students and ensuring the anti-bullying message is understood and utilized not only at school, but in regular life scenarios.
Each school has a unique program planned virtually for their students and parents to utilize for the month of October. Washington District Elementary School is creating a “You Rock” garden for its students. Students can create a rock to place in the garden with positive statements on it. On Monday, October 5, is national and world wide recognition of blue meaning peace day. Students can wear blue and send their picture /video with their Bully Prevention Pledge. Parents can visit the WDES Bully Prevention website to explore more ways to “stomp out” bullying.
Cople Elementary School will kick off Bully prevention month on October 5, 2020 with an original song written by PE teacher, Mr. Porter. The video will play and students can sing along during morning meetings. On October 21, students can take a picture of themselves wearing orange for Unity Day. Red Ribbon Week and Spirit Week will be October 23-30. Each day will be a special day, such as wear red, crazy sock day, team shirt day, etc.
Montross Middle School begins a month-long activity for anti-bullying on October 4. Each week will focus on family (October 4-10), community (October 11-17), School (October 18-24), and Virtual (October 25-31). Activities focus on game playing, doing an act of kindness, sharing stories of kindness, and doing a virtual act of kindness.
Washington & Lee High School will be sending out a flyer to parents and students. A video will be posted on October 7 on the school’s website that celebrates Bullying Prevention Month and the OLWEUS Kick-off.
Westmoreland County Public Schools is a proud member of the OLWEUS Bully Prevention program. Administrators, teachers, and staff work diligently to protect our students and address their social needs. Please visit our schools’ websites and see the exciting methodologies that are being utilized in the fight against bullying.
To address this issue, Westmoreland County Public Schools incorporated the OLWEUS Bullying Prevention program into the general curriculum in 2018. Mrs. Jacque England, WMLCPS School Social Worker noted that the county needed to take this action. “The OLWEUS Bully Prevention Program (OBPP) is a multifaceted program that allows all schools division-wide to create safe and positive schools long term. OBPP covers K-12 and has been proven to improve the school climate socially and behaviorally.”
Since its inception, staff and administration have undergone extensive training. “As the program progresses, there will be a climate and culture change and a shift to a more accepting and aware community where students feel safe,” Mrs. England stated. “everyone is reminded that “if you see something, say something and we will DO something!”
An important part of the program is student participation. Students have the opportunity to participate in classroom meetings about topics regarding and related to bullying. “These discussions will keep the topic alive and open.” It has been proven that OBPP is most successful with the shared support of the students, teachers, families, and communities.
With virtual education a key component of the WMLCPS school system this term, schools have had to adapt to working with students and making sure the bullying issue is addressed. The OBPP school work teams have been meeting monthly preparing for their students and ensuring the anti-bullying message is understood and utilized not only at school, but in regular life scenarios.
Each school has a unique program planned virtually for their students and parents to utilize for the month of October. Washington District Elementary School is creating a “You Rock” garden for its students. Students can create a rock to place in the garden with positive statements on it. On Monday, October 5, is national and world wide recognition of blue meaning peace day. Students can wear blue and send their picture /video with their Bully Prevention Pledge. Parents can visit the WDES Bully Prevention website to explore more ways to “stomp out” bullying.
Cople Elementary School will kick off Bully prevention month on October 5, 2020 with an original song written by PE teacher, Mr. Porter. The video will play and students can sing along during morning meetings. On October 21, students can take a picture of themselves wearing orange for Unity Day. Red Ribbon Week and Spirit Week will be October 23-30. Each day will be a special day, such as wear red, crazy sock day, team shirt day, etc.
Montross Middle School begins a month-long activity for anti-bullying on October 4. Each week will focus on family (October 4-10), community (October 11-17), School (October 18-24), and Virtual (October 25-31). Activities focus on game playing, doing an act of kindness, sharing stories of kindness, and doing a virtual act of kindness.
Washington & Lee High School will be sending out a flyer to parents and students. A video will be posted on October 7 on the school’s website that celebrates Bullying Prevention Month and the OLWEUS Kick-off.
Westmoreland County Public Schools is a proud member of the OLWEUS Bully Prevention program. Administrators, teachers, and staff work diligently to protect our students and address their social needs. Please visit our schools’ websites and see the exciting methodologies that are being utilized in the fight against bullying.
let the school naming begin
On Monday, July 20, 2020, Westmoreland County Public Schools voted for a process to name the new high school.
The process calls for Board members and members of the community to engage during five scheduled Town Halls. Five groups of community volunteers will answer the question “what should the name be?”. They will also tell “why this is a great name’ and other relevant information. The information gathered from these groups will inform the School Board on their upcoming naming decision. The School Board and Administration is asking interested individuals to contact the School Board to sign up for participation.
The process will include five meetings over the next five months. Each meeting will begin at 5:00 pm at the School Board meeting room located at 141 Opal Lane, Montross, Virginia.
The dates and groups are as follows:
All Westmoreland County residents are asked to participate through Facebook by entering informative and helpful comments in the chat box.
The process calls for Board members and members of the community to engage during five scheduled Town Halls. Five groups of community volunteers will answer the question “what should the name be?”. They will also tell “why this is a great name’ and other relevant information. The information gathered from these groups will inform the School Board on their upcoming naming decision. The School Board and Administration is asking interested individuals to contact the School Board to sign up for participation.
The process will include five meetings over the next five months. Each meeting will begin at 5:00 pm at the School Board meeting room located at 141 Opal Lane, Montross, Virginia.
The dates and groups are as follows:
- Civic Groups TBD
- Local Pastors September 15, 2020
- Current and Former Educators October 13, 2020
- Current and Former Students November 10, 2020
- Interested Community Members December 8, 2020
All Westmoreland County residents are asked to participate through Facebook by entering informative and helpful comments in the chat box.
montross middle welcomes new assistant principal
When the doors finally open for the new year at Montross Middle School, excited students will meet an equally excited new administrator. Mrs. Leah Segar was recently selected to be the assistant principal at MMS. She brings 9 years of educational expertise to the school and is eagerly awaiting the beginning of school. “The biggest challenge that lays ahead of me as an Assistant Principal is supporting my principal in maintaining a sense of community for our students as many have been disconnected from the school since mid-March. Helping families feel connected to the school, while continuing to provide them with high quality education, will challenge me to rethink the way schools communicate and engage.”
“The faculty and staff of Westmoreland County Public Schools has been completely welcoming and supportive. This truly is a great place to work.”
Mrs. Segar is not a stranger to the Northern Neck. Her husband, Jamie, grew up in the Essex County area. When she started teaching, after a brief stint as a shift manager and trainer for Walmart, Mrs. Segar switched careers and went back to education. After three years as an English teacher at Essex, she worked as an 8th grade English teacher at Fairfield Middle School in Henrico County. “Henrico exposed me to a lot of administrative level work. I am familiar with middle school. My whole career has focused on the middle school years. There is never a dull moment. This year my son is a rising 7th grader.”
She grew up with a mother, aunts, and several adult cousins who were in education. “At first, teaching was not on my short list of careers. I wanted to break the cycle, so to speak. At that time, I was interested in science and technology and wanted to pursue a career in biomedical engineering. In my junior year of college, I experienced a life-alternating event. I was left having to make a decision for how I would complete my undergraduate degree coursework. Life circumstances prevented me from immediately completing my educational coursework, and I entered the corporate world after graduation. When called upon to train staff and implement procedures on the corporate level, many of my trainees would remark that my mannerisms and even handwriting resembled that of a teacher. After some soul-searching, I realized they were right and that I had truly been running away from a calling. Shortly thereafter, I became a career switcher and entered the field of education.”
“There was not a better decision made than that to become an educator. It is far more complex and demanding than I believed it to be when I started my educational journey, but it is, by far, the most rewarding experience I have had.” She said that her family has always been supportive of her journey. Calling her husband “a blessing,” Mrs. Segar continued, “At one point, I was enrolled in two Masters’ Degree programs at the same time. There were times when my boys would read excerpts from my textbooks to me, or we would just sit at the kitchen table completing work together. My husband has always shared the load of running a household with me and has been my biggest cheerleader. They may not always understand why I am drawn away from home, but their support is consistent. My extended and immediate family reaches out to me to encourage me; they have always been supportive of me, and I am eternally grateful for their love.” She is married to her husband Jamie. They share two sons, Jacob and Jamie Segar, II.
She draws on the strength of her parents. Her father is Willie Dixon, minister at Mars Hill AME Zion Church in Sussex County, Virginia. Her late mother was a teacher. “My biggest inspiration from a teacher was from the one who raised me. My mother was a dynamic early childhood special educator with the Newport News Public School system. She was humble, hardworking, and really pushed her students to grow and develop to their highest potential. She was a teacher leader who led by example and was willing to have courageous conversations with families and colleagues in respectful, powerful ways. She taught me to be flexible, innovative, and passionate about the work being done.”
She is used to a rural area. “I believe in a small school district. There are unique challenges that face rural communities, but, in most cases, a strong desire for students is to be given a top-notch education parallel to that of larger areas. Westmoreland County schools have the people and record of success in place that I wanted to learn from, grow from, and add support to.”
“I want to be able to see the complete view of education from almost every stakeholder’s perspective; I want to be able to understand the nuances of decision making from a policy-making to a school-based level. From there, I want to be able to build a better educational system for students. What direction that will take, I am uncertain. But, I am certain that wherever I go and whatever I do, I want to be an effective communicator and collaborator that advocates for all students.”
Mrs. Leah Segar is excited about education and Montross Middle School. “I hope to learn more about the WMLCPS family, to work with families to navigate through this unusual time with the resources and support, and I hope to grow as an individual and a leader.” Her positive attitude is a welcome gift to the community and the MMS students. She is a woman who has found her niche in life and now shares the gift of knowledge with the Westmoreland County school family.
“The faculty and staff of Westmoreland County Public Schools has been completely welcoming and supportive. This truly is a great place to work.”
Mrs. Segar is not a stranger to the Northern Neck. Her husband, Jamie, grew up in the Essex County area. When she started teaching, after a brief stint as a shift manager and trainer for Walmart, Mrs. Segar switched careers and went back to education. After three years as an English teacher at Essex, she worked as an 8th grade English teacher at Fairfield Middle School in Henrico County. “Henrico exposed me to a lot of administrative level work. I am familiar with middle school. My whole career has focused on the middle school years. There is never a dull moment. This year my son is a rising 7th grader.”
She grew up with a mother, aunts, and several adult cousins who were in education. “At first, teaching was not on my short list of careers. I wanted to break the cycle, so to speak. At that time, I was interested in science and technology and wanted to pursue a career in biomedical engineering. In my junior year of college, I experienced a life-alternating event. I was left having to make a decision for how I would complete my undergraduate degree coursework. Life circumstances prevented me from immediately completing my educational coursework, and I entered the corporate world after graduation. When called upon to train staff and implement procedures on the corporate level, many of my trainees would remark that my mannerisms and even handwriting resembled that of a teacher. After some soul-searching, I realized they were right and that I had truly been running away from a calling. Shortly thereafter, I became a career switcher and entered the field of education.”
“There was not a better decision made than that to become an educator. It is far more complex and demanding than I believed it to be when I started my educational journey, but it is, by far, the most rewarding experience I have had.” She said that her family has always been supportive of her journey. Calling her husband “a blessing,” Mrs. Segar continued, “At one point, I was enrolled in two Masters’ Degree programs at the same time. There were times when my boys would read excerpts from my textbooks to me, or we would just sit at the kitchen table completing work together. My husband has always shared the load of running a household with me and has been my biggest cheerleader. They may not always understand why I am drawn away from home, but their support is consistent. My extended and immediate family reaches out to me to encourage me; they have always been supportive of me, and I am eternally grateful for their love.” She is married to her husband Jamie. They share two sons, Jacob and Jamie Segar, II.
She draws on the strength of her parents. Her father is Willie Dixon, minister at Mars Hill AME Zion Church in Sussex County, Virginia. Her late mother was a teacher. “My biggest inspiration from a teacher was from the one who raised me. My mother was a dynamic early childhood special educator with the Newport News Public School system. She was humble, hardworking, and really pushed her students to grow and develop to their highest potential. She was a teacher leader who led by example and was willing to have courageous conversations with families and colleagues in respectful, powerful ways. She taught me to be flexible, innovative, and passionate about the work being done.”
She is used to a rural area. “I believe in a small school district. There are unique challenges that face rural communities, but, in most cases, a strong desire for students is to be given a top-notch education parallel to that of larger areas. Westmoreland County schools have the people and record of success in place that I wanted to learn from, grow from, and add support to.”
“I want to be able to see the complete view of education from almost every stakeholder’s perspective; I want to be able to understand the nuances of decision making from a policy-making to a school-based level. From there, I want to be able to build a better educational system for students. What direction that will take, I am uncertain. But, I am certain that wherever I go and whatever I do, I want to be an effective communicator and collaborator that advocates for all students.”
Mrs. Leah Segar is excited about education and Montross Middle School. “I hope to learn more about the WMLCPS family, to work with families to navigate through this unusual time with the resources and support, and I hope to grow as an individual and a leader.” Her positive attitude is a welcome gift to the community and the MMS students. She is a woman who has found her niche in life and now shares the gift of knowledge with the Westmoreland County school family.
cople elementary welcomes new assistant principal
There is a new administrator at Cople Elementary School. Previously an assistant principal at Christiansburg Middle School in Montgomery County, Virginia, Michael Bathgate, started his new position as assistant principal on July 1, 2020. He brings with him more than 14 years of teaching experience to our community.
A native of Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, Mr. Bathgate had an unusual route to education. A mathematics major at Slippery Rock University, he started his career in business working at Paragon Asset Recovery Services in Pittsburg. Working at the Sylvan Learning Center and the Summit Academy Boys’ Juvenile facility in Pennsylvania made him rethink his career. After some intensive thought, he decided to go into education. Mr. Bathgate arrived in Virginia to be a math teacher in Spotsylvania County, then became the Dean of Students. He moved to Christiansburg Middle School as a middle school assistant principal. To be closer to family, his arrival at Westmoreland County was exactly what he was seeking. However, he still remains loyal to the Pennsylvania sports teams like the Steelers.
Mr. Bathgate has great respect for elementary teachers. When he was in the first grade, he came down with a condition called Guillain-Barre Syndrome. “It started as muscle weakness from my toes to my waist, and eventually became a paralysis from the waist down. I was paralyzed for about three weeks and could not attend school for six months, due to physical therapy and learning how to walk again. Once a week, my first grade teacher, Ms. Ross, would come to my house and work with me on my weekly assignments, always giving me positive, caring, upbeat feedback. But still with all the support she gave me, I was held back during my first grade year. Then I found out Ms. Ross would be my teacher for the next year. It was one of the best years of my academic life.”
In his short tenure with Westmoreland County, Mr. Bathgate is truly excited to be here. “Everyone has been so nice. Ms. Steele is an awesome leader. During the interview process with Dr. Perry, Ms. Steele and Ms. Rice, they made me feel very welcomed.”
“I look forward to learn the Cople way and getting involved in the community. This year will present a number of challenges. The biggest issue is the safety of the school, students, and the support of the community. Understanding the “new normal” and how it applies to Westmoreland County Public School is the tough part. But we will work through it. I think it is important for students to learn from each other. Bonding is such an important facet of education. I love public schools for their diversity.”
Married 15 years to his wife Susan, they currently live in Fredericksburg. He has two children, Samantha, age 7 and son, Hayden, age 5. They are all excited to begin this new chapter in Virginia and explore the treasures of the Northern Neck. He considers his time here to be a valuable step toward becoming a principal at a school in Westmoreland County.
A native of Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, Mr. Bathgate had an unusual route to education. A mathematics major at Slippery Rock University, he started his career in business working at Paragon Asset Recovery Services in Pittsburg. Working at the Sylvan Learning Center and the Summit Academy Boys’ Juvenile facility in Pennsylvania made him rethink his career. After some intensive thought, he decided to go into education. Mr. Bathgate arrived in Virginia to be a math teacher in Spotsylvania County, then became the Dean of Students. He moved to Christiansburg Middle School as a middle school assistant principal. To be closer to family, his arrival at Westmoreland County was exactly what he was seeking. However, he still remains loyal to the Pennsylvania sports teams like the Steelers.
Mr. Bathgate has great respect for elementary teachers. When he was in the first grade, he came down with a condition called Guillain-Barre Syndrome. “It started as muscle weakness from my toes to my waist, and eventually became a paralysis from the waist down. I was paralyzed for about three weeks and could not attend school for six months, due to physical therapy and learning how to walk again. Once a week, my first grade teacher, Ms. Ross, would come to my house and work with me on my weekly assignments, always giving me positive, caring, upbeat feedback. But still with all the support she gave me, I was held back during my first grade year. Then I found out Ms. Ross would be my teacher for the next year. It was one of the best years of my academic life.”
In his short tenure with Westmoreland County, Mr. Bathgate is truly excited to be here. “Everyone has been so nice. Ms. Steele is an awesome leader. During the interview process with Dr. Perry, Ms. Steele and Ms. Rice, they made me feel very welcomed.”
“I look forward to learn the Cople way and getting involved in the community. This year will present a number of challenges. The biggest issue is the safety of the school, students, and the support of the community. Understanding the “new normal” and how it applies to Westmoreland County Public School is the tough part. But we will work through it. I think it is important for students to learn from each other. Bonding is such an important facet of education. I love public schools for their diversity.”
Married 15 years to his wife Susan, they currently live in Fredericksburg. He has two children, Samantha, age 7 and son, Hayden, age 5. They are all excited to begin this new chapter in Virginia and explore the treasures of the Northern Neck. He considers his time here to be a valuable step toward becoming a principal at a school in Westmoreland County.
westmoreland county school governance team becomes the first ever vsba master board
Montross, VA – The Westmoreland County School Board and Superintendent are the first school governance team in Virginia to earn the designation of a VSBA Master Board. The Team attended three sessions totaling over fourteen hours of professional development beginning in May and ending on July 10. The discussions, facilitated by staff of the Virginia School Boards Association, focused on team building, improving communication, listening, and board building behaviors.
“I would like to thank the entire board and Superintendent for their willingness to become a Master Board” said School Board Chair Ralph Fallin, “This program solidifies the commitment that our board has for the education of our students in Westmoreland County.”
“To become a Master Board takes time, energy, and a deep understanding of good board governance” said VSBA Executive Director Gina Patterson, “I would like to congratulate the Westmoreland County Governance Team for this great accomplishment.”
The Virginia School Boards Association offers individualized professional development activities and training to school boards across Virginia. These sessions are personalized based on the need of the school board governance team. The VSBA Master Board Training program guides a school board and superintendent through numerous activities and modules that include personality assessments, team building exercises and prompts discussions focused on building a team and the many facets of communication.
About the Virginia School Boards Association
Virginia School Boards Association, a voluntary, nonpartisan organization of Virginia school boards, promotes excellence in public education through leadership, advocacy and support. The Association offers conferences, information, training, and counseling designed to meet the needs of the Commonwealth’s educational leaders.
“I would like to thank the entire board and Superintendent for their willingness to become a Master Board” said School Board Chair Ralph Fallin, “This program solidifies the commitment that our board has for the education of our students in Westmoreland County.”
“To become a Master Board takes time, energy, and a deep understanding of good board governance” said VSBA Executive Director Gina Patterson, “I would like to congratulate the Westmoreland County Governance Team for this great accomplishment.”
The Virginia School Boards Association offers individualized professional development activities and training to school boards across Virginia. These sessions are personalized based on the need of the school board governance team. The VSBA Master Board Training program guides a school board and superintendent through numerous activities and modules that include personality assessments, team building exercises and prompts discussions focused on building a team and the many facets of communication.
About the Virginia School Boards Association
Virginia School Boards Association, a voluntary, nonpartisan organization of Virginia school boards, promotes excellence in public education through leadership, advocacy and support. The Association offers conferences, information, training, and counseling designed to meet the needs of the Commonwealth’s educational leaders.
bruce passaretti, wmlcps teacher of the year
Educator Mark Van Doren once wrote, “The Art of Teaching is the Act of Assisting Discovery.” Westmoreland County Public Schools are very fortunate to have many incredible and talented educators who guide students on an incredible educational journey every day. Since 1964, school systems have participated in the National Teacher of the Year program and Westmorland County Public Schools recently named four outstanding educators, Bruce Passaretti, MMS; Matthew Freno, WDES; Tamatha Williams, CES; and Shawnna Stone, W&L HS, as Teachers of the Year. From that group, one educator was then named as Westmoreland County Public Schools’ Teacher of the Year. The 2020-2021 Teacher of the Year is Bruce Passaretti, Music Instructor at Montross Middle School.
In 2016, WMLCPS was fortunate to find Bruce Passaretti as the band teacher for Montross Middle School. In his short time with MMS, Mr. Passaretti has molded and created an imaginative and exciting musical experience for the students of Montross Middle School. Whatever he is doing, it is working. Last year, 59 students or over half of the sixth graders signed up for beginning band. Of the rising eighth grade band students, only three have dropped from the program. Mr. Passaretti is passionate not only about his music, but he is equally passionate about his students and it shows. In his nomination of Mr. Passaretti for the Teacher of the Year, MMS principal, William Bowen, wrote that “Mr. Passaretti’s passion for music is undeniable. He displays this passion each year when he transforms a group of fifty to sixty wide-eyed novices into an award winning band. Note by note and chord by chord, he builds a musical foundation for each student.”
Since his arrival, the level of musical performance at MMS has increased in many ways. The band has received ratings of Excellent and Superior at various events. In 2020, Mr. Passaretti took a record breaking fifty students to audition at the Area Honor Band and twenty-four MMS students secured a spot in the Honor Band. He also created the MMS Eighth Grade Eagles Marching Band, who performed at the Montross Fall Festival parade and at the W&L high school homecoming with the W&L marching band.
“All students deserve the opportunity to explore music,” explains Passaretti. He noted that “public education is based on opportunities to explore. Our band is not competition based. The most important thing to me is to increase involvement, not focus on competition. I want all students to learn to love music. I love the middle school students. It has been proven that personal musical preference begins at the age of 12. The influence on kids is enormous right now.”
Mr. Passaretti started his own journey with his love of the trumpet. In the fourth grade at Jasper - Troupsburg Elementary School in Troupsburg, New York his first music teacher was Stanley Matteson. So fulfilling was this experience that Mr. Passaretti has occasionally performed with him at an annual Jazz festival in his hometown. Mr. Matteson is still teaching music at Jasper-Troupsburg.
As he continued on his secondary band training, Mr. Passaretti had the privilege of working with Jonathan Neff, a high school band instructor. “I witnessed the inspiration he was capable of as a music teacher and made me want to have that kind of impact on people.” He never had any doubt as what career path he was going to take. Now, he speaks to Mr. Neff as a colleague at least once a month.
For his bachelor’s degree, he attended Grove City College in Grove City, Pennsylvania and majored in Music Education with an emphasis on trumpet. Mr. Passaretti is currently working on his Masters of Music Education at Boston University. He comes from a family that embraces education. His mother has taught at Jasper-Troupsburg Elementary for 18 years. Mr. Passaretti’s father is a school bus mechanic and a school bus driving instructor. His older sister, Rachel Sherman, had a daughter a year ago, which has created a doting uncle role for Passaretti. Mr. Passaretti has special praise for all the things his wife, Sabrina, has done for him. “She supports me in every endeavor. She helps me and the band students at every performance.” Mrs. Passaretti is the music teacher at Washington District Elementary and does an equally fabulous program for the elementary students.
The upcoming school year will present major challenges to this hard working teacher. “Teaching beginning band, even semi-virtually, is going to be my biggest challenge. I hope that I can still be as effective teaching virtually. One of the key things in music is sharing a love of music and making music with someone else. Unlike other subjects, instrumentation sets the curriculum. That is one of the challenges coming ahead. Every year we have students and families come in for instrument fitting. Not all students can play the certain wind instruments due to jaw structure. We will need to determine how to bring the students and their families in safely and find out a way to sterilize the mouth pieces during the process. Can we use disposable mouth pieces? Can we find those? These are all questions we are addressing right now.”
Once the students arrive, the next question will be how they can find cohesiveness in being a split force.
Personal interaction is so important in music. Mr. Passaretti mentioned that everyone has seen the YouTube videos of musicians playing together. While that is all very spontaneous looking that is not the case. He explained that these have been heavily edited to eliminate the “lag” found in transmission. “Is this the future way to showcase a band? Who really knows right now?”
Hopefully, Mr. Passaretti’s winning humor will assist him in conveying the new techniques and challenges to his students. “It is important for students to like the way I teach. We try and keep up the interest right away. Each day students share their story in class. We build a community of caring students and a sense of family. It is extra important in music to share the rapport. That is the cornerstone of a successful band program.”
He wrote in his education essay; “Everything I do with my students relies on my rapport with them. In order to participate to the fullest extent in any subject, especially one as emotionally vulnerable as music, the student must have confidence and trust in the teacher. I talk to my students directly, but politely. I take time to learn about their personal lives and hobbies which can be time consuming considering the large number of students in the band. I make it a point to say good morning to the students as they walk past me during hall duty, say hello as they come into a classroom, and say have a nice day when they are leaving. Showing the students this level of respect opens the door for interactions that show you care about them as people and not just as students.”
Another educator, William Ward, once said, “the mediocre teacher tells, the good teacher explains, the superior teacher demonstrates, and the great teacher inspires.” For the many Montross Middle Schools band students that have had the opportunity to learn and study under Mr. Bruce Passaretti, they have been taught by a great teacher. Westmoreland County Public Schools congratulates Mr. Passaretti as their 2020 – 2021 Teacher of the Year.
In 2016, WMLCPS was fortunate to find Bruce Passaretti as the band teacher for Montross Middle School. In his short time with MMS, Mr. Passaretti has molded and created an imaginative and exciting musical experience for the students of Montross Middle School. Whatever he is doing, it is working. Last year, 59 students or over half of the sixth graders signed up for beginning band. Of the rising eighth grade band students, only three have dropped from the program. Mr. Passaretti is passionate not only about his music, but he is equally passionate about his students and it shows. In his nomination of Mr. Passaretti for the Teacher of the Year, MMS principal, William Bowen, wrote that “Mr. Passaretti’s passion for music is undeniable. He displays this passion each year when he transforms a group of fifty to sixty wide-eyed novices into an award winning band. Note by note and chord by chord, he builds a musical foundation for each student.”
Since his arrival, the level of musical performance at MMS has increased in many ways. The band has received ratings of Excellent and Superior at various events. In 2020, Mr. Passaretti took a record breaking fifty students to audition at the Area Honor Band and twenty-four MMS students secured a spot in the Honor Band. He also created the MMS Eighth Grade Eagles Marching Band, who performed at the Montross Fall Festival parade and at the W&L high school homecoming with the W&L marching band.
“All students deserve the opportunity to explore music,” explains Passaretti. He noted that “public education is based on opportunities to explore. Our band is not competition based. The most important thing to me is to increase involvement, not focus on competition. I want all students to learn to love music. I love the middle school students. It has been proven that personal musical preference begins at the age of 12. The influence on kids is enormous right now.”
Mr. Passaretti started his own journey with his love of the trumpet. In the fourth grade at Jasper - Troupsburg Elementary School in Troupsburg, New York his first music teacher was Stanley Matteson. So fulfilling was this experience that Mr. Passaretti has occasionally performed with him at an annual Jazz festival in his hometown. Mr. Matteson is still teaching music at Jasper-Troupsburg.
As he continued on his secondary band training, Mr. Passaretti had the privilege of working with Jonathan Neff, a high school band instructor. “I witnessed the inspiration he was capable of as a music teacher and made me want to have that kind of impact on people.” He never had any doubt as what career path he was going to take. Now, he speaks to Mr. Neff as a colleague at least once a month.
For his bachelor’s degree, he attended Grove City College in Grove City, Pennsylvania and majored in Music Education with an emphasis on trumpet. Mr. Passaretti is currently working on his Masters of Music Education at Boston University. He comes from a family that embraces education. His mother has taught at Jasper-Troupsburg Elementary for 18 years. Mr. Passaretti’s father is a school bus mechanic and a school bus driving instructor. His older sister, Rachel Sherman, had a daughter a year ago, which has created a doting uncle role for Passaretti. Mr. Passaretti has special praise for all the things his wife, Sabrina, has done for him. “She supports me in every endeavor. She helps me and the band students at every performance.” Mrs. Passaretti is the music teacher at Washington District Elementary and does an equally fabulous program for the elementary students.
The upcoming school year will present major challenges to this hard working teacher. “Teaching beginning band, even semi-virtually, is going to be my biggest challenge. I hope that I can still be as effective teaching virtually. One of the key things in music is sharing a love of music and making music with someone else. Unlike other subjects, instrumentation sets the curriculum. That is one of the challenges coming ahead. Every year we have students and families come in for instrument fitting. Not all students can play the certain wind instruments due to jaw structure. We will need to determine how to bring the students and their families in safely and find out a way to sterilize the mouth pieces during the process. Can we use disposable mouth pieces? Can we find those? These are all questions we are addressing right now.”
Once the students arrive, the next question will be how they can find cohesiveness in being a split force.
Personal interaction is so important in music. Mr. Passaretti mentioned that everyone has seen the YouTube videos of musicians playing together. While that is all very spontaneous looking that is not the case. He explained that these have been heavily edited to eliminate the “lag” found in transmission. “Is this the future way to showcase a band? Who really knows right now?”
Hopefully, Mr. Passaretti’s winning humor will assist him in conveying the new techniques and challenges to his students. “It is important for students to like the way I teach. We try and keep up the interest right away. Each day students share their story in class. We build a community of caring students and a sense of family. It is extra important in music to share the rapport. That is the cornerstone of a successful band program.”
He wrote in his education essay; “Everything I do with my students relies on my rapport with them. In order to participate to the fullest extent in any subject, especially one as emotionally vulnerable as music, the student must have confidence and trust in the teacher. I talk to my students directly, but politely. I take time to learn about their personal lives and hobbies which can be time consuming considering the large number of students in the band. I make it a point to say good morning to the students as they walk past me during hall duty, say hello as they come into a classroom, and say have a nice day when they are leaving. Showing the students this level of respect opens the door for interactions that show you care about them as people and not just as students.”
Another educator, William Ward, once said, “the mediocre teacher tells, the good teacher explains, the superior teacher demonstrates, and the great teacher inspires.” For the many Montross Middle Schools band students that have had the opportunity to learn and study under Mr. Bruce Passaretti, they have been taught by a great teacher. Westmoreland County Public Schools congratulates Mr. Passaretti as their 2020 – 2021 Teacher of the Year.
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perseverance - MMS Poetry quilt
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Armed with nothing but a blank sheet of paper and a creative mind, over 100 students from Montross Middle School’s 8th grade English classes created this year’s Poetry Quilt book. Students in Mr. Jacob Spears and Mrs. Monica Weldon’s classes worked for over two months on this project. The students wrote original poems, studied and analyzed published poems, and then were directed to try and write about perseverance or cancer. This year’s book is designed to “help anyone who is going through difficulties find a way to persevere and overcome difficult situations.” It was important to tackle the topic of cancer because this group of students were the last group that Mrs. Linda DeLaney, 7th grade science teacher, had taught. She battled metastatic breast cancer and last April lost her battle. Mr. Spears “beat cancer” last year after undergoing rigorous rounds of chemotherapy. Many of the students had also lost members of their families to this disease and watched them win battles too. The students wanted to honor those who have faced the disease and they also wanted to encourage those who are currently fighting cancer. Other students wanted to write about perseverance or topics of encouragement. Every student found their voice and offered words of inspiration and hope. The resulting book contains 150 pages of phenomenal poetry.
Last year, Montross Middle School 8th grade English teacher Jacob Spears and his students created a book of poetry that addressed changing perceptions. The students told their stories and the challenges each had faced. Armed with a bundle of poems, Mr. Spears’ mother then created a poetry quilt that was raffled to raise funds for the English department. The funds were used to purchase 40 copies of Bronx Masquerade by Nikki Grimes. This year’s goal is to earn enough funding to be able to purchase 80 more copies so every student can take a copy home.
Once again, Mrs. Evelyn Spears, has created an incredible quilt featuring some of the poems about perseverance and cancer. The quilt features only the poems that could inspire patients. Mr. Spears noted that there were so many quilt worthy poems that his mother is now making a second quilt that will be kept at Montross Middle School for students and visitors to visit and view.
According to Mr. Spears, students can identify with poetry. “We created a plan for the project. Each poem followed the same pattern of instruction: we would analyze poems to see what made them similar; we defined the type of poem, then we defined terms that were unique to that type of poem, we analyzed published examples of that poem type; then, we wrote original poems of our own. We started with haikus and limericks. We then worked through longer forms of poems. We finished with their favorite form of poetry, free verse. We finished writing our final poems a few days before we were ordered home.”
Mr. Spears explains, “Most of us don’t remember different types of poems; it’s not something we use too often. Learning the types and their attributes are for the SOL’s. Learning a new way to cope with life’s curve balls is for them. To illustrate, Nikki Grimes wrote another book, Ordinary Hazards. It’s a memoir through poetry. She grew up in foster care. There is a powerful poem in the book when she first realized the power of poetry as a release from life’s frustrations; she was six years old. I read the poem to my students to prove to them that writing isn’t just something they do in class for a grade; it’s a form of release. I hope they take that with them. When life gets them down and they need a way to get rid of frustration, I hope they pick up a pencil and write.”
This year, Mr. Kenneth Ashdown, Chief Ranger of Operations in Virginia State Parks, came to visit the students. A 2015 graduate of Washington & Lee High School, he gave them insight into how “perseverance can be implemented to create success for themselves no matter what their background is.” He also reminded the students of the numerous resources that are available in Westmoreland County for students to utilize to “create a path to success for themselves.”
The Poetry Quilt and Book have become a great sense of pride for the Montross Middle School staff and students. For Mr. Spears, in particular, this issue that focuses on cancer was quite personal. Currently, he is fine and his checkups are consistently good. “My concern is no longer about my health, but that of my dad’s. He has stage 4 prostate cancers. He’s finished his chemo and will take pills for the rest of his life to try and keep his cancer at bay. The cancer will eventually win, so his treatments are to prolong his life as much as possible. What makes this more poignant to me was his commitment to help me through my treatments. The chemo stole my energy and my sleep, so he came up from North Carolina to take me to my treatments so that my wife could still teach. What we didn’t know was that while he was caring for me, he was ignoring his own health. While the cancer was dying in me, it was growing in him. His selflessness is the cause of his cancer. I don’t look at that as regret; I see that as an inspiration.”
The importance of the Montross Middle School Poetry Quilt is best noted by Mr. Spears. “One poem that stood out the most for me was written by a young lady who was having a hard time coping with the loss of her grandmother. She wrote a poem that focused on the loss. Her pain was apparent. Our students do a great job of covering up their feelings and hiding what they’re going through at school. They have to; they’re there to learn. However, they don’t always realize that teachers are there for more than just learning. We can help them through situations they may not be able to get through elsewhere. As she stood there crying over her grandmother’s loss, we began talking about the fond memories she had of her grandmother. It didn’t take her long to figure out how to shift the tone of her poem from loss to joyful remembrances. It was an amazing moment watching her grapple with her feelings by enveloping them with fond memories while putting them on paper.”
Because of the coronavirus and subsequent closing of the schools and activities, the sale of the books has been postponed until now. The size of the book is large and in-house binding is expensive. The teachers printed 20 copies of the book and 8 of them are being donated to the infusion center at Riverside Tappahannock Hospital, one for each patient bay. Mr. Spears and Mrs. Weldon delivered these to Mrs. Rebecca Beasley and her staff of infusion nurses at Riverside Hospital. One is being sent to author Nikki Grimes as a thank you for her inspiration of her novel, Bronx Masquerade and one is being sent to Mrs. Evelyn Spears for her incredible quilt making. All the students who wrote a poem received an electronic version of the book in Google Classroom.
Last year’s interest in the poetry book and quilt was evident with the number of sales that took place. Soon flyers and order forms may be found in local stores and restaurants where one can pre-order a book. Information may also be found in the coming weeks on the Montross Middle School website.
Last year, Montross Middle School 8th grade English teacher Jacob Spears and his students created a book of poetry that addressed changing perceptions. The students told their stories and the challenges each had faced. Armed with a bundle of poems, Mr. Spears’ mother then created a poetry quilt that was raffled to raise funds for the English department. The funds were used to purchase 40 copies of Bronx Masquerade by Nikki Grimes. This year’s goal is to earn enough funding to be able to purchase 80 more copies so every student can take a copy home.
Once again, Mrs. Evelyn Spears, has created an incredible quilt featuring some of the poems about perseverance and cancer. The quilt features only the poems that could inspire patients. Mr. Spears noted that there were so many quilt worthy poems that his mother is now making a second quilt that will be kept at Montross Middle School for students and visitors to visit and view.
According to Mr. Spears, students can identify with poetry. “We created a plan for the project. Each poem followed the same pattern of instruction: we would analyze poems to see what made them similar; we defined the type of poem, then we defined terms that were unique to that type of poem, we analyzed published examples of that poem type; then, we wrote original poems of our own. We started with haikus and limericks. We then worked through longer forms of poems. We finished with their favorite form of poetry, free verse. We finished writing our final poems a few days before we were ordered home.”
Mr. Spears explains, “Most of us don’t remember different types of poems; it’s not something we use too often. Learning the types and their attributes are for the SOL’s. Learning a new way to cope with life’s curve balls is for them. To illustrate, Nikki Grimes wrote another book, Ordinary Hazards. It’s a memoir through poetry. She grew up in foster care. There is a powerful poem in the book when she first realized the power of poetry as a release from life’s frustrations; she was six years old. I read the poem to my students to prove to them that writing isn’t just something they do in class for a grade; it’s a form of release. I hope they take that with them. When life gets them down and they need a way to get rid of frustration, I hope they pick up a pencil and write.”
This year, Mr. Kenneth Ashdown, Chief Ranger of Operations in Virginia State Parks, came to visit the students. A 2015 graduate of Washington & Lee High School, he gave them insight into how “perseverance can be implemented to create success for themselves no matter what their background is.” He also reminded the students of the numerous resources that are available in Westmoreland County for students to utilize to “create a path to success for themselves.”
The Poetry Quilt and Book have become a great sense of pride for the Montross Middle School staff and students. For Mr. Spears, in particular, this issue that focuses on cancer was quite personal. Currently, he is fine and his checkups are consistently good. “My concern is no longer about my health, but that of my dad’s. He has stage 4 prostate cancers. He’s finished his chemo and will take pills for the rest of his life to try and keep his cancer at bay. The cancer will eventually win, so his treatments are to prolong his life as much as possible. What makes this more poignant to me was his commitment to help me through my treatments. The chemo stole my energy and my sleep, so he came up from North Carolina to take me to my treatments so that my wife could still teach. What we didn’t know was that while he was caring for me, he was ignoring his own health. While the cancer was dying in me, it was growing in him. His selflessness is the cause of his cancer. I don’t look at that as regret; I see that as an inspiration.”
The importance of the Montross Middle School Poetry Quilt is best noted by Mr. Spears. “One poem that stood out the most for me was written by a young lady who was having a hard time coping with the loss of her grandmother. She wrote a poem that focused on the loss. Her pain was apparent. Our students do a great job of covering up their feelings and hiding what they’re going through at school. They have to; they’re there to learn. However, they don’t always realize that teachers are there for more than just learning. We can help them through situations they may not be able to get through elsewhere. As she stood there crying over her grandmother’s loss, we began talking about the fond memories she had of her grandmother. It didn’t take her long to figure out how to shift the tone of her poem from loss to joyful remembrances. It was an amazing moment watching her grapple with her feelings by enveloping them with fond memories while putting them on paper.”
Because of the coronavirus and subsequent closing of the schools and activities, the sale of the books has been postponed until now. The size of the book is large and in-house binding is expensive. The teachers printed 20 copies of the book and 8 of them are being donated to the infusion center at Riverside Tappahannock Hospital, one for each patient bay. Mr. Spears and Mrs. Weldon delivered these to Mrs. Rebecca Beasley and her staff of infusion nurses at Riverside Hospital. One is being sent to author Nikki Grimes as a thank you for her inspiration of her novel, Bronx Masquerade and one is being sent to Mrs. Evelyn Spears for her incredible quilt making. All the students who wrote a poem received an electronic version of the book in Google Classroom.
Last year’s interest in the poetry book and quilt was evident with the number of sales that took place. Soon flyers and order forms may be found in local stores and restaurants where one can pre-order a book. Information may also be found in the coming weeks on the Montross Middle School website.
washington district elementary welcomes new principal
When the doors finally swing open for a new year at Washington District Elementary School (WDES), excited students will meet an equally excited new administrator. Mrs. Christie Douglas has been selected to lead the team at WDES. Currently the assistant principal at Montross Middle School, Mrs. Douglas is returning to her first love in education, elementary school. She has more than 10 years teaching experience at the elementary level and has taught first, third, and fourth grade students. She also has three years of administration work. Mrs. Douglas’ positive attitude is a welcome gift to the community and the WDES students. She is a woman who has found her niche in life and now shares this gift of knowledge with the Westmoreland County school family.
A durable leader at Montross Middle School, Mrs. Douglas spent her administrative time helping to build a stronger culture at the school. She and Mr. Bowen, MMS principal, worked well as a team and implemented many new programs designed to enhance parent involvement and positivity at Montross Middle School. She enjoyed showing all the good things that were happening at Montross Middle School. Mrs. Douglas hopes to have a similar experience at WDES. She credits Westmoreland County School system, Dr. Perry, Ms. Rice and Mr. Bowen with allowing her to have a “lot of leadership opportunities. Mr. Bowen allowed me to lead and then showed me how to lead. He shaped me into the leader that I am today. I am so grateful to be working at Westmoreland County Public Schools.”
While she admitted to missing her students at MMS, Mrs. Douglas is eagerly anticipating beginning her tenure at WDES. She will be working with Ms. Herdle in learning the history and philosophy of the school. “I want to refocus on some ideas that I have and learn the many strengths of the faculty. I know what it is like to be a teacher and administrator.” Fortunately, Ms. Herdle will be working next year at the central office and will not be “too far away for questions.”
Mrs. Douglas has always wanted to be in education. Her inspiration comes from her mother, Carole Cremo, who is an educator. “My mother always encouraged and supported me to reach my goals. She taught me to set the bar high and have a positive attitude.” The oldest of five children, she had lots of practice working with her younger siblings. “I’ve always enjoyed working with children and helping others.” An elementary education graduate of The College of Saint Rose in Albany, New York, Mrs. Douglas received her master’s in Administration and Educational Leadership from ODU.
Mrs. Douglas feels that she made the right choice in coming to Westmoreland County Public Schools. “We share the same philosophy in education. WMLCPS is dedicated to providing students with the knowledge and skills that they will need to be successful in a global society, in addition to that, Westmoreland is a tight knit community that has a strong sense of family and respects tradition.” She looks forward to her next assignment but will miss her peers and students at MMS. “We did a lot of culture building at MMS. We focused on positive goals for the children and added a positivity to MMS. We tried to get the community more involved by showing the good things that MMS had done and was doing. I learned from an early age to always look for the good and you will find it.”
“My hope is to work collectively with the Washington District Elementary School staff, families, and community to create a welcoming environment that is focused on providing our students with the emotional, social, and academic support that will help them be successful.”
She found the Northern Neck via a friend. “A former colleague and close friend of mine owns a river cottage in Westmoreland. I enjoyed spending time on the Potomac River and taking in all the beautiful outdoor scenery that Westmoreland has to offer.” Her hobbies are all related to outdoor activities. She and her husband, Carlton, a Warsaw native, share an active life with their rescue dogs Jake, Bodhi, and Poppy and one cat, Maisey. “I love the outdoor activities that the Northern Neck has to offer.” Coming from Pennsylvania, she and her husband are avid Penn State and Steeler fans.
Her love and dedication to children is prevalent in all aspects of her life. “Watching my students and staff working together to achieve great things makes me smile every day. There is nothing more rewarding that to look into the eyes of a child who feels accomplished, no matter what feat they have overcome.”
Mrs. Douglas reminds us all of what is important, especially in these trying times. One has to “always have eyes that see the best, a heart that forgives the worst, a mind that forgets the bad, and a soul that never loses hope.” This is why Christie Douglas is an administrator and a teacher. Westmoreland County Public Schools is delighted to welcome her to her new role as principal of Washington District Elementary School.
A durable leader at Montross Middle School, Mrs. Douglas spent her administrative time helping to build a stronger culture at the school. She and Mr. Bowen, MMS principal, worked well as a team and implemented many new programs designed to enhance parent involvement and positivity at Montross Middle School. She enjoyed showing all the good things that were happening at Montross Middle School. Mrs. Douglas hopes to have a similar experience at WDES. She credits Westmoreland County School system, Dr. Perry, Ms. Rice and Mr. Bowen with allowing her to have a “lot of leadership opportunities. Mr. Bowen allowed me to lead and then showed me how to lead. He shaped me into the leader that I am today. I am so grateful to be working at Westmoreland County Public Schools.”
While she admitted to missing her students at MMS, Mrs. Douglas is eagerly anticipating beginning her tenure at WDES. She will be working with Ms. Herdle in learning the history and philosophy of the school. “I want to refocus on some ideas that I have and learn the many strengths of the faculty. I know what it is like to be a teacher and administrator.” Fortunately, Ms. Herdle will be working next year at the central office and will not be “too far away for questions.”
Mrs. Douglas has always wanted to be in education. Her inspiration comes from her mother, Carole Cremo, who is an educator. “My mother always encouraged and supported me to reach my goals. She taught me to set the bar high and have a positive attitude.” The oldest of five children, she had lots of practice working with her younger siblings. “I’ve always enjoyed working with children and helping others.” An elementary education graduate of The College of Saint Rose in Albany, New York, Mrs. Douglas received her master’s in Administration and Educational Leadership from ODU.
Mrs. Douglas feels that she made the right choice in coming to Westmoreland County Public Schools. “We share the same philosophy in education. WMLCPS is dedicated to providing students with the knowledge and skills that they will need to be successful in a global society, in addition to that, Westmoreland is a tight knit community that has a strong sense of family and respects tradition.” She looks forward to her next assignment but will miss her peers and students at MMS. “We did a lot of culture building at MMS. We focused on positive goals for the children and added a positivity to MMS. We tried to get the community more involved by showing the good things that MMS had done and was doing. I learned from an early age to always look for the good and you will find it.”
“My hope is to work collectively with the Washington District Elementary School staff, families, and community to create a welcoming environment that is focused on providing our students with the emotional, social, and academic support that will help them be successful.”
She found the Northern Neck via a friend. “A former colleague and close friend of mine owns a river cottage in Westmoreland. I enjoyed spending time on the Potomac River and taking in all the beautiful outdoor scenery that Westmoreland has to offer.” Her hobbies are all related to outdoor activities. She and her husband, Carlton, a Warsaw native, share an active life with their rescue dogs Jake, Bodhi, and Poppy and one cat, Maisey. “I love the outdoor activities that the Northern Neck has to offer.” Coming from Pennsylvania, she and her husband are avid Penn State and Steeler fans.
Her love and dedication to children is prevalent in all aspects of her life. “Watching my students and staff working together to achieve great things makes me smile every day. There is nothing more rewarding that to look into the eyes of a child who feels accomplished, no matter what feat they have overcome.”
Mrs. Douglas reminds us all of what is important, especially in these trying times. One has to “always have eyes that see the best, a heart that forgives the worst, a mind that forgets the bad, and a soul that never loses hope.” This is why Christie Douglas is an administrator and a teacher. Westmoreland County Public Schools is delighted to welcome her to her new role as principal of Washington District Elementary School.
