Watauga Elementary

Want to see some video of the fifth graders exploring snap-circuit kits during their recent study of electricity? Click the links below : https://5il.co/312hs https://5il.co/312hy https://5il.co/312i3 https://5il.co/312if https://5il.co/312ig https://5il.co/312ii

Fifth graders explored snap-circuit kits during our recent study of electricity. The groups worked together to build various projects.

Washington Way Award Nominations: Nominate a special support staff person for the #WashingtonWayAward! Do you know someone whose work and commitment makes WCPS a better place to be? #WashingtonWayAward Categories: *Above and Beyond Custodian Award -- Vote for a custodian that makes a difference! *Silver Spoon Award -- Vote for the best food service worker out there! *Helping Hand Award -- Vote for a nurse or an aide that has helped you! *Master Technician Award -- Vote for the one who has helped you fix things! *Wheels on the Bus Award -- Vote for the driver or mechanic who helps get you home! *Customer Service Award -- Vote for the person who is always there to help! Scan the QR Code by Friday, November 22 to nominate a support staff person. To learn more about the #WashingtonWayAwards, watch this video! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IM7Y0BdMbF4

Pre-K students enjoyed a field trip to the Abingdon Fire Department on Friday, November 8. Students learned about fire safety, saw the equipment firefighters use, and even got to sit in the fire truck!

Last week, students had lots of fun dressing up for Red Ribbon week. Here are a few highlights from the 3rd grade!

Washington Way Award Nominations: Nominate a special support staff person for the #WashingtonWayAward! Do you know someone whose work and commitment makes WCPS a better place to be? #WashingtonWayAward Categories: *Above and Beyond Custodian Award -- Vote for a custodian that makes a difference! *Silver Spoon Award -- Vote for the best food service worker out there! *Helping Hand Award -- Vote for a nurse or an aide that has helped you! *Master Technician Award -- Vote for the one who has helped you fix things! *Wheels on the Bus Award -- Vote for the driver or mechanic who helps get you home! *Customer Service Award -- Vote for the person who is always there to help! Scan the QR Code by Friday, December 6 to nominate a support staff person. To learn more about the #WashingtonWayAwards, watch this video! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IM7Y0BdMbF4

Pre-K students enjoyed a field trip to Stickley Farm on Friday October 25. Students played a variety of outdoor games, saw farm animals, rode on a wagon, and found their way through a corn maze! What a fun fall day!

Second graders at Watauga Elementary had a delicious lesson on adjectives by describing chocolate chip cookies. With sweet treats in hand, the students eagerly sharpened their descriptive skills, and their smiles showed just how much fun learning can be!

Mrs. Jones’ fifth grade math students had the opportunity to flip the script and work as team teachers reviewing word problems. They all did an amazing job sharing their strategies with their classmates!

Promise Program: Today was a proud moment for Washington County Public Schools! We witnessed something truly special as our community gathered at Virginia Highlands Community College to celebrate the launch of the Washington County Promise Program. This commitment by Wellspring Foundation of Southwest Virginia and VHCC marks a major step forward in providing a brighter future for our students. Thanks to this incredible program, students who live in Washington County, VA, can now pursue higher education with free tuition, breaking down financial barriers and opening doors to countless opportunities. We’re beyond excited to see the impact this will have on our students, their families, and our community as a whole. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined us today - from students and faculty to community leaders and partners. Your support means everything as we work together to enrich the lives of our young people. Head over to https://promiseprogram.org/ and discover how this opportunity can benefit your student! #WashingtonCountySchools #VHCCPromise #StudentOpportunities #OurFuture #CommunityStrong #EducationMatters (Photo Courtesy: Virginia Highlands Community College)

First graders enjoyed Flashlight Friday reading!

From the WCPS Transportation Department: Due to an accident on Interstate 81 and traffic delays as a result, several WCPS buses are delayed in their afternoon routes.

Washington County Public Schools will operate on a regular schedule on Tuesday, October 8, 2024. We do have the following transportation information and route changes for students and families to be aware of. These changes will be in place until further notice: *Taylor's Valley Bus 37 -- Students who live in Taylor's Valley can meet Bus 37 at the VFW Post on Route 91 at 7:15 a.m. Pick up in the afternoon will be at approximately 3:30 p.m. *Konnarock/Green Cove Bus 69 -- Students who live above Green Cove Road on Route 58, or on Green Cove Road, can meet Bus 69 at the intersection of Green Cove and Route 58. Students who live on Rhymer Road or the closed section of Route 58 can meet Bus 69 at Saint Matthew Lutheran Church. Your driver will reach out to you with additional messaging about times. *Bus 38 -- Students who live on Rush Creek Road can meet Bus 38 at the intersection of Rush Creek and Confederate Road at 7:00 a.m. with drop off at approximately 3:45 p.m.

Good afternoon WCPS Families & Staff -- The full Washington County Public Schools division will operate on a two-hour delayed schedule on Monday, October 7, 2024. Delaying the start of school will allow additional time for students and staff to arrive safely in daylight hours, due to some area roads still having debris. Childcare will be provided beginning at 8:00 a.m. for working families at each elementary school. We do have the following transportation information and route changes for students and families to be aware of: *Taylor's Valley Bus 37 -- Students who live in Taylor's Valley can meet Bus 37 at the VFW Post on Route 91 at 9:15 a.m. Pick up in the afternoon will be at approximately 3:30 p.m. *Konnarock/Green Cove Bus 69 -- Students who live above Green Cove Road on Route 58, or on Green Cove Road, can meet Bus 69 at the intersection of Green Cove and Route 58. Students who live on Rhymer Road or the closed section of Route 58 can meet Bus 69 at Saint Matthew Lutheran Church. Your driver will reach out to you with additional messaging about pick up and drop off times. *Bus 38 -- Students who live on Rush Creek Road can meet Bus 38 at the intersection of Rush Creek and Confederate Road at 9:00 a.m. with drop off at approximately 3:45 p.m. Again, a big thank you for your continued support and patience -- your efforts to help our school community and families has not gone unnoticed. Thank you, Keith Perrigan, Ed.D. Superintendent Washington County Public Schools 812 Thompson Dr. Abingdon, VA 24210 276-739-3000 @WashCoSuper “Committed to the Success of Every Student“

Good afternoon WCPS Families & Staff – Rhea Valley Elementary School, Damascus Middle School and Holston High School will be closed Friday, October 4, 2024. Childcare will be provided at Rhea Valley Elementary from 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. As we did this morning, all other Washington County Public Schools will operate on a two-hour delayed schedule on Friday, October 4, 2024. For Holston High School students wanting to attend their classes at the Washington County Career and Technical Education Center, transportation will be provided TO and FROM Holston High School. Breakfast and lunch will be provided for those students at WCCTEC by the WCPS Nutrition Department. However, WCPS transportation will not be available to students who reside in the Rhea Valley Elementary, Damascus Middle, and Holston High attendance zones and attend other schools or programs in the division. If your family is in need supplies, Damascus Middle School has some items, and will be open. Please call the school for additional details at (276)739-4100. We are again planning to provide meals for our Damascus area students on Friday at Holston High School. We will send additional information in a separate message. As we look towards next week, it is our goal to have students and staff return to Rhea Valley Elementary, Damascus Middle, and Holston High on Monday. As a result, we are asking you to please plan for the possibility of a division wide two-hour delay on Monday, October 7, 2024. The WCPS Transportation Department is also working hard to plan and identify alternate bus routes for our Damascus area students. However, bus transportation for the Konnarock, Green Cove and Taylor Valley areas remains doubtful early next week. We will keep you updated as those plans are developed. We also ask you to be on the lookout for additional messaging to assist families and students displaced by the floods. We thank you for your continued support and patience as we work as a school community to navigate these unprecedented challenges and help our neighbors in need. Thank you, Keith Perrigan, Ed.D. Superintendent Washington County Public Schools 812 Thompson Dr. Abingdon, VA 24210 276-739-3000 @WashCoSuper

Good afternoon WCPS Families & Staff -- Rhea Valley Elementary School, Damascus Middle School and Holston High School will remain closed for the remainder of the week. Rhea Valley families in need of childcare may come to Holston High School where care will be provided from 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. All other Washington County Public Schools will operate on a two-hour delayed schedule on Thursday, October 3, 2024. Delaying the start of school will allow additional time for students and staff to arrive safely in daylight hours, due to some area roads still having debris. We recognize a small percentage of families in our community are still without power. However, we believe it is important for our schools to be open to provide students with meals and help them return to a routine. For those families still without power, your child’s principal will work with your family. Our transportation staff have driven our bus routes but if you believe roads in your area are unsafe, please contact your child's principal as well. For Holston High School students wishing to attend their classes at the Washington County Career and Technical Education Center, transportation will be provided TO and FROM Holston High School. Breakfast and lunch will be provided for those students at WCCTEC by the WCPS Nutrition Department. However, WCPS transportation will not be available to students who reside in the Rhea Valley Elementary, Damascus Middle and Holston High attendance zones and attend other schools or programs in the division. For our families in need of supplies, Damascus Middle School has some supplies and will be open. Please call the school for more information at (276) 739-4100. We are also planning to provide meals for our Damascus area students on Thursday at Holston High School. We will send more information in a separate communication. As a reminder, if you know of a family in need, please contact your child’s principal and we will work to help meet those needs. Thank you for your continued support and patience. Thank you, Keith Perrigan, Ed.D. Superintendent Washington County Public Schools 812 Thompson Dr. Abingdon, VA 24210 276-739-3000 @WashCoSuper

Good afternoon WCPS Families & Staff -- Because a significant percentage of our families are still without utilities, staffing concerns at multiple schools, and the fact that some roads are still inaccessible for buses, Washington County Public Schools will be CLOSED on Wednesday, October 2, 2024. However, we are working in coordination with the National Guard to clear some of those roadways, and AEP anticipates that power will be restored to additional areas by Wednesday. Because of this closure, childcare will be offered for working parents from 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. at High Point Elementary, Meadowview Elementary, Valley Institute Elementary, and Watauga Elementary. Students at Abingdon Elementary and Greendale Elementary can take advantage of childcare at Woodland Hills Christian Church, provided by the Boys and Girls Club. If these students aren't already registered with the Boys and Girls Club, you can call (276) 696-9923. Rhea Valley students in need of childcare may come to Meadowview Elementary. Breakfast and lunch will be provided by WCPS School Nutrition Department at all locations. Each elementary school will send out additional information about childcare specifics for their students. If all goes as planned with cleanup and restoration efforts, Washington County Public Schools anticipates operating on a two-hour delay on Thursday, October 3, except for schools in the Damascus area, which will remain closed. For those who have power and other utilities, we apologize for this inconvenience and hope to return to normalcy in the coming days. As a reminder, if you know of a family in need, please contact your child's principal and we will work to help meet those needs. Thank you for your continued support and patience. Thank you, Keith Perrigan, Ed.D. Superintendent Washington County Public Schools 812 Thompson Dr. Abingdon, VA 24210 276-739-3000 @WashCoSuper

Hot Meal: For those in need of a hot meal, John S. Battle Football will be serving free hamburgers with chips and drinks on Tuesday, October 1, at the Damascus Volunteer Rescue Squad beginning at 12:00 p.m. Thank you JSB Football!

Good afternoon, WCPS Families & Staff -- Due to the ongoing cleanup efforts across Washington County, several of our families still without power and utilities, the continuing assessment and coordination of food service needs, and roads that are still inaccessible by bus, Washington County Public Schools will be closed on Tuesday, October 1, 2024. Because of this closure, childcare will be offered for working parents from 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. at High Point Elementary, Meadowview Elementary, Valley Institute Elementary, and Watauga Elementary. Students at Abingdon Elementary and Greendale Elementary can take advantage of childcare at Woodland Hills Christian Church, provided by the Boys and Girls Club. If these students aren't already registered with the Boys and Girls Club, you can call (276) 696-9923. Rhea Valley students in need of childcare may come to Meadowview Elementary. Breakfast and lunch will be provided by WCPS School Nutrition Department at all locations. Each elementary school will send out additional information about childcare specifics for their students. We are also aware that conditions across the county may still be tricky on Wednesday, and delayed schedules and alternate bus routes may be needed in order to get schools open. We appreciate your continued patience as we work to navigate these unprecedented challenges. We will keep you updated should additional schedule changes be necessary. To our Damascus area families -- we know that it is going to be more difficult to get schools open in your area as cleanup efforts are ongoing and schools are still without utilities in that area. We will do everything we can to help provide some normalcy for you as soon as it is safe to do so. We are also incredibly grateful for the outpouring of support from our community at our donation supply drop-off locations. I couldn't be prouder of our students who led efforts to help our friends and neighbors! If you still have items you would like to donate, you may do so prior to the John S. Battle/Patrick Henry football game at JSB this evening. Because of the amazing support that our schools and the United Way has received, we will not take any additional donations after tonight. When this inventory is used, we will consider additional opportunities to collect donations. Please continue to pray for our students, families and friends impacted by this devastation. If you know a family in need, please contact your child's principal and we will work to help meet those needs. Thanks again for your support, patience, grace, and prayers. Thank you, Keith Perrigan, Ed.D. Superintendent Washington County Public Schools 812 Thompson Dr. Abingdon, VA 24210 276-739-3000 @WashCoSuper

Needed Donations: New immediate needs have been identified, according to the Damascus Fire Department: *EMPTY Gas Cans *Portable Showers or Supplies to Make a Shower *EMPTY 5 Gallon Buckets *Personal Wipes *Flashlights *Batteries Abingdon High School, John S. Battle High School, & Patrick Henry will be serving as central hubs to bring donations and supplies. All three high schools will be accepting supplies until 3:00 p.m. Items will also be collected at the John S. Battle/Patrick Henry Football Game at JSB on Monday evening. Those items can be dropped off behind the gymnasium.