In the news
W&l Art student wins congressional art competition
Congressman Rob Wittman's office has announced that W&L art student Arianna Barajas has won the 2019 Congressional Art Competition for District 1. Her art piece is titled "Lynx" and was made on scratchboard. Her art piece will be displayed in the Cannon Tunnel leading to the Capitol for the next year. Congratulations to Ms. Barajas.
Dr. perry presents facilities update
Dr. Michael Perry, Superintendent of Westmoreland County Public Schools, was the guest speaker at Little Zion Baptist Church on May 22, 2019. He spoke to the church’s Senior’s Luncheon group on the status of the proposed new high school.
Dr. Perry began the presentation by guiding the audience through the lengthy process of planning the school from 2016 and culminating with the opening of the bids on May 15, 2019. He stressed that tariffs, last year’s hurricanes, and local delays and the federal government shutdown all affected the rising costs of the new high school construction. The bids that were received reflected these factors.
The lowest bid came from Branch Builds in Herndon, Virginia. Their base bid was $51,239,0000. The County had authorized the borrowing of $42,500,000.00 from Rural Development, though they were hoping for a bid coming in at $40,000,000.00. This cost gap is the amount that has to be bridged.
Because of this large divide, the school system has started meeting with the architects and the low bidder, Branch Builds, to see what can be changed to bring the costs down. The division and the architects have sixty days to bridge the gap by July 15, 2019. All parties are committed to making as much progress before that date arrives.
At the end of the presentation the audience was given the opportunity to ask questions. One man asked a key question, “What can we, as a community, do to help?” Dr. Perry reminded the crowd to start by contacting their Board of Supervisors representative to express their concern about the new school and why it is important to the community and its students. Dr. Perry told the audience that there are individuals who do not believe a new school is needed. He also told them that to build a new school, taxes may have to be raised. “Some may want a school but don’t want to pay for it. A new school requires new taxes.”
Another person wanted verification that the land where the sign advertising the new school is indeed the site of the high school. Dr. Perry affirmed that it is. He also noted that the athletic complex would be behind the school and contain a local sports field that will be shared with the school. When asked about the size of the auditorium, the group was pleased to hear that it would hold 450 -500 people.
Dr. Perry addressed the question of how the courthouse got built before the school. He noted that he was not here at that time and they should contact their local supervisor. It was his understanding that no local tax money was used for the facility. This was confirmed by a gentleman at the meeting.
Westmoreland County Public Schools thanks the ministry of Little Zion Baptist Church for inviting Dr. Perry to speak to their members and appreciates their interest in the students of Westmoreland County.
Dr. Perry began the presentation by guiding the audience through the lengthy process of planning the school from 2016 and culminating with the opening of the bids on May 15, 2019. He stressed that tariffs, last year’s hurricanes, and local delays and the federal government shutdown all affected the rising costs of the new high school construction. The bids that were received reflected these factors.
The lowest bid came from Branch Builds in Herndon, Virginia. Their base bid was $51,239,0000. The County had authorized the borrowing of $42,500,000.00 from Rural Development, though they were hoping for a bid coming in at $40,000,000.00. This cost gap is the amount that has to be bridged.
Because of this large divide, the school system has started meeting with the architects and the low bidder, Branch Builds, to see what can be changed to bring the costs down. The division and the architects have sixty days to bridge the gap by July 15, 2019. All parties are committed to making as much progress before that date arrives.
At the end of the presentation the audience was given the opportunity to ask questions. One man asked a key question, “What can we, as a community, do to help?” Dr. Perry reminded the crowd to start by contacting their Board of Supervisors representative to express their concern about the new school and why it is important to the community and its students. Dr. Perry told the audience that there are individuals who do not believe a new school is needed. He also told them that to build a new school, taxes may have to be raised. “Some may want a school but don’t want to pay for it. A new school requires new taxes.”
Another person wanted verification that the land where the sign advertising the new school is indeed the site of the high school. Dr. Perry affirmed that it is. He also noted that the athletic complex would be behind the school and contain a local sports field that will be shared with the school. When asked about the size of the auditorium, the group was pleased to hear that it would hold 450 -500 people.
Dr. Perry addressed the question of how the courthouse got built before the school. He noted that he was not here at that time and they should contact their local supervisor. It was his understanding that no local tax money was used for the facility. This was confirmed by a gentleman at the meeting.
Westmoreland County Public Schools thanks the ministry of Little Zion Baptist Church for inviting Dr. Perry to speak to their members and appreciates their interest in the students of Westmoreland County.
telling our story - mms poetry quilt
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Changing a perception can take a long time. Students and teachers, alike, have faced confrontations about going to school and working in Westmoreland County and have heard many untruths about the district for a long time. Even as these issues have been addressed for a number of years, the perception still is alive and wrong. No one is more aware of that than 8th grade Montross Middle School English teacher, Jacob Spears. When he first came to the area to teach, he had heard what a difficult district it was to teach in and heard “horror” stories about the community and schools. After working elsewhere in the Northern Neck, he decided to give the district a chance “despite all of the negativity I had heard about the county.” Thankfully, he found that his initial perception of Westmoreland County was wrong. “There is closeness to this community that is unlike others I’ve been connected to. While working here, I have continued to hear disparaging comments about our community and our students from those who know nothing about either. The kids hear it, too. They hear it when they leave the community to go shopping in other counties or when they show up for competitive events. After a while, they wonder if what others are saying is true. I wanted to change that, or at least try to change it.”
Enter Project Based Learning. On a recent Wednesday morning, Montross Town Manager and School Board member, Patricia Lewis, talked to an enraptured audience of 8th grade students who are participating in the first Poetry Quilt. Featuring the poems of Mr. Spear’s English classes, the young poets have been learning about the use of language and how to use their poetic voices to tell their stories. Mrs. Lewis talked to the students about her journey and how each event of her own life has given her a new perspective on addressing misconceptions and understanding right from wrong. She had the students read the “Optimist Creed” and then discussed how she used her dreams of youth to attain a college education and “plan” her life journey and how that journey has led her to a good life in Westmoreland County that includes her husband and two sons and how their journey continues.
Mrs. Lewis told the students that she changed perception by 1) embracing a personal style that was her own 2) practicing kindness every day 3) being confident in all her decisions and learning from her mistakes, and 4) remaining positive no matter what. She then told the students about a woman she admires, Oprah Winfrey, who overcame a horrific childhood and embraced positivity to become the famous person she is today. “It doesn’t matter where you come from,” is a mantra Ms. Winfrey uses frequently. You just have to learn empathy and take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way.”
Mrs. Lewis handed each student a copy of the “I Am from Poem.” This template has students filling out the blanks to create a final poem draft to share. The students dutifully embraced this exercise and started another exercise in writing.
Why poetry? MMS Reading Specialist, Mrs. Evans, had introduced Mr. Spears to a novel that she thought his students might enjoy, Bronx Masquerade, by Nikki Grimes. “I instantly loved the novel, which focused on kids in the Bronx of New York, finding their voice through poetry in their 10th grade classroom. We started a novel study in my classes to see if the kids would buy into poetry and the release that it can give. They bought in quickly.”
Why a Quilt? “My mom, Evelyn Spears of Wilson, North Carolina, is a retired postal worker. She has two granddaughters, my nieces, who also live in Wilson. Through the years she has been making quilts for their classes as fundraisers. This year she offered to do the same for me. I didn’t know how I could incorporate the quilt. After introducing the idea of a poetry quilt to the students and getting supportive responses, I posed it to Mr. Bowen, our principal. With his approval, my mom priced the materials for the quilt and the school will reimburse her for the materials. Mom has been quilting for years. Out of necessity, she learned to sew very young and made clothes and mended items for her five siblings. She makes quilts for gifts for marriages, graduations, and important life events. Now that she is retired, she’s able to create even more.”
The poems. Over 40 poems were submitted for the quilt. Each student has designed and written a piece for the poem sections for the quilt. They are being delivered to Mrs. Spears on May 11, 2019, with an anticipated completion date of June 1. Mr. Spears will display the quilt at each of the First Friday events in Montross for the remainder of the summer. Raffle tickets will be sold and the winning ticket drawing will occur at the Fall Festival in October.
The students are very excited about the Poetry Quilt. Several of them commented on the project. “I think the quilt helps us understand poetry a lot better and helps us make an example of poetry we could learn from. It also is therapeutic because it’s like music; it lets us express our thoughts and feelings for something valuable. I have learned how to understand the work that is put into writing poetry and how hard it really is. I like the fact that our poetry will stay on something like a quilt forever and that whoever wins the quilt loves our art and enjoys reading it,” Sandra Dorantes-Serrano.
Allyson Foor continues, “I adored doing this quilt. I learned that poetry can be a form of art and how people feel. Though they are only perceived as poems, they are a reflection of what we feel and the lives we have lived. Being perceived as a bad kid or anything negative has impacted a lot of us negatively. We are not bad kids, ignorant, or mischievous. We are good, smart, respectful kids, and I hope this quilt will help people understand that. I love that this gave us, as students, a voice to say, ‘Hey! We are good people!’ So thank you to everyone who wrote a poem and to the people who made this possible.”
“My thoughts on the poetry quilt is that it’s very interesting,” notes Malinda Haynes. “It is something I would have never thought of at all. I feel like it’s a good opportunity or way to express how you feel, and I also think it’s very helpful for people who can relate to what the students have gathered and written about. I love and like the fact that we got to write poems and to express our feelings whether happy or sad. I hope that this quilt helps somebody to understand that it is okay to have mixed feelings, and I hope they can use these poems for advice.”
Some were more succinct. Abraham Medina simply stated, “I think the poetry quilt is a great idea for students to express themselves.” All proceeds from the raffle tickets will go to the MMS Language Arts Department to purchase more novels like the Bronx Masquerade, a subscription to the Language Arts element of IXL.com, or other materials to better facilitate learning at MMS. The story of the journey of the Poetry Quilt will be closely followed from its inception to the final drawing. Congratulations to Mr. Spears and his wonderful students for this exciting project that has already enlightened his students lives.
Enter Project Based Learning. On a recent Wednesday morning, Montross Town Manager and School Board member, Patricia Lewis, talked to an enraptured audience of 8th grade students who are participating in the first Poetry Quilt. Featuring the poems of Mr. Spear’s English classes, the young poets have been learning about the use of language and how to use their poetic voices to tell their stories. Mrs. Lewis talked to the students about her journey and how each event of her own life has given her a new perspective on addressing misconceptions and understanding right from wrong. She had the students read the “Optimist Creed” and then discussed how she used her dreams of youth to attain a college education and “plan” her life journey and how that journey has led her to a good life in Westmoreland County that includes her husband and two sons and how their journey continues.
Mrs. Lewis told the students that she changed perception by 1) embracing a personal style that was her own 2) practicing kindness every day 3) being confident in all her decisions and learning from her mistakes, and 4) remaining positive no matter what. She then told the students about a woman she admires, Oprah Winfrey, who overcame a horrific childhood and embraced positivity to become the famous person she is today. “It doesn’t matter where you come from,” is a mantra Ms. Winfrey uses frequently. You just have to learn empathy and take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way.”
Mrs. Lewis handed each student a copy of the “I Am from Poem.” This template has students filling out the blanks to create a final poem draft to share. The students dutifully embraced this exercise and started another exercise in writing.
Why poetry? MMS Reading Specialist, Mrs. Evans, had introduced Mr. Spears to a novel that she thought his students might enjoy, Bronx Masquerade, by Nikki Grimes. “I instantly loved the novel, which focused on kids in the Bronx of New York, finding their voice through poetry in their 10th grade classroom. We started a novel study in my classes to see if the kids would buy into poetry and the release that it can give. They bought in quickly.”
Why a Quilt? “My mom, Evelyn Spears of Wilson, North Carolina, is a retired postal worker. She has two granddaughters, my nieces, who also live in Wilson. Through the years she has been making quilts for their classes as fundraisers. This year she offered to do the same for me. I didn’t know how I could incorporate the quilt. After introducing the idea of a poetry quilt to the students and getting supportive responses, I posed it to Mr. Bowen, our principal. With his approval, my mom priced the materials for the quilt and the school will reimburse her for the materials. Mom has been quilting for years. Out of necessity, she learned to sew very young and made clothes and mended items for her five siblings. She makes quilts for gifts for marriages, graduations, and important life events. Now that she is retired, she’s able to create even more.”
The poems. Over 40 poems were submitted for the quilt. Each student has designed and written a piece for the poem sections for the quilt. They are being delivered to Mrs. Spears on May 11, 2019, with an anticipated completion date of June 1. Mr. Spears will display the quilt at each of the First Friday events in Montross for the remainder of the summer. Raffle tickets will be sold and the winning ticket drawing will occur at the Fall Festival in October.
The students are very excited about the Poetry Quilt. Several of them commented on the project. “I think the quilt helps us understand poetry a lot better and helps us make an example of poetry we could learn from. It also is therapeutic because it’s like music; it lets us express our thoughts and feelings for something valuable. I have learned how to understand the work that is put into writing poetry and how hard it really is. I like the fact that our poetry will stay on something like a quilt forever and that whoever wins the quilt loves our art and enjoys reading it,” Sandra Dorantes-Serrano.
Allyson Foor continues, “I adored doing this quilt. I learned that poetry can be a form of art and how people feel. Though they are only perceived as poems, they are a reflection of what we feel and the lives we have lived. Being perceived as a bad kid or anything negative has impacted a lot of us negatively. We are not bad kids, ignorant, or mischievous. We are good, smart, respectful kids, and I hope this quilt will help people understand that. I love that this gave us, as students, a voice to say, ‘Hey! We are good people!’ So thank you to everyone who wrote a poem and to the people who made this possible.”
“My thoughts on the poetry quilt is that it’s very interesting,” notes Malinda Haynes. “It is something I would have never thought of at all. I feel like it’s a good opportunity or way to express how you feel, and I also think it’s very helpful for people who can relate to what the students have gathered and written about. I love and like the fact that we got to write poems and to express our feelings whether happy or sad. I hope that this quilt helps somebody to understand that it is okay to have mixed feelings, and I hope they can use these poems for advice.”
Some were more succinct. Abraham Medina simply stated, “I think the poetry quilt is a great idea for students to express themselves.” All proceeds from the raffle tickets will go to the MMS Language Arts Department to purchase more novels like the Bronx Masquerade, a subscription to the Language Arts element of IXL.com, or other materials to better facilitate learning at MMS. The story of the journey of the Poetry Quilt will be closely followed from its inception to the final drawing. Congratulations to Mr. Spears and his wonderful students for this exciting project that has already enlightened his students lives.
W&L seniors Do the "graduation Walk"
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Washington & Lee High School seniors gathered in their new caps & gowns to do the third annual “Graduation Walk” for underclassman in the district. Starting with Cople Elementary School, it was hard to determine who was more excited about the walk, the seniors or the Cople students. Led by the Cople Eagle and Dr. Michael Perry, Superintendent and Ms. Leslie Steele, Cople principal, the seniors were greeted by high-fives and cheering students. Many of the students held up signs congratulating the seniors on their upcoming graduation. Each senior was given a blue and gold rose to commemorate their visit.
The school bus then rolled on to Montross Middle School where tearful teachers waved and hugged their former students. The sounds of “Pomp and Circumstance” played over the loudspeakers as the students stood outside of their classrooms, many with signs and high-fiving the seniors.
Montross Middle School students cheered from the hallways lined with excited fans. Many spotted neighbors, friends, and siblings and shouted out words of encouragement and pride.
Previously, the buses visited the excited students and teachers at Washington District Elementary School. Their halls were lined with students from pre-K to 5th grade. The smaller grades could hardly contain their enthusiasm as the gowned seniors reached for handshakes and words of encouragement. Excited youngsters were the norm for the day.
All, in all, it was a great day to be a senior and a greater day for the remaining students to see what hard work and perseverance can do. Congratulations to all the administration, students and teachers for making this day a special one.
The school bus then rolled on to Montross Middle School where tearful teachers waved and hugged their former students. The sounds of “Pomp and Circumstance” played over the loudspeakers as the students stood outside of their classrooms, many with signs and high-fiving the seniors.
Montross Middle School students cheered from the hallways lined with excited fans. Many spotted neighbors, friends, and siblings and shouted out words of encouragement and pride.
Previously, the buses visited the excited students and teachers at Washington District Elementary School. Their halls were lined with students from pre-K to 5th grade. The smaller grades could hardly contain their enthusiasm as the gowned seniors reached for handshakes and words of encouragement. Excited youngsters were the norm for the day.
All, in all, it was a great day to be a senior and a greater day for the remaining students to see what hard work and perseverance can do. Congratulations to all the administration, students and teachers for making this day a special one.
matthew fisher, mms, places first in algebra 1 competition
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Montross Middle School’s Matthew Fisher has a lot to be proud of. On May 8, 2019, six eighth graders from Montross Middle School competed in the Spring 2019 Math Contest at Rappahannock Community College. At the end of the day, Matthew Fisher placed first in Algebra 1. Representing MMS was Matthew Fisher, Allyson Foor, Leah Holmes, Christopher Lohr, and Julissa Valdez competing in Algebra 1 and EmmaLin Bunting who competed in the Geometry category.
One hundred and sixty-seven students from eighteen schools across the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula competed individually in the following categories; Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, and Pre-calculus/Math Analysis. Washington & Lee High School also had a team competing in Geometry and Algebra 2. Other schools competing included Colonial Beach, New Kent, Northumberland, Richmond County, Westmoreland, and West Point. St. Margaret’s School and the Chesapeake Bay Governor’s School also participated.
Each student took a one- hour test in one of the four subject areas. The scores were based on the number of correct answers from each participant. First, second, and third place winners in each subject won medallions for their performance. According to RCC, the purpose of the contest is to recognize excellence in mathematics and to identify interest in mathematics in the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula. The contest has been held every year since 1973.
Westmoreland County Public Schools salutes the efforts of the math teams, their instructors, and congratulates Mr. Fisher on his exemplary performance.
One hundred and sixty-seven students from eighteen schools across the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula competed individually in the following categories; Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, and Pre-calculus/Math Analysis. Washington & Lee High School also had a team competing in Geometry and Algebra 2. Other schools competing included Colonial Beach, New Kent, Northumberland, Richmond County, Westmoreland, and West Point. St. Margaret’s School and the Chesapeake Bay Governor’s School also participated.
Each student took a one- hour test in one of the four subject areas. The scores were based on the number of correct answers from each participant. First, second, and third place winners in each subject won medallions for their performance. According to RCC, the purpose of the contest is to recognize excellence in mathematics and to identify interest in mathematics in the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula. The contest has been held every year since 1973.
Westmoreland County Public Schools salutes the efforts of the math teams, their instructors, and congratulates Mr. Fisher on his exemplary performance.
W&L Music department travels to orlando, florida
The Washington and Lee High School Concert Choir and Concert Band traveled to Orlando, FL May 2-6, 2019, and participated in the "Music in the Parks" performance festival. 45 students made the trip. This festival takes place at major theme parks all over the country, and until this year the W&L music department primarily visited festival locations in VA and MD. As the music department has grown in size and prestige, the staff and students desired to spread our musical talents farther than we had in previous years.
Each music ensemble performed three concert selections for a panel of adjudicators, before enjoying Universal Studios theme park. At the end of Saturday, the music ensembles were both awarded 1st place in their respective divisions (Concert Band, Class A, Mixed Choir, Class A), and also received an assessment rating of "Excellent." Music instructors Kelly Wright, choir and Tyler Engel, band, accompanied the group.
Each music ensemble performed three concert selections for a panel of adjudicators, before enjoying Universal Studios theme park. At the end of Saturday, the music ensembles were both awarded 1st place in their respective divisions (Concert Band, Class A, Mixed Choir, Class A), and also received an assessment rating of "Excellent." Music instructors Kelly Wright, choir and Tyler Engel, band, accompanied the group.
anne carter harding - 2019 class 1 female athlete of the year
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When a “tiny,” three- year- old, Anne Carter (AC) Harding picked up her first bat in the Bam-Bam league, little did she know a course had been set for the next twelve years. It culminated last week when it was announced that ‘AC’ had been recognized as the 2019 Class 1 Female Athlete of the Year by the VHSL.
Since 1992, the Allstate Foundation/VHSL Achievement Awards have been presented to the outstanding male and female athlete and academic activities participant in Groups A, AA, and AAA. This year, nineteen $1,500 scholarships and a silver bowl will be given out an awards banquet. Over 200 applications were reviewed and presented on the criteria of a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale; students have won at least one varsity letter in the VHSL sport/academic activity; involvement in school sponsored activities; involvement in activities outside of school; two letters of support, and a 500-word student essay describing how extracurricular activities have enhanced their educational experience. Ms. Harding is only the second Washington & Lee High School athlete/scholar to win this prestigious award. Ali Jones received the Allstate Foundation/VHSL William Andrew Mullins Courageous Achievement Award in 2012.
Dr. John W. “Billy” Haun, Executive Director of the Virginia High School League, said of Anne’s selection, “The Allstate Foundation/VHSL Achievement Award recognizes excellence and a way to applaud our youth for their outstanding work on and off the playing fields. We commend Anne for her stellar performances in athletics, in the classroom, as well as in her local community.”
Her Washington & Lee High School coaches concur. The terms “excellence,” “hard-working,” and “determined” come up often when one describes ‘AC.’ Malcolm Lewis, Athletic Director, said, “Watching Anne Carter Harding bloom into the well-rounded person she has become has been a pleasure. Her involvement…her personality…her selflessness, all are among her strongest characteristics. She is easily one of our school’s finest! Anne Carter has been a multi-sport star here at W&L. She has made All-District/All-Regional teams in multiple sports.” Drew Hutt, W&L Varsity Volleyball Coach has watched ‘AC’ grow into a leadership role. “AC has been the model student athlete since her 9th grade year; never missing a practice and always putting in extra work. She has been named to the All- Academic team every year and every season throughout her entire high school career. In the off-season, she has been a pillar in the weight room to get stronger for each of her seasons. While coaching her, she bought into my coaching values and cultures, which helped in creating one of the best sports atmospheres possible. She is the definition of hard work and dedication. ‘AC’ has been captain of the volleyball and softball teams for 3 years, earned numerous All-Region and All-District Honors in Volleyball and Softball. She capped off her Senior Volleyball season by being voted 2018 Northern Neck District Player of the Year, leading her team to the Northern Neck District Championship.”
In addition to her Volleyball accolades, ‘AC’ has a W&L softball record of 400 strikeouts, All academic, First team All-District pitcher, and 2nd team All –Region pitcher.
Despite all of the accolades, Anne Carter remains a humble person. “Receiving this award has been such an honor and I am so thankful to have even been taken into consideration. Through my years of playing sports, I have been fortunate enough to have a supportive family, inspiring coaches, and great friends that have stuck by my side. I would not be who I am without any of them. I have been so blessed to be a part of such a tightknit athletic program at W&L and will cherish every single memory forever. “
“If I could give any advice to student-athletes, it would be to never give up. Never give up during a game, a practice, or on your goals. Always thank your coaches and appreciate your teammates. Being an athlete is such a privilege to have, so soak in all in while you can. Playing sports is an amazing thing, but playing for W&L has been such a fun journey for me. I hope that every student athlete has the same experience I have had over the years and takes advantage of every opportunity given to them. I will never be able to thank my coaches, teammates, and family enough for being the best support system I could ever ask for. Once an Eagle, always an Eagle.”
One of her favorite things at W&L is that the sports team is “such a family.” “Many of the coaches are alumni and that helps a lot.” Anne’s positivity is abundant in all aspects of her life. “I think of every day as a good day. Playing sports made me who I am today. Being a student-athlete motivated me from the very beginning. The student always came first. I have always followed my rules of never giving up, always play 110%, and always thank those who support you.”
“I can’t say enough about my family’s support. My parents and grandparents have always been at every event. My father Ernie is a waterman and I help him on his boat when I can. I also work at Garner’s Produce.” Next year, her folks, Mom, Jackie, and grandmother, Christine Jones, will have a bit of a drive to see her play. Anne Carter has committed to play Volleyball at Ferrum College and starts off in mid-August. She is very excited to begin this next chapter of her life. At Ferrum, she will study Health & Human Performance with her academic scholarship. Anne Carter hopes to teach and coach in the future.
Cole Vanover, Assistant Athletic Director, summed up ‘AC’s’ career at W&L, “I’ve always admired her ability to be a great ambassador for Washington & Lee and her family. I think her legacy will stand the test of time…It’ll be remembered as a standard of excellence.”
Westmoreland County Public Schools congratulates Anne Harding Carter for this prestigious award and thanks her for the many years of stellar sportsmanship she has given to her schools and her community. We wish her much success at Ferrum College.
Since 1992, the Allstate Foundation/VHSL Achievement Awards have been presented to the outstanding male and female athlete and academic activities participant in Groups A, AA, and AAA. This year, nineteen $1,500 scholarships and a silver bowl will be given out an awards banquet. Over 200 applications were reviewed and presented on the criteria of a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale; students have won at least one varsity letter in the VHSL sport/academic activity; involvement in school sponsored activities; involvement in activities outside of school; two letters of support, and a 500-word student essay describing how extracurricular activities have enhanced their educational experience. Ms. Harding is only the second Washington & Lee High School athlete/scholar to win this prestigious award. Ali Jones received the Allstate Foundation/VHSL William Andrew Mullins Courageous Achievement Award in 2012.
Dr. John W. “Billy” Haun, Executive Director of the Virginia High School League, said of Anne’s selection, “The Allstate Foundation/VHSL Achievement Award recognizes excellence and a way to applaud our youth for their outstanding work on and off the playing fields. We commend Anne for her stellar performances in athletics, in the classroom, as well as in her local community.”
Her Washington & Lee High School coaches concur. The terms “excellence,” “hard-working,” and “determined” come up often when one describes ‘AC.’ Malcolm Lewis, Athletic Director, said, “Watching Anne Carter Harding bloom into the well-rounded person she has become has been a pleasure. Her involvement…her personality…her selflessness, all are among her strongest characteristics. She is easily one of our school’s finest! Anne Carter has been a multi-sport star here at W&L. She has made All-District/All-Regional teams in multiple sports.” Drew Hutt, W&L Varsity Volleyball Coach has watched ‘AC’ grow into a leadership role. “AC has been the model student athlete since her 9th grade year; never missing a practice and always putting in extra work. She has been named to the All- Academic team every year and every season throughout her entire high school career. In the off-season, she has been a pillar in the weight room to get stronger for each of her seasons. While coaching her, she bought into my coaching values and cultures, which helped in creating one of the best sports atmospheres possible. She is the definition of hard work and dedication. ‘AC’ has been captain of the volleyball and softball teams for 3 years, earned numerous All-Region and All-District Honors in Volleyball and Softball. She capped off her Senior Volleyball season by being voted 2018 Northern Neck District Player of the Year, leading her team to the Northern Neck District Championship.”
In addition to her Volleyball accolades, ‘AC’ has a W&L softball record of 400 strikeouts, All academic, First team All-District pitcher, and 2nd team All –Region pitcher.
Despite all of the accolades, Anne Carter remains a humble person. “Receiving this award has been such an honor and I am so thankful to have even been taken into consideration. Through my years of playing sports, I have been fortunate enough to have a supportive family, inspiring coaches, and great friends that have stuck by my side. I would not be who I am without any of them. I have been so blessed to be a part of such a tightknit athletic program at W&L and will cherish every single memory forever. “
“If I could give any advice to student-athletes, it would be to never give up. Never give up during a game, a practice, or on your goals. Always thank your coaches and appreciate your teammates. Being an athlete is such a privilege to have, so soak in all in while you can. Playing sports is an amazing thing, but playing for W&L has been such a fun journey for me. I hope that every student athlete has the same experience I have had over the years and takes advantage of every opportunity given to them. I will never be able to thank my coaches, teammates, and family enough for being the best support system I could ever ask for. Once an Eagle, always an Eagle.”
One of her favorite things at W&L is that the sports team is “such a family.” “Many of the coaches are alumni and that helps a lot.” Anne’s positivity is abundant in all aspects of her life. “I think of every day as a good day. Playing sports made me who I am today. Being a student-athlete motivated me from the very beginning. The student always came first. I have always followed my rules of never giving up, always play 110%, and always thank those who support you.”
“I can’t say enough about my family’s support. My parents and grandparents have always been at every event. My father Ernie is a waterman and I help him on his boat when I can. I also work at Garner’s Produce.” Next year, her folks, Mom, Jackie, and grandmother, Christine Jones, will have a bit of a drive to see her play. Anne Carter has committed to play Volleyball at Ferrum College and starts off in mid-August. She is very excited to begin this next chapter of her life. At Ferrum, she will study Health & Human Performance with her academic scholarship. Anne Carter hopes to teach and coach in the future.
Cole Vanover, Assistant Athletic Director, summed up ‘AC’s’ career at W&L, “I’ve always admired her ability to be a great ambassador for Washington & Lee and her family. I think her legacy will stand the test of time…It’ll be remembered as a standard of excellence.”
Westmoreland County Public Schools congratulates Anne Harding Carter for this prestigious award and thanks her for the many years of stellar sportsmanship she has given to her schools and her community. We wish her much success at Ferrum College.
westmoreland county students win big at state problem solving competition
On Friday, April 12, students from around the state competed at the Future Problem Solvers State Bowl held at Powhatan High School. The event encompasses a variety of competitions, all designed to test students’ problem-solving, decision-making, creativity, and critical thinking skills. Westmoreland County Public Schools was well-represented at the event and their students and teachers brought home a number of accolades.
Team Super Friends, from Washington District Elementary School (WDES), won second place in the Community Problem Solvers competition. They spent the school year teaching elementary students to be kind to others. The members of Team Super Friends are: Izabella Bojorquez, Ian Gueorguiev, Kelsea Hill, Emma Martin, Sophia Morrison, and Alijah Shelton. They are coached by Andrea Cottom and Rob Wright.
The Cople Elementary School (CES) Community Problem Solvers, team C.H.U.C.K. W.A.G.O.N., which taught students and their parents about the importance of family mealtimes, won first place and will compete at the International Future Problem Solvers competition held at the University of Massachusetts Amherst in June. The members of Team C.H.U.C.K. W.A.G.O.N. are Sydney Bedford, Jaidyn Burnett, Daniel Cisneros, Joshua Headley, David Lane, Felipe Martinez, and William Townsend. They are coached by Anne Evans and Andy Woodrow.
Team Super Friends, from Washington District Elementary School (WDES), won second place in the Community Problem Solvers competition. They spent the school year teaching elementary students to be kind to others. The members of Team Super Friends are: Izabella Bojorquez, Ian Gueorguiev, Kelsea Hill, Emma Martin, Sophia Morrison, and Alijah Shelton. They are coached by Andrea Cottom and Rob Wright.
The Cople Elementary School (CES) Community Problem Solvers, team C.H.U.C.K. W.A.G.O.N., which taught students and their parents about the importance of family mealtimes, won first place and will compete at the International Future Problem Solvers competition held at the University of Massachusetts Amherst in June. The members of Team C.H.U.C.K. W.A.G.O.N. are Sydney Bedford, Jaidyn Burnett, Daniel Cisneros, Joshua Headley, David Lane, Felipe Martinez, and William Townsend. They are coached by Anne Evans and Andy Woodrow.
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ELs/mep family night
The spring ELs/MEP Family Night was held April 24, 2019 at Washington & Lee High School. Parents and students received free resources, including a literacy bag filled with bilingual books. Families also received “career” hats that students could customize. The program emphasized high school completion focusing on diplomas, GPAs, scholarships, and funding sources. This year, Dr. Maricel Quintana-Baker, one of the founders of VALHEN (Virginia Latino Higher Education Network) spoke to the assembled parents and students about the many opportunities available to them. She also gave parents information about the summer camp for Hispanic youth at Virginia Tech. W&L junior, Guillermo Velazquez, who attended last year, spoke to the group about his experiences.
Steven Davis and Maritza Rivas, from the Virginia Park Services, also spoke to the families about resources that can be found at the state parks. They also brought information about seasonal employment. After the presentations, W&L ELs students gave tours of the high school to their younger peers. This is always a highlight of the evening for many of the youngsters. Families were also treated to a chicken dinner by the Food Service department.
Coordinators of the program are Esmeralda Medina and Xochil Cisneros.
Steven Davis and Maritza Rivas, from the Virginia Park Services, also spoke to the families about resources that can be found at the state parks. They also brought information about seasonal employment. After the presentations, W&L ELs students gave tours of the high school to their younger peers. This is always a highlight of the evening for many of the youngsters. Families were also treated to a chicken dinner by the Food Service department.
Coordinators of the program are Esmeralda Medina and Xochil Cisneros.
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w&l problem solvers take 3rd place at state bowl
On April 12-13, the Washington & Lee High School Global Problem Solvers placed third out of 18 teams competing in the Global competition. They were selected for their “Action Plan.” As part of the competition the team had to create an action plan and present it as a skit.
Team members included Madison Fraenckel, Cecelia MacNamara, Jenifer Broglin, and Lydia Wallace. Lydia Wallace also won 2nd place for scenario writing. Her winning piece was “Playback: Logged Files.”
Jenifer Broglin was awarded the George Wythe Award. She had to be recommended by a fellow team member for the award. Ms. Broglin and Cecelia MacNamara have competed since the sixth grade.
Joan Weldon is the group sponsor.
Team members included Madison Fraenckel, Cecelia MacNamara, Jenifer Broglin, and Lydia Wallace. Lydia Wallace also won 2nd place for scenario writing. Her winning piece was “Playback: Logged Files.”
Jenifer Broglin was awarded the George Wythe Award. She had to be recommended by a fellow team member for the award. Ms. Broglin and Cecelia MacNamara have competed since the sixth grade.
Joan Weldon is the group sponsor.
wmlcps students participate in seaperch challenge
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Five teams of students from Montross Middle School and Washington & Lee High School were among the 43 teams competing at the Regional SeaPerch Challenge at the Fredericksburg Academy’s indoor pool on March 9, 2019. WMLCPS students who placed in the competition were Jesse Fulkerson, second place in the pool challenge; Jason Hensarling and Trey Oliver who placed sixth in the pool challenge; and Nick Bowen and Danny Berry who placed second in the notebook presentation.
SeaPerch are remote controlled submersibles that students must first build themselves, designing them to meet the pool challenges. While piloting their SeaPerch in the pool, the students had to maneuver them through a five ring obstacle course, and then retrieve whiffle balls and place them on a platform on the other side of the course. The students also designed and presented engineering notebooks as part of the competition.
The Montross Middle School and W&L High School SeaPerch students and their coaches, Chastaine Perry, Meghan Smith, and Rob Wright, would like to extend their gratitude to Ms. Alexandra Bentz and the staff at the King George YMCA for graciously allowing them to practice piloting their SeaPerch prior to the competition.
SeaPerch are remote controlled submersibles that students must first build themselves, designing them to meet the pool challenges. While piloting their SeaPerch in the pool, the students had to maneuver them through a five ring obstacle course, and then retrieve whiffle balls and place them on a platform on the other side of the course. The students also designed and presented engineering notebooks as part of the competition.
The Montross Middle School and W&L High School SeaPerch students and their coaches, Chastaine Perry, Meghan Smith, and Rob Wright, would like to extend their gratitude to Ms. Alexandra Bentz and the staff at the King George YMCA for graciously allowing them to practice piloting their SeaPerch prior to the competition.
career fair at w&L
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For the past ten years, businesses have been invited to the annual Career Fair at Washington & Lee High School. This year 23 businesses came and spoke to students about future career choices. New exhibitors included GEICO and the Virginia Department of Labor.
Students from ninth to twelfth graders visited the various displays and talked to the assorted business people. The students were encouraged to ask pertinent questions relating to how much education is required, the amount of training that is needed, expectations of the employee, and what the various job opportunities are in each business.
Several students commented that they did not know that the Virginia Department of Transportation or the Riverside Hospital network had such a variety of positions that one could attain. Others seemed surprised that there was a plethora of positions available so close to home, including the school system. The purpose of the career fair has always been to enlighten W&L students to the availability of careers in the Northern Neck area and how to choose an educational path to attain employability and success.
This year’s business leaders were represented by Atlantic Union First Market Bank, Carry On Trailers, GEICO, George Washington Birthplace National Monument; Haynesville Correctional Center; Mary Washington Health Care Schools of Radiologic Technology, Naval Surface Warfare Center/Dahlgren;; Northern Neck Electric Cooperative; Northern Neck Soil and Water Conservation, Northern Neck Technical Center; NSWC Federal Credit Union; O’Gara Group; Rappahannock Community College & Workforce Development; Riverside Health Services ; Stratford, Virginia Defense Force; Virginia Department of Forestry; Virginia Department of Labor; Virginia Department of Transportation; Virginia National Guard; Westmoreland County Public Schools; Westmoreland County Sheriff’s Office; and Westmoreland State Park.
Several of the companies had drawings for the students. VDOT gave away drink holders and flashlights. They also had students signing a large yellow safety cone which they generously donated to the school at the end of the program. Other companies offered tee-shirts, candy, pencils, and drink holders. The U.S. National Guard table was busy throughout the morning handing out water bottles and other paraphernalia. The Westmoreland County School Division table had students guessing how many jelly beans were in a large container.
Westmoreland County Public Schools salutes each of these businesses for being an outstanding partner in education to our district.
Students from ninth to twelfth graders visited the various displays and talked to the assorted business people. The students were encouraged to ask pertinent questions relating to how much education is required, the amount of training that is needed, expectations of the employee, and what the various job opportunities are in each business.
Several students commented that they did not know that the Virginia Department of Transportation or the Riverside Hospital network had such a variety of positions that one could attain. Others seemed surprised that there was a plethora of positions available so close to home, including the school system. The purpose of the career fair has always been to enlighten W&L students to the availability of careers in the Northern Neck area and how to choose an educational path to attain employability and success.
This year’s business leaders were represented by Atlantic Union First Market Bank, Carry On Trailers, GEICO, George Washington Birthplace National Monument; Haynesville Correctional Center; Mary Washington Health Care Schools of Radiologic Technology, Naval Surface Warfare Center/Dahlgren;; Northern Neck Electric Cooperative; Northern Neck Soil and Water Conservation, Northern Neck Technical Center; NSWC Federal Credit Union; O’Gara Group; Rappahannock Community College & Workforce Development; Riverside Health Services ; Stratford, Virginia Defense Force; Virginia Department of Forestry; Virginia Department of Labor; Virginia Department of Transportation; Virginia National Guard; Westmoreland County Public Schools; Westmoreland County Sheriff’s Office; and Westmoreland State Park.
Several of the companies had drawings for the students. VDOT gave away drink holders and flashlights. They also had students signing a large yellow safety cone which they generously donated to the school at the end of the program. Other companies offered tee-shirts, candy, pencils, and drink holders. The U.S. National Guard table was busy throughout the morning handing out water bottles and other paraphernalia. The Westmoreland County School Division table had students guessing how many jelly beans were in a large container.
Westmoreland County Public Schools salutes each of these businesses for being an outstanding partner in education to our district.
telling our story: celebrating national school social work week
Last week Westmoreland County Public Schools celebrated National School Social Work Week. For the last three years, Jacque Maupin has served as the division’s social worker, and the schools and division celebrated her accomplishments. A school social worker is often mistaken for a school counselor. The main difference is Ms. Maupin’s focus is social and family problems. She is the advocate for the student in all aspects of the student’s growth. Additionally, at WMLCPS, one of Ms. Maupin’s main duties is responding to truancy and chronic absenteeism, and as she recently noted, “Promoting good student attendance is a challenging, but important, part of my job. My hope is that each and every student receives the very best education Westmoreland County Public Schools can offer. But to receive this beautiful, mind shaping education, students must be in school daily.”
Ms. Maupin did not always plan to be a social worker. “When I started my college career at Longwood University, I was barely 18 and I thought I wanted to be a Health and PE teacher. But after my first year and a half, I decided that wasn’t for me. I changed my major to social work.” Ms. Maupin added, “I remember when I first read about social work, I thought they should have put my picture on the page. It was just the right thing for me. Social work, for me, was truly a calling. I did not feel a connection with teaching health and PE and on my search for what I want to major in, I came across social work and everything I read about it described my abilities and dreams perfectly. My family has always been extremely supportive with everything I’ve put my mind to in life. They have helped me reach many goals and pushed me to be the best I could be. They are very proud of me and my career. My dad is a pastor in Westmoreland County and my mom is a teacher in Essex. I was raised to give back and to share the Good Word with the world.”
Ms. Maupin also has had many teachers inspire her along the way. Two stand out. At Longwood University, Ms. Maupin met Dr. Theresa Clark, whom she said had a major influence on her life. Dr. Clark attended the former Robert Russa Moron school, that is now a museum in Farmville, Virginia. Here in the Northern Neck, Ms. Maupin met Mrs. Wanda Reynolds. Ms. Maupin moved to the Northern Neck in the fifth grade and was the “new kid” in Mrs. Reynolds classroom. Today, they are colleagues, as Mrs. Reynolds now teaches at Cople Elementary. Ms. Maupin shared, “So many teachers helped form and shape my mind. Hands down, I loved school, but make no mistake, I hated the dreaded AR points requirements. Even still, I cannot imagine why students do not want to come to school.”
Serving as the social worker for WMLCPS is “honestly my dream job. Westmoreland County Public Schools thankfully took a chance on a 22-year-old kid who was fresh out of college. I had the biggest heart bursting with joy wanting to save the world, and I thank God they saw that in me. Although I was raised in Richmond County from the fifth grade on, I wanted to give back to the communities that I was raised near; these kids have so many pieces of my heart.”
“Goodness, this is school year number three for me and I couldn’t be happier about where I am in my career and in my life. My family and coworkers are such supportive and loving people. I saw this job opportunity and went for it with all I had. I wanted, and still want, to help this community be the best it can be. I love helping WMLCPS tell OUR story and share what we have to offer our students and staff. I want to work with students and help them to realize anything they put their minds to they can and will achieve. I want to help them understand that sometimes we have to go through the trenches to get to the treasure.”
In addition to serving as the division social worker, Ms. Maupin also coaches JV softball with assistant coach, Deputy Will England. Ms. Maupin is excited to see parents come out and support their children at the games, noting that when she was a student her own parents, “supported her and her brothers in everything.”
When she is not working, Ms. Maupin loves spending time with her family, visiting her brother and sister-in-law in Fredericksburg, and traveling. Her longest journey was when she accompanied her cousin to China. She has grown up in a loving and kind environment. Jacque is the daughter of Danny and Lorrie Maupin and has three brothers; JP, Danny, Jr., and Nic.
Ms. Maupin often cites great words of wisdom from her father’s Sunday sermons. “I think my favorite part of my job is when students leave my many offices at their schools and thank me for helping them, pushing them, and seeing the best in them.” To paraphrase her father, “A lot of people try and overlook the brokenness in our students, but if you imagine your life as a mason jar, with a candle inside, those cracks are what our light shines out of.”
When asked where she sees herself five years from now, Ms. Maupin quickly answered, “I, prayfully, see myself right here thriving as the school social worker for Westmoreland County Public Schools.”
Ms. Maupin did not always plan to be a social worker. “When I started my college career at Longwood University, I was barely 18 and I thought I wanted to be a Health and PE teacher. But after my first year and a half, I decided that wasn’t for me. I changed my major to social work.” Ms. Maupin added, “I remember when I first read about social work, I thought they should have put my picture on the page. It was just the right thing for me. Social work, for me, was truly a calling. I did not feel a connection with teaching health and PE and on my search for what I want to major in, I came across social work and everything I read about it described my abilities and dreams perfectly. My family has always been extremely supportive with everything I’ve put my mind to in life. They have helped me reach many goals and pushed me to be the best I could be. They are very proud of me and my career. My dad is a pastor in Westmoreland County and my mom is a teacher in Essex. I was raised to give back and to share the Good Word with the world.”
Ms. Maupin also has had many teachers inspire her along the way. Two stand out. At Longwood University, Ms. Maupin met Dr. Theresa Clark, whom she said had a major influence on her life. Dr. Clark attended the former Robert Russa Moron school, that is now a museum in Farmville, Virginia. Here in the Northern Neck, Ms. Maupin met Mrs. Wanda Reynolds. Ms. Maupin moved to the Northern Neck in the fifth grade and was the “new kid” in Mrs. Reynolds classroom. Today, they are colleagues, as Mrs. Reynolds now teaches at Cople Elementary. Ms. Maupin shared, “So many teachers helped form and shape my mind. Hands down, I loved school, but make no mistake, I hated the dreaded AR points requirements. Even still, I cannot imagine why students do not want to come to school.”
Serving as the social worker for WMLCPS is “honestly my dream job. Westmoreland County Public Schools thankfully took a chance on a 22-year-old kid who was fresh out of college. I had the biggest heart bursting with joy wanting to save the world, and I thank God they saw that in me. Although I was raised in Richmond County from the fifth grade on, I wanted to give back to the communities that I was raised near; these kids have so many pieces of my heart.”
“Goodness, this is school year number three for me and I couldn’t be happier about where I am in my career and in my life. My family and coworkers are such supportive and loving people. I saw this job opportunity and went for it with all I had. I wanted, and still want, to help this community be the best it can be. I love helping WMLCPS tell OUR story and share what we have to offer our students and staff. I want to work with students and help them to realize anything they put their minds to they can and will achieve. I want to help them understand that sometimes we have to go through the trenches to get to the treasure.”
In addition to serving as the division social worker, Ms. Maupin also coaches JV softball with assistant coach, Deputy Will England. Ms. Maupin is excited to see parents come out and support their children at the games, noting that when she was a student her own parents, “supported her and her brothers in everything.”
When she is not working, Ms. Maupin loves spending time with her family, visiting her brother and sister-in-law in Fredericksburg, and traveling. Her longest journey was when she accompanied her cousin to China. She has grown up in a loving and kind environment. Jacque is the daughter of Danny and Lorrie Maupin and has three brothers; JP, Danny, Jr., and Nic.
Ms. Maupin often cites great words of wisdom from her father’s Sunday sermons. “I think my favorite part of my job is when students leave my many offices at their schools and thank me for helping them, pushing them, and seeing the best in them.” To paraphrase her father, “A lot of people try and overlook the brokenness in our students, but if you imagine your life as a mason jar, with a candle inside, those cracks are what our light shines out of.”
When asked where she sees herself five years from now, Ms. Maupin quickly answered, “I, prayfully, see myself right here thriving as the school social worker for Westmoreland County Public Schools.”
westmoreland second graders in the swim of things
The Westmoreland County Family YMCA and Westmoreland County Public Schools recently announced a partnership to provide swimming lessons for all second grade students during the 2018-2019 school year. One hundred and one students will receive eight swim lesson sessions during the May 28-June 7 period.
The program will be funded through the Peninsula Metropolitan YMCA Endowment Fund, which has a long term goal to provide many years of training to second grade students throughout the Pen Met YMCA area. The YMCA’s Second Grade Learn to Swim program can help children learn the basic water safety skills. Since the inception of the program in 2007, 10,508 second graders have participated in the program. Terrie W. Suthard, program director of the Richmond County/Westmoreland County Family YMCA, noted, ‘It is an honor for the YMCA to be able to work in collaboration with the Westmoreland County Public School System to provide swimming lessons for the second graders during the 2018-2019 school year.”
Students will receive their training at the Glebe/Cabin Point Pool in Mt. Holly during the school day. Students will be transported by WMLCPS buses and the structured training will be led by the YMCA staff and certified swim instructors. Each session will last approximately 45 minutes. At the conclusion of each session, students will return to their school and continue their regular classes. All students will need a bathing suit and towel each day of training. The YMCA may provide these items for children in need.
The YMCA’s motto, “Impacting Lives through Drowning Prevention,” is especially important to Westmoreland County residents. Living so close to waterfronts requires an awareness of the dangers of drowning. Cathy Rice, Deputy Superintendent of WMLCPS, said, “This program has been a much needed program for our students. We are delighted to have the YMCA offer this program to our young students at no cost to our parents.”
Parents will be receiving the information packets soon. All permission forms must be returned to the schools by Friday, March 15.
The program will be funded through the Peninsula Metropolitan YMCA Endowment Fund, which has a long term goal to provide many years of training to second grade students throughout the Pen Met YMCA area. The YMCA’s Second Grade Learn to Swim program can help children learn the basic water safety skills. Since the inception of the program in 2007, 10,508 second graders have participated in the program. Terrie W. Suthard, program director of the Richmond County/Westmoreland County Family YMCA, noted, ‘It is an honor for the YMCA to be able to work in collaboration with the Westmoreland County Public School System to provide swimming lessons for the second graders during the 2018-2019 school year.”
Students will receive their training at the Glebe/Cabin Point Pool in Mt. Holly during the school day. Students will be transported by WMLCPS buses and the structured training will be led by the YMCA staff and certified swim instructors. Each session will last approximately 45 minutes. At the conclusion of each session, students will return to their school and continue their regular classes. All students will need a bathing suit and towel each day of training. The YMCA may provide these items for children in need.
The YMCA’s motto, “Impacting Lives through Drowning Prevention,” is especially important to Westmoreland County residents. Living so close to waterfronts requires an awareness of the dangers of drowning. Cathy Rice, Deputy Superintendent of WMLCPS, said, “This program has been a much needed program for our students. We are delighted to have the YMCA offer this program to our young students at no cost to our parents.”
Parents will be receiving the information packets soon. All permission forms must be returned to the schools by Friday, March 15.
montross middle school band shines at district auditions
Montross Middle School’s band director Bruce Passaretti must be doing something right. Recently, he took 40 MMS band students to Caroline County to compete with 20 other area schools for spots on the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula Area Honors Band. Not only did they compete, but 18 of the MMS musicians were selected for the Honors Band. Those selected include Ariel Nix, Courtney Tolson, Rachel Haggerty-Obregon, Kimberly Garcia-Moran, JaNiyah Gaskins, Alysia Johnson, Ayla Meheula,
Marquis Smith, Tarryn Hall, Starr MacDonald, Romeo Ramos, Allyson Foor, Jack Lahey, Abigail Sierra,
Zander Carey, Chase Louk, Bryan Lopez-Mendoza, and MacKenzie Wilkins.
The students made their presence felt throughout the competition. For example, the area Honors’ Band had 25 slots for clarinet players and 10 MMS musicians were selected. Additionally, two MMS band students, Allyson Foor and Starr MacDonald were named first chair musicians for the French horn and bass clarinet, respectfully. Mr. Passaretti said of the musicians,” I am very excited about the enthusiasm that MMS students have for band and I'm proud of them for auditioning for the Area Honor Band."
The students had to prepare for their auditions. Students were judged on memorized major scales, memorized chromatic scales, a prepared audition piece, and sight reading. The following students attended the area band competition: Katie Lopez, Emily Hooks, Cali Quade, Emma Oliver, Chasity Tolson, Lacey Howell, Mackenzie Wilkins, Ariel Nix, Courtney Tolson, Mia Wright, Rachel Haggerty-Obregon, Kimberly Garcia-Moran, Serenity Reynolds, Brooklyn Williams, JaNiyah Gaskins, Alysia Johnson, Ayla Meheula, Marquis Smith, Tarryn Hall, Starr MacDonald, Romeo Ramos, Kailen Harris, Izaac Bojorquez, Dylan Johns-Woolard, Anthony Braxton, Daniel Shawyer, Jada Turner, Allyson Foor, Ta'Koya Dantzler
Jaden Lee, Sandra Dorantes-Serrano, Jack Lahey, Jah'Meire Wing, Aidan Diamond, Cristian Flores, Abigail Sierra, Zander Carey, Chase Louk, Bryan Lopez-Mendoza and Gabriella Watkins.
The students will next appear with the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula Area Honors Band in concert in Charles City High School on March 23, 2019. Westmoreland County Public Schools salute these talented students and teacher and appreciate their musical efforts.
Marquis Smith, Tarryn Hall, Starr MacDonald, Romeo Ramos, Allyson Foor, Jack Lahey, Abigail Sierra,
Zander Carey, Chase Louk, Bryan Lopez-Mendoza, and MacKenzie Wilkins.
The students made their presence felt throughout the competition. For example, the area Honors’ Band had 25 slots for clarinet players and 10 MMS musicians were selected. Additionally, two MMS band students, Allyson Foor and Starr MacDonald were named first chair musicians for the French horn and bass clarinet, respectfully. Mr. Passaretti said of the musicians,” I am very excited about the enthusiasm that MMS students have for band and I'm proud of them for auditioning for the Area Honor Band."
The students had to prepare for their auditions. Students were judged on memorized major scales, memorized chromatic scales, a prepared audition piece, and sight reading. The following students attended the area band competition: Katie Lopez, Emily Hooks, Cali Quade, Emma Oliver, Chasity Tolson, Lacey Howell, Mackenzie Wilkins, Ariel Nix, Courtney Tolson, Mia Wright, Rachel Haggerty-Obregon, Kimberly Garcia-Moran, Serenity Reynolds, Brooklyn Williams, JaNiyah Gaskins, Alysia Johnson, Ayla Meheula, Marquis Smith, Tarryn Hall, Starr MacDonald, Romeo Ramos, Kailen Harris, Izaac Bojorquez, Dylan Johns-Woolard, Anthony Braxton, Daniel Shawyer, Jada Turner, Allyson Foor, Ta'Koya Dantzler
Jaden Lee, Sandra Dorantes-Serrano, Jack Lahey, Jah'Meire Wing, Aidan Diamond, Cristian Flores, Abigail Sierra, Zander Carey, Chase Louk, Bryan Lopez-Mendoza and Gabriella Watkins.
The students will next appear with the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula Area Honors Band in concert in Charles City High School on March 23, 2019. Westmoreland County Public Schools salute these talented students and teacher and appreciate their musical efforts.
ralph fallin - the "Passionate chairman"
“I ran for the School Board because I have specific goals and objectives that I feel are essential to moving our school system forward and I have a vision that the Westmoreland County School Division be recognized for its excellence in education.”
Westmoreland County Public Schools’ School Board chairman, Ralph Fallin, personifies passion and purpose in a man. His very demeanor changes when he talks about his love of education. The life- long resident of Westmoreland County, remembers fondly his days at Washington & Lee High School. He was the only student studying advanced math and wished he could have found more courses to take. The passion he had for the sciences never left him nor has his desire to offer more opportunities to all Westmoreland County Public School students.
Fallin grew up in a meager environment and education played a key role in all his early decisions. His father attended and graduated from the University of Richmond. Likewise, Mr. Fallin only applied to the University of Richmond. He got a taste as an educator, early on, as he taught math, science, and physics for a year at Lee-Davis High School. As much as he loved teaching, Mr. Fallin learned that the “rewards” of an educator is not always seen in a paycheck. His teaching wages lead him to begin work at Dahlgren in the Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile Program and later in the Space and Surface Systems, and finally in the special Naval and Joint Service Programs. He then joined the corporate side of the business becoming Chief Learning Officer. Throughout his career, he never surrendered his commitment to excellence fostered through learning.
Retiring at a relatively young age, Mr. Fallin has devoted his time to his church, Ebenezer United Methodist Church and to his four grandchildren. He is proud of an addition at his church that was completed and paid for in less than five years while he chaired the building committee. But he’s most proud that his four grandchildren are proudly carrying on their grandparents’ love and passion for education. Savannah is attending the University of Richmond while Mclean is attending Elon University. Ryland is attending Maggie Walker Governor’s School and Eliza is succeeding in middle school.
He notes that some things have changed in the four years he has served on the Board. “I still have the same vision, the same priorities and the same level of commitment that I had when I first became a member of the School Board. However, as I have become more knowledgeable, I have changed my approach to dealing with some of my School Board responsibilities. Also, I have a better appreciation of the importance of advocating for public education, being a cheer leader for our school division, and for establishing and promoting legislative priorities that help ensure the success of our students.”
“The most challenging undertaking that I have participated in as a School Board member has been my involvement in planning for and designing our new high school. Designing our new high school based on how students learn best, and that also meets our education needs for many years in the future, has been an exciting and motivating challenge. On the other hand, completing the design within our funding allocation and dealing with costs that continue to escalate has been challenging.”
If you attend any school event, you likely will have seen Mr. Fallin and his wife. They attend numerous and varied events, including sports, art shows, and band concerts. Their unfailing support of Westmoreland County Public School students is attributable to his passion for students’ success. “Since I am retired, I have the flexibility of visiting schools during the day.” Mr. Fallin is a volunteer with the HEROES mentoring and tutoring program and typically visits each elementary school once a week. He also visits Washington & Lee High School and Montross Middle School on a regular basis.
Since he attended Westmoreland County Public Schools a lot has changed. There is more diversity in the county and the evolution of technology has affected every individual. Mr. Fallin notes that four main changes that have occurred in schools are technology, social media, discipline, and programs of study. Students have many more opportunities to achieve their highest goals. One of his favorite delights is to guide young people to success. He looks for ways to mentor and help others understand that “their goals are their goals, not anyone else’s. Students must be encouraged to get out of their comfort zones and expand their horizons.” His university granddaughters just recently began a term of overseas studies. Even though they will be greatly missed by this doting grandfather, Mr. Fallin understands the importance of independent study and what a valuable experience this education is for the two of them.
Recently reelected again as School Board chairman, Mr. Fallin stated, “This is truly an exciting time to be a School Board member. We are still expecting to start construction of our new high school in the spring, all of our schools are now fully accredited, we have initiatives in Project Based Learning and Career and Technical Education, and our students are being recognized for their accomplishments.”
Mr. Fallin will always be recognized for his kindness and passion for education. Westmoreland County Public Schools is lucky to have those attributes in its School Board leaders.
“I am passionate about education and I enjoy the responsibilities and challenges associated with being on the School Board. What I enjoy the most is the opportunity to help make a lasting and positive impact on our young people, watching our students achieve academic success and seeing our students and employees receive well-deserved recognition.”
Mr. Fallin
Westmoreland County Public Schools’ School Board chairman, Ralph Fallin, personifies passion and purpose in a man. His very demeanor changes when he talks about his love of education. The life- long resident of Westmoreland County, remembers fondly his days at Washington & Lee High School. He was the only student studying advanced math and wished he could have found more courses to take. The passion he had for the sciences never left him nor has his desire to offer more opportunities to all Westmoreland County Public School students.
Fallin grew up in a meager environment and education played a key role in all his early decisions. His father attended and graduated from the University of Richmond. Likewise, Mr. Fallin only applied to the University of Richmond. He got a taste as an educator, early on, as he taught math, science, and physics for a year at Lee-Davis High School. As much as he loved teaching, Mr. Fallin learned that the “rewards” of an educator is not always seen in a paycheck. His teaching wages lead him to begin work at Dahlgren in the Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile Program and later in the Space and Surface Systems, and finally in the special Naval and Joint Service Programs. He then joined the corporate side of the business becoming Chief Learning Officer. Throughout his career, he never surrendered his commitment to excellence fostered through learning.
Retiring at a relatively young age, Mr. Fallin has devoted his time to his church, Ebenezer United Methodist Church and to his four grandchildren. He is proud of an addition at his church that was completed and paid for in less than five years while he chaired the building committee. But he’s most proud that his four grandchildren are proudly carrying on their grandparents’ love and passion for education. Savannah is attending the University of Richmond while Mclean is attending Elon University. Ryland is attending Maggie Walker Governor’s School and Eliza is succeeding in middle school.
He notes that some things have changed in the four years he has served on the Board. “I still have the same vision, the same priorities and the same level of commitment that I had when I first became a member of the School Board. However, as I have become more knowledgeable, I have changed my approach to dealing with some of my School Board responsibilities. Also, I have a better appreciation of the importance of advocating for public education, being a cheer leader for our school division, and for establishing and promoting legislative priorities that help ensure the success of our students.”
“The most challenging undertaking that I have participated in as a School Board member has been my involvement in planning for and designing our new high school. Designing our new high school based on how students learn best, and that also meets our education needs for many years in the future, has been an exciting and motivating challenge. On the other hand, completing the design within our funding allocation and dealing with costs that continue to escalate has been challenging.”
If you attend any school event, you likely will have seen Mr. Fallin and his wife. They attend numerous and varied events, including sports, art shows, and band concerts. Their unfailing support of Westmoreland County Public School students is attributable to his passion for students’ success. “Since I am retired, I have the flexibility of visiting schools during the day.” Mr. Fallin is a volunteer with the HEROES mentoring and tutoring program and typically visits each elementary school once a week. He also visits Washington & Lee High School and Montross Middle School on a regular basis.
Since he attended Westmoreland County Public Schools a lot has changed. There is more diversity in the county and the evolution of technology has affected every individual. Mr. Fallin notes that four main changes that have occurred in schools are technology, social media, discipline, and programs of study. Students have many more opportunities to achieve their highest goals. One of his favorite delights is to guide young people to success. He looks for ways to mentor and help others understand that “their goals are their goals, not anyone else’s. Students must be encouraged to get out of their comfort zones and expand their horizons.” His university granddaughters just recently began a term of overseas studies. Even though they will be greatly missed by this doting grandfather, Mr. Fallin understands the importance of independent study and what a valuable experience this education is for the two of them.
Recently reelected again as School Board chairman, Mr. Fallin stated, “This is truly an exciting time to be a School Board member. We are still expecting to start construction of our new high school in the spring, all of our schools are now fully accredited, we have initiatives in Project Based Learning and Career and Technical Education, and our students are being recognized for their accomplishments.”
Mr. Fallin will always be recognized for his kindness and passion for education. Westmoreland County Public Schools is lucky to have those attributes in its School Board leaders.
“I am passionate about education and I enjoy the responsibilities and challenges associated with being on the School Board. What I enjoy the most is the opportunity to help make a lasting and positive impact on our young people, watching our students achieve academic success and seeing our students and employees receive well-deserved recognition.”
Mr. Fallin
celebrating cte month
Every February schools across the country celebrate CTE month. Career and Technical Education is one of the key areas that school divisions and employers are focusing on to help develop our future employees. CTE covers some of the most diverse and in-demand fields where training occurs. It is with this goal that Westmoreland County Public Schools continues to review and expand its CTE offerings to students.
According to CTE Director, Justin Savoy, around 1,000 students participate in some form of CTE training. Fifteen courses are offered at W&L High School and thirty-six classes take place in the A/B Montross Middle School schedule. Classes ranging from culinary arts, STEM, business development, economics, finance, elements of design, coding, restaurant development, Robotics, and sports marketing are offered. Additional classes are offered at the Northern Neck Technical Center in Warsaw.
This year several of the classes have been participating in various skills programs. The re-charted DECA club recently competed in the District completion and qualified for regional competition in Virginia Beach. The culinary students presented a special meal for the School Board in December and are now busy planning a luncheon for the All Leadership Team (ALT) at the School Board.
One of the more ambitious opportunities for finance students has been the creation of the Eagle’s Financial Credit Union in collaboration with the NSWC Credit Union. Started in April, 2018, six students were selected and trained to do all the duties of a credit clerk. Every Thursday morning, the students set up their tables and meet and greet their customers. Teachers and students have opened checking and savings accounts in the new location. Mr. Savoy has cited the success of the program and the hope to extend this program to other schools in the district.
Another fledgling successful company is Eagle – Design It Your Way. With machine production located at Montross Middle School and management at Washington & Lee High School, the students collaborate on creating a complete design and printing experience for students and teachers. They have produced Tee Shirts for the girls’ basketball team Cancer Recognition Night, WMLCPS nurses, and teacher bags for the Special Education teachers. The students have learned an incredible amount of production skills, marketing skills, and collaboration techniques.
For the first time this term, fourteen students have begun a Journey to Robotics course. Under the tutelage of instructor Joseph Taylor, the students are studying elements of design and functionality. They have a Robokind robot that resembles a small toddler to code and examine functionality. The students have named the robot, Jett, and they have had a grand time directing Jett around the room and conversing with it. The Robotics students plan on entering an engineering contest this spring at Kings Dominion.
The CTE department has great plans for the future and looks forward to finding more local companies to partner with. Internships and apprenticing is an important part of the students’ training. If you or your company would like to meet with Mr. Savoy about becoming a partner with the WMLCPS CTE department contact him at 804-493-8015.
According to CTE Director, Justin Savoy, around 1,000 students participate in some form of CTE training. Fifteen courses are offered at W&L High School and thirty-six classes take place in the A/B Montross Middle School schedule. Classes ranging from culinary arts, STEM, business development, economics, finance, elements of design, coding, restaurant development, Robotics, and sports marketing are offered. Additional classes are offered at the Northern Neck Technical Center in Warsaw.
This year several of the classes have been participating in various skills programs. The re-charted DECA club recently competed in the District completion and qualified for regional competition in Virginia Beach. The culinary students presented a special meal for the School Board in December and are now busy planning a luncheon for the All Leadership Team (ALT) at the School Board.
One of the more ambitious opportunities for finance students has been the creation of the Eagle’s Financial Credit Union in collaboration with the NSWC Credit Union. Started in April, 2018, six students were selected and trained to do all the duties of a credit clerk. Every Thursday morning, the students set up their tables and meet and greet their customers. Teachers and students have opened checking and savings accounts in the new location. Mr. Savoy has cited the success of the program and the hope to extend this program to other schools in the district.
Another fledgling successful company is Eagle – Design It Your Way. With machine production located at Montross Middle School and management at Washington & Lee High School, the students collaborate on creating a complete design and printing experience for students and teachers. They have produced Tee Shirts for the girls’ basketball team Cancer Recognition Night, WMLCPS nurses, and teacher bags for the Special Education teachers. The students have learned an incredible amount of production skills, marketing skills, and collaboration techniques.
For the first time this term, fourteen students have begun a Journey to Robotics course. Under the tutelage of instructor Joseph Taylor, the students are studying elements of design and functionality. They have a Robokind robot that resembles a small toddler to code and examine functionality. The students have named the robot, Jett, and they have had a grand time directing Jett around the room and conversing with it. The Robotics students plan on entering an engineering contest this spring at Kings Dominion.
The CTE department has great plans for the future and looks forward to finding more local companies to partner with. Internships and apprenticing is an important part of the students’ training. If you or your company would like to meet with Mr. Savoy about becoming a partner with the WMLCPS CTE department contact him at 804-493-8015.
school board reelects ralph fallin as chairman
During the January 28, 2019 meeting, the Westmoreland County Public Schools School Board held their annual organization of the board session. By unanimous vote, Ralph Fallin was reelected to lead the Board for the 2019 -2020 school year. Dr. Daniel Wallace was also reelected to the vice-chairman position. Other members were selected to represent Westmoreland County Public Schools on various committees: Chesapeake Bay Governor’s School Representative and Alternative Representative, Dr. Daniel Wallace and Sandy Ramsey; Northern Neck Regional Technical Center Representative and Alternate Representative, Iris Lane and Ralph Fallin; and Northern Neck Alternative Education Program Representative and Alternate Representative, Ralph Fallin and Iris Lane.
The Westmoreland County School Board will be further acknowledged at the February 25, 2019 meeting for Virginia School Board Recognition Month.
The Westmoreland County School Board will be further acknowledged at the February 25, 2019 meeting for Virginia School Board Recognition Month.
nicole rosier named wmlcps district spelling bee champ
It took 3 rounds before a winner was declared for the Westmoreland County Public Schools’ spelling bee district championship. At the end of the evening, fourth grade Washington District Elementary student, Nicole Rosier, sealed her victory by spelling correctly the final word of the night, “vocational.” Ms. Rosier will now prepare for the regional contest in Fredericksburg. She is the daughter of Monica Lucas-Rosier and Zachary Rosier.
The Spelling Bee Participants were Cople Elementary; first grade, Myla Sichol (alternate, Tahari Yerby); second grade, Mandy McHugh (alternate, Amar’e Thomas), third grade, Azaiden Ingram-Smith (alternate, Mark Gooch, fourth grade, William Townsend (alternate, Yeymi Mendoza-Medina) and fifth grade, Morgan Gooch (alternate, Layla Washington).
Representatives from Washington District were; first grade, Trinity Bartley, (alternate, Brooklynn Carter), second grade, Brendan Rubinchak (alternate, Gustavo Cabanillas), third grade, Madison Clark (alternate, Henry Dobyns), fourth grade, Nicole Rosier, (alternate, Emma Martin), and fifth grade, Sophia Morrison (alternate, Alana Craig).
Montross Middle School was represented by sixth grade, Aven Clarke (alternate, Dorin Wilson), seventh grade, Naudia Lee (alternate, Abby Sierra), and eighth grade, Mi’Kela Jones (alternate, (Zomari Sutton).
Anne Glancy, Director Emeritus of Instruction and Assessment, presented Ms. Rosier with a “WMLCPS” dictionary. Washington District Elementary third grader, Madison Clark was the runner-up.
The event was coordinated by Anne Glancy and Carole Alexander, Data Management Specialist. The spelling bee announcer was Carole Kelley, Director of Special Education. Judges included Justin Savoy, CTE Director, James Cook, retired Assistant Superintendent of Personnel, and Patty Kelly Long, Public Relations Specialist. School coordinators were Cople, Will Hernandez, assistant principal; Washington District, Brian Satterwhite, assistant principal; and Montross Middle, Christie Douglas, assistant principal. The student facilitator was Julie Weicht, Early Intervention Specialist. Crystal Glading, Federal Projects Clerk, coordinated the materials.
The National Spelling Bee was started in 1925 by the Louisville Courier-Journal, which had conducted a statewide match to find the best grade-school spellers in Kentucky. It was then decided to extend the challenge to other newspapers to choose their own champions to take part in a spelling showdown in Washington, DC, to determine a national champion. Nine contestants competed. In 1941, Scripps took over the sponsorship of the National Spelling Bee. There was no spelling bee during the war years of 1943– 45. Co-champions were declared in 1950, 1957, and 1962.
We congratulate all of our champions who so admirably represented their prospective schools.
The Spelling Bee Participants were Cople Elementary; first grade, Myla Sichol (alternate, Tahari Yerby); second grade, Mandy McHugh (alternate, Amar’e Thomas), third grade, Azaiden Ingram-Smith (alternate, Mark Gooch, fourth grade, William Townsend (alternate, Yeymi Mendoza-Medina) and fifth grade, Morgan Gooch (alternate, Layla Washington).
Representatives from Washington District were; first grade, Trinity Bartley, (alternate, Brooklynn Carter), second grade, Brendan Rubinchak (alternate, Gustavo Cabanillas), third grade, Madison Clark (alternate, Henry Dobyns), fourth grade, Nicole Rosier, (alternate, Emma Martin), and fifth grade, Sophia Morrison (alternate, Alana Craig).
Montross Middle School was represented by sixth grade, Aven Clarke (alternate, Dorin Wilson), seventh grade, Naudia Lee (alternate, Abby Sierra), and eighth grade, Mi’Kela Jones (alternate, (Zomari Sutton).
Anne Glancy, Director Emeritus of Instruction and Assessment, presented Ms. Rosier with a “WMLCPS” dictionary. Washington District Elementary third grader, Madison Clark was the runner-up.
The event was coordinated by Anne Glancy and Carole Alexander, Data Management Specialist. The spelling bee announcer was Carole Kelley, Director of Special Education. Judges included Justin Savoy, CTE Director, James Cook, retired Assistant Superintendent of Personnel, and Patty Kelly Long, Public Relations Specialist. School coordinators were Cople, Will Hernandez, assistant principal; Washington District, Brian Satterwhite, assistant principal; and Montross Middle, Christie Douglas, assistant principal. The student facilitator was Julie Weicht, Early Intervention Specialist. Crystal Glading, Federal Projects Clerk, coordinated the materials.
The National Spelling Bee was started in 1925 by the Louisville Courier-Journal, which had conducted a statewide match to find the best grade-school spellers in Kentucky. It was then decided to extend the challenge to other newspapers to choose their own champions to take part in a spelling showdown in Washington, DC, to determine a national champion. Nine contestants competed. In 1941, Scripps took over the sponsorship of the National Spelling Bee. There was no spelling bee during the war years of 1943– 45. Co-champions were declared in 1950, 1957, and 1962.
We congratulate all of our champions who so admirably represented their prospective schools.
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martin luther king celebration announced
The Westmoreland County Public Schools’ Food Service Department will host a full breakfast celebration at 9:00 am on January 21, 2019 at Washington & Lee High School. The celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King will feature guest speaker Reverend Carolyn Fisher, pastor at Queen Esther Baptist Church in Mollusk, Virginia.
The program’s proceeds will be used to address student cafeteria debt. Hazel Hickman, WMLCPS Food Service Supervisor noted that many families have accrued debt that affects the ability of their child to receive regular menu items. The $10 fee for the breakfast will be used to eliminate the student debt.
The breakfast menu will include sausage, bacon, eggs, hash browns, cooked apples, biscuits, juice, and coffee. Sponsor slots are available for $50 and can be purchased by January 15, 2019. All tickets are available at the Westmoreland County Public School Office located at 141 Opal Lane, Montross, Virginia, 804-493-8018.
The program’s proceeds will be used to address student cafeteria debt. Hazel Hickman, WMLCPS Food Service Supervisor noted that many families have accrued debt that affects the ability of their child to receive regular menu items. The $10 fee for the breakfast will be used to eliminate the student debt.
The breakfast menu will include sausage, bacon, eggs, hash browns, cooked apples, biscuits, juice, and coffee. Sponsor slots are available for $50 and can be purchased by January 15, 2019. All tickets are available at the Westmoreland County Public School Office located at 141 Opal Lane, Montross, Virginia, 804-493-8018.
dr. lane visits washington district elementary
Virginia’s Superintendent of Public Education, Dr. James Lane, visited Mrs. Johnson’s kindergarten class at Washington District Elementary School on November 26, 2018. He read two books to the students and played the game scissors, rock, paper with several students. The excited class showed Dr. Lane their newest PBL project a large group of boxes that they could throw balls into. The boxes were made up of various shapes, including circles and triangles. The students told Dr. Lane about the various shapes and how they were identified. One of the morning’s highlights was watching Dr. Lane try and put five balls into the correct circles.
Dr. Lane was invited to the school as part of the Bring Your Legislator to School month. Westmoreland County Public Schools and Washington District Elementary School thank Dr. Lane for being a wonderful partner to our school district and its students.
Dr. Lane was invited to the school as part of the Bring Your Legislator to School month. Westmoreland County Public Schools and Washington District Elementary School thank Dr. Lane for being a wonderful partner to our school district and its students.
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cople students score big at redskins game
Even though the Washington Redskins lost their home game to the Atlanta Falcons, a group of Cople Elementary School students still consider them champions. On November 4, 2018, fifteen Cople students were in the stadium loudly cheering on their team and classmate. Guests of Washington Redskin Linebacker, Pernell McPhee (#96) and the Redskins Charitable Foundation, the students had a day to remember. One student, Serenity Coleman, was randomly selected to participate as the honorary second half kick-off kid and was featured on the FedEx Field jumbotron screen.
This year Cople Elementary School elected to participate in the 2018-2019 Redskins Read program. All Cople 4th and 5th graders were given a Redskins Read Playbook to use. The Playbook was designed to help students track the books they are reading and write about their favorite parts of the book. Each month, students are asked to address a specific prompt. There are vocabulary and writing activities for every month. Among the features in the Playbook is a Redskin player profile for the students to read. According to the Redskins, the “more you read and the more activities you complete, the better chance you, your class, and your school have of winning awesome Redskin prizes.”
One of the elements of the Redskins Read Program is that the Charitable Foundation offers one student from a randomly selected school the opportunity to attend a Redskins home game as the honorary second half kick-off kid. Cople Elementary was honored to be the selected school for the Redskins and Falcons game on November 4, 2018. They were invited to bring 15 classmates and five chaperones to the game. Ms. Leslie Steele and Anne Evans, Cople ‘s Redskins Read Program Ambassador, drew names for the game from a large container.
The lucky students selected by the drawing were Arkeela Johnson, Michael Rattliff, Nicholas Smith, Amber Ashton, Elijah Crawley, Sydney Bedford, Walter Simons, Yulisa Valencia, Jamyra Gaskins, Stephanie Lopez, Serenity Coleman, William Redmond, Zion Croxton, Janiyah Henry, and Morgan Gooch. As noted, Serenity Coleman was then selected by another drawing to be the honorary second half kick-off kid. They were accompanied by chaperones Kathryn Wittman, Sarah Majer, Andrew Woodrow, Chris Evans, and Conway Payne.
In addition to attending the game, the students received a tee shirt and a game certificate. Cople Elementary School and Westmoreland County Public Schools appreciates the generosity of the Washington Redskins organization, #96, Pernell McPhee, and their pursuit of excellence for schoolchildren.
This year Cople Elementary School elected to participate in the 2018-2019 Redskins Read program. All Cople 4th and 5th graders were given a Redskins Read Playbook to use. The Playbook was designed to help students track the books they are reading and write about their favorite parts of the book. Each month, students are asked to address a specific prompt. There are vocabulary and writing activities for every month. Among the features in the Playbook is a Redskin player profile for the students to read. According to the Redskins, the “more you read and the more activities you complete, the better chance you, your class, and your school have of winning awesome Redskin prizes.”
One of the elements of the Redskins Read Program is that the Charitable Foundation offers one student from a randomly selected school the opportunity to attend a Redskins home game as the honorary second half kick-off kid. Cople Elementary was honored to be the selected school for the Redskins and Falcons game on November 4, 2018. They were invited to bring 15 classmates and five chaperones to the game. Ms. Leslie Steele and Anne Evans, Cople ‘s Redskins Read Program Ambassador, drew names for the game from a large container.
The lucky students selected by the drawing were Arkeela Johnson, Michael Rattliff, Nicholas Smith, Amber Ashton, Elijah Crawley, Sydney Bedford, Walter Simons, Yulisa Valencia, Jamyra Gaskins, Stephanie Lopez, Serenity Coleman, William Redmond, Zion Croxton, Janiyah Henry, and Morgan Gooch. As noted, Serenity Coleman was then selected by another drawing to be the honorary second half kick-off kid. They were accompanied by chaperones Kathryn Wittman, Sarah Majer, Andrew Woodrow, Chris Evans, and Conway Payne.
In addition to attending the game, the students received a tee shirt and a game certificate. Cople Elementary School and Westmoreland County Public Schools appreciates the generosity of the Washington Redskins organization, #96, Pernell McPhee, and their pursuit of excellence for schoolchildren.
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state of the schools - telling our story
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This year’s State of the Schools program on October 25, 2018 was about “Telling the Story” of student achievement and the renewed excitement at Westmoreland County Public Schools. The program began with guests being welcomed by Deputy Superintendent, Cathy Rice who also previewed the evening’s activities. Next, the presentation of colors was done by the Virginia Army National Guard Flag team from Fredericksburg, Virginia, featuring squad leader, SFC Jonathan Brown, PFC Callum Gardiner, PFC James Hill, PFC Asa Kidd, and PFC Malik Martin. Ms. Sydney Bedford led the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance and the invocation was delivered by W&L assistant principal, Jarvis Bailey. The beautiful acapella voice of Montross Middle School teacher I’Asha Murphy soared through the crowd as she sang a stunning rendition of the National Anthem.
Superintendent Dr. Michael Perry delivered the annual message focusing on the ramifications of full accreditation of all the Westmoreland County schools. Dr. Perry gave examples of what full accreditation means to both the local business community, the families and students of Westmoreland. He stated that education is an economic driver for the community. As such, Dr. Perry indicated that parents have choices and that full accreditation enhances Westmoreland as “the choice” for parents to educate their children.
With the schools being fully accredited we can now start expanding our horizon to individual and cohort success. It is no longer sufficient to just have a student graduate. The “Profile of a Virginia Graduate,” demands that students graduate college and career ready. Life-ready Virginia graduates must achieve and apply content knowledge; demonstrate workplace skills; have community engagement and civic responsibility; and have career exploration.
The Division’s focus through project-based learning will assist students in reaching these goals. Project based learning, or PBL, utilizes real world problems that challenges students in problem solving and sustained inquiry. Students will choose and explore their projects and after researching, present their findings and conclusions. Career and Technical education programs will be expanded and refined throughout the K-12 curriculum. The new high school will also accommodate the project based learning approach through the use of collaborative spaces and outdoor spaces.
The Cople Elementary School’s solar project will soon be completed. This project will generate over a million dollars in savings to be applied to provide Cople Elementary School with a much needed gymnasium. Dr. Perry stated there is a project based learning education component to this project.
Several other goals were shared that were related to being fully accredited. Full accreditation will help the goal for the district is to be fully staffed annually. Full accreditation will be a driver for the new Strategic Plan. Finally, Dr. Perry welcomed local residents and parents to call and arrange for a visit to all schools to see the exciting education that is going on.
The State of the Schools address is also utilized to highlight the wonderful things that are being taught to the students and share this information with parents and the community. Among the school displays were W&L High School’s guidance department, math department, CTE ‘s Eagle’s Financial Credit Union featuring students Cambry Tate and Dajah Blagmon, and the Virginia Defense Force Cadet program. Montross Middle School’s highlighted sports, language arts, STEM, and their math departments. Washington District Elementary School’s PTO, HEROES program, literacy events, and anti-bullying initiatives. Cople Elementary School presented their PBL video, special education, HEROES, and their PTO.
In addition to the school’s various displays, Westmoreland County Public Schools featured the Tastes of Jamaica. The display was developed by one of the new teachers from Jamaica, Melissa Simpson. As part of the partial fulfillment of the Visitor Exchange Teacher contract, Ms. Simpson displayed “an array of Jamaican cuisines designed to teach Jamaican terminology for the intricate dishes.”
Guests including the Virginia National Guard. Additionally, Sgt. Robert Greene, who will be heading the first Cadet Program for Washington & Lee High School students was present. Board of Supervisor members Dorothy Tate and Chairman Daryl Fisher were also present.
Westmoreland County Public Schools thanks the administration, teachers, staff, and students of each of its schools for their assistance and participation. Additionally, sincere appreciation to Virginia Army National Guard Flag team from Fredericksburg, Virginia for coming to the program and adding a needed display of honor and integrity to our program.
Superintendent Dr. Michael Perry delivered the annual message focusing on the ramifications of full accreditation of all the Westmoreland County schools. Dr. Perry gave examples of what full accreditation means to both the local business community, the families and students of Westmoreland. He stated that education is an economic driver for the community. As such, Dr. Perry indicated that parents have choices and that full accreditation enhances Westmoreland as “the choice” for parents to educate their children.
With the schools being fully accredited we can now start expanding our horizon to individual and cohort success. It is no longer sufficient to just have a student graduate. The “Profile of a Virginia Graduate,” demands that students graduate college and career ready. Life-ready Virginia graduates must achieve and apply content knowledge; demonstrate workplace skills; have community engagement and civic responsibility; and have career exploration.
The Division’s focus through project-based learning will assist students in reaching these goals. Project based learning, or PBL, utilizes real world problems that challenges students in problem solving and sustained inquiry. Students will choose and explore their projects and after researching, present their findings and conclusions. Career and Technical education programs will be expanded and refined throughout the K-12 curriculum. The new high school will also accommodate the project based learning approach through the use of collaborative spaces and outdoor spaces.
The Cople Elementary School’s solar project will soon be completed. This project will generate over a million dollars in savings to be applied to provide Cople Elementary School with a much needed gymnasium. Dr. Perry stated there is a project based learning education component to this project.
Several other goals were shared that were related to being fully accredited. Full accreditation will help the goal for the district is to be fully staffed annually. Full accreditation will be a driver for the new Strategic Plan. Finally, Dr. Perry welcomed local residents and parents to call and arrange for a visit to all schools to see the exciting education that is going on.
The State of the Schools address is also utilized to highlight the wonderful things that are being taught to the students and share this information with parents and the community. Among the school displays were W&L High School’s guidance department, math department, CTE ‘s Eagle’s Financial Credit Union featuring students Cambry Tate and Dajah Blagmon, and the Virginia Defense Force Cadet program. Montross Middle School’s highlighted sports, language arts, STEM, and their math departments. Washington District Elementary School’s PTO, HEROES program, literacy events, and anti-bullying initiatives. Cople Elementary School presented their PBL video, special education, HEROES, and their PTO.
In addition to the school’s various displays, Westmoreland County Public Schools featured the Tastes of Jamaica. The display was developed by one of the new teachers from Jamaica, Melissa Simpson. As part of the partial fulfillment of the Visitor Exchange Teacher contract, Ms. Simpson displayed “an array of Jamaican cuisines designed to teach Jamaican terminology for the intricate dishes.”
Guests including the Virginia National Guard. Additionally, Sgt. Robert Greene, who will be heading the first Cadet Program for Washington & Lee High School students was present. Board of Supervisor members Dorothy Tate and Chairman Daryl Fisher were also present.
Westmoreland County Public Schools thanks the administration, teachers, staff, and students of each of its schools for their assistance and participation. Additionally, sincere appreciation to Virginia Army National Guard Flag team from Fredericksburg, Virginia for coming to the program and adding a needed display of honor and integrity to our program.
