Governor Glenn Youngkin, recognizing that running a school is no easy job for those at the top of the school hierarchy, issued a proclamation earlier in the year designating the week of January 15-21 as Virginia’s School Principals Appreciation Week.
This was addressed at the Westmoreland County School Board’s meeting. Originally slated for January, it instead got punted to February 2 due to several board members coming down ill that week.
“Principals serve as educational leaders responsible for managing policy, regulations, and procedures necessary to ensure a safe, vibrant, and effective learning environment for the students in Virginia’s public and private schools,” the proclamation declared. “Principals must work collaboratively with staff, students, parents, and the community at large to prepare every student for success in life as productive members of our economy, informed citizens in our democracy, and engaged participants in our communities.
“They work cooperatively to direct, develop, and inspire all members to embrace and meet high expectations so that every child reaches their potential,” it continued. “They are vital to creating a strong partnership between school and home that is based on open communication and a culture that welcomes and engages parents in the learning process.
“They are entrusted with the opportunity, responsibility, and trust of parents to guide, direct, nurture, mentor, and impart knowledge to our children while they are at school.
“Virginia School Principals Appreciation Week is an opportunity to recognize the hard work of Virginia School Principals, and to recognize the importance of principals in ensuring that every child has access to a high-quality education that opens doors to future opportunities and allows each child to fulfill their dreams.”
Once deputy superintendent Cathy Rice finished reading the proclamation, the division’s four principals, William Bowen from Westmoreland High School, Leah Segar from Montross Middle, Leslie Steele from Cople Elementary, and Michael Bathgate from Washington District Elementary, each stepped forward. Superintendent Dr. Michael Perry had a little bit to add, as well, before everything concluded.
“The boards wanted to make sure that you knew they recognize your hard work,” Dr. Perry stated. “One of my favorite people once said that the key to every child getting the best education possible is giving their teacher the best principal they can, and we think we have some fantastic principals here.”
Drivers are not minor players in the education system. Richmond County employs 20 bus drivers and eight car drivers, and according to Richmond County Superintendent Dr. Trey Davis, they’re making a big difference.
Senator Richard Stuart introduced another General Assembly resolution recognizing a Westmoreland icon. SJ 318 is a call to celebrate the life of Francis Reed Jenkins.
When one hears the term Buffalo Soldier, our minds will, more often than not, shift back to a Black soldier in Union blue, with a soldier’s cap and a Krag carbine, charging up San Juan Hill alongside then-Lieutenant John J. “Black Jack” Pershing. What some don’t realize is that even after that, the mantle of the Buffalo Soldiers was carried on through the ages, with many Black veterans from the later wars of the 20th Century bearing the moniker proudly.
“Prior to 1866, during the first days of reconstruction, Black folks who lived on or near Knights Run, as we know it today, did not have a place to worship. Paymus Nutt, cofounder of First Baptist Church, pleaded with Negro worshippers of the White Coan Baptist Church at Coan Stage, Virginia, about the need to form their own church. As a result of Nutt’s conference, prayer meetings were held on Sunday evenings and during the week at the home of Alexander Day.
Governor Glenn Youngkin, recognizing that running a school is no easy job for those at the top of the school hierarchy, issued a proclamation earlier in the year designating the week of January 15-21 as Virginia’s School Principals Appreciation Week.
On October 20, 1774, the First Continental Congress created the Continental Association, which called for a complete ban on all trades between America and Great Britian of all goods, wares, or merchandise.
It took eight rounds before a winner was declared for the Westmoreland County Public Schools’ spelling bee district championship. At the end of the evening, seventh grade Montross Middle School student, Bri’Elle Hall sealed her victory by spelling correctly the final word of the night, “prophetically.”
Bay Transit announced that the 2023 edition of the Bay Transit – Rappahannock Community College (RCC) Scholarship will be $2,000. With funds generated from sponsorships of Bay Transit’s annual ‘Art in Transit’ judged competition, as well as a $1,000 match from the RCC Educational Foundation, Bay Transit was able to double the scholarship fund.
United Women in Faith of White Stone United Methodist Church recently established two scholarship awards for Rappahannock Community College (RCC) students.
Rappahannock Community College (RCC) has joined with Virginia Tech to offer a new career and technical training program, Promoting Careers in Aquaculture, for local high school juniors and seniors. The Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula region has a high concentration of employment opportunities in the seafood and shellfish aquaculture industry and is primed for growth over the coming decades.
Angel Visit Baptist Church will host the Thirty-fourth Annual Essex County Community Celebration of the Life and Work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on Monday, January 16, 2023, at 7 p.m. at 29566 Tidewater Trail, Dunnsville, Virginia. The theme of the celebration is “Remember and Respond.”
Congratulations to Rappahannock High School English teacher, Mr. Grover Cleveland Winfield III, on being selected to present at the 2022 National Council of Teachers of English Annual Convention: !Suenos! Pursuing the Light! in Anaheim, California.
On Saturday, June 18, Colonial Beach will hold its first ever Juneteenth Celebration of Freedom at the Town Hill. The event, which will run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., will honor Black history and culture. Admission will be free, and all people are welcome to attend.
The Rappahannock Industrial Academy, or RI Academy as it was called, was established by African Americans to fulfill the need for high school education for African Americans at a time when no public schools in the area offered it. It existed from 1902 to 1948 and primarily served students from Middlesex, Essex, and King and Queen Counties.
Lancaster Supervisors declared October 15, 2022 Armistead Stokalas Nickens Day in Lancaster and called attention to all county citizens. On that day, Nickens will have a Virginia Historical Highway Marker unveiled honoring him as Lancaster’s first and only black legislator in the Virginia House of Delegates.
2022 has been quite the year for Westmoreland County’s school division with plenty of trials, tribulations, and triumphs culminating earlier in the year with the grand opening of Westmoreland High School.
In Westmoreland County, the school board has been feeling the bite of inflation in many places, most notably in the realm of food service. At last week’s meeting, the matter cropped up during a presentation by school board superintendent Dr. Michael Perry.
Ten Westmoreland High School students were recently inducted into the Westmoreland High School National Honor Society. Matthew Benson, Aven Clarke, Hailey Jett, John Lahey, Stephanie Ochoa, Heroina Point-Du-Jour, Whitnee Rotenizer, Jordan Saunders, Julissa Valdez, and Brooklyn Wheeler were presented to the audience.
Rappahannock Community College Haynesville Correctional Center (HCC) student Stephen Drayton had just one more class to complete when the pandemic halted in-person instruction in March 2020. On November 4, two and a half years later, Drayton walked across the prison gymnasium floor to receive his Associate of Arts & Sciences degree from RCC President Dr. Shannon Kennedy.
As of Monday, Northumberland County Public Schools has a new director of finance on the job. NUCPS approved Tara Booth for the position on October 27 following the announcement on the heels of the announcement that Jason Bellows was leaving for other pursuits.
It was hard to tell which shined more brightly, the brilliant stars in the October galaxy or the myriad of retiring educators and staff at Westmoreland County Public Schools’ employee recognition banquet on October 20.
The building is up, the change order has been approved, but there is quite a bit to be done and dealt with at Westmoreland High School. Superintendent Dr. Perry gave the lowdown on what there was to look forward to.
A school principal is a key figure in the education of the students, and yet, they are not often seen by the students except on special occasions or as a result of exceptionally raucous behavior. At last week’s Westmoreland County School Board meeing, Chairman Ralph Fallin gave a presentation honoring the principals of the division’s four schools.
A large brilliant harvest moon shined down on a perfect high school football game evening on Friday, October 7, 2022. It was a great ending for the first Westmoreland High School’s homecoming. With the home crowd being entertained by the WHS cheerleaders, the Eagle’s varsity football team showed their skills with a 28-12 victory over the visiting Lancaster High School team.
It’s not often that three boards are in one place, but last Wednesday, the George D. English building held Westmoreland County’s Board of Supervisors, Industrial Development Authority, and School Board under the same roof to discuss what the school board’s superintendent, Dr. Michael Perry, hoped would be the final change order brought before them all.
Northumberland Superintendent Dr. Holly Wargo is urging families to send students to school as much as possible “on a daily, consistent basis.” It’s an issue she addressed in her recent update and at this month’s board of supervisors meeting.
The new high school may be up in Westmoreland County, but even after its grand opening, there is still quite a bit that remains on the building’s to-do list.
Lancaster Supervisors declared October 15, 2022 Armistead Stokalas Nickens Day in Lancaster and called attention to all county citizens. On that day, Nickens will have a Virginia Historical Highway Marker unveiled honoring him as Lancaster’s first and only black legislator in the Virginia House of Delegates.
Last Thursday, parents were alerted that there was a safety and security concern that caused the Northumberland middle and high schools to be locked down.
During last month’s Westmoreland County School Board meeting, the subject of a cell phone policy came up. The board spent their work session in September working on a wish list of policies in that regard, and Deputy Superintendent Kathy Rice presented the result at the public meeting.
RCC’s scholarship application for the 2023/2024 academic year is open from October 1 through February 18, 2023. Any student planning to enroll at RCC for the 2023/2024 academic year is encouraged to apply. Applicants simply complete one online application form to be considered for over 100 different scholarship awards.
Considering how scores plummeted across the nation during the disaster that was virtual learning during the pandemic, it could be seen as a miracle in and of itself that several school systems are already back to being fully accredited. Westmoreland County Public Schools are among those that either retained or regained its status.
At last week’s school board meeting in Westmoreland County, superintendent Dr. Michael Perry highlighted Policy JFCF, paying particular attention to the enforcement and consequences section of the policy.
At last week’s Westmoreland County school baoard meeting, superintendent Dr. Michael Perry and deputy superintendent Cathy Rice loudly blew a whistle on a scam.
Virginia is offering school construction grants and over $1.3 million of that money has been allocated to Richmond County. RCPS is considering using those funds to add a wing at the high school.
Sometimes life throws you a curve and you want to either change course or quit. Montross Middle School girl’s Health and PE instructor, Miquella Snider, is no quitter. In her life, she has experienced many hurdles that would have discouraged and ended the aspirations of most individuals. But she has worked through pain and difficulty to arrive at Montross Middle School where she once was a student.
The month of August has come and gone and with it the summer touring season for the docents at James Monroe’s Birthplace. However, the end of the season is not a quiet affair where the birthplace is concerned. When the clock struck 4 p.m., chief docent Bucky Doerr unveiled a spread of food for the docents, their relatives, and several other guests to enjoy.
Virginia’s community colleges, including Rappahannock Community College (RCC), are gearing up to train more workers to help rebuild Virginia’s crumbling infrastructure. The Virginia Infrastructure Academy (VIA) announced it “will coordinate, scale up, and replicate infrastructure-related community college programs.” The community colleges in Virginia currently produce a combined total of 4,000 graduates annually, with a goal of a total of 35,000 qualified workers over the next five years.
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