Good Morning, Everyone, I am grateful to all of you for being here today with our children and with each other. Whatever your plans are for Memorial Day Weekend, I hope they include giving yourself a break.

 

Broadus Wood Elementary School Staff and Students, thank you for a wonderful visit on Monday!

Principal Amy Morris guided me about the school, but my first visit was with Office Associate Lori Beck. Thank you, Lori! For an SOL testing day, there was so much positive energy and excitement happening at Broadus Wood, and the coming field day seemed to be on a lot of students’ minds.

I enjoyed playing number BINGO with preschoolers in Room 6 along with educators Vanessa Dunn-Tolman, Schuyler Richardson, Christi Barker, Judy Roy, and Jordan Smith. There was such a variety of individual student activities going on; I don’t know how you all keep up with all those busy preschoolers!

I appreciate third grade teacher Kate Gerry taking time to tell me all about Broadus Woods’s Celebration Conferences. These are student-led conferences that Broadus Wood staff began pioneering more than two years ago. Excellent work to build intrinsic student motivation!

I learned much about Snap and Read accessibility software  from Deannine Lahham. She had just spent time teaching all of her students how to use this program as a universal design for learning (UDL) approach. 

Katie Breaud and Lucy Spencer were supervising 5th grade SOL testing, and it was a pleasure to say “Hi! and quietly chat for a few minutes.” After that I visited the C-base students with educators Hannah Allen, Tanya Baugher, Macy Loving, Nance Sweet, and Hallie Heath. Amy and I also had a visit with Amy Gaertner. Ms. Gaertner started her students out for the year using banker’s boxes to keep their materials in good shape and socially distanced, and I had to admire how those boxes have held up for almost 180 days! Ms. Gaertner’s room has so many colorful displays of student learning; they must feel right at home. 

Debra Zehnter’s kindergarten class was climbing and socializing all over the playground. One of her students had dressed as Rapunzel and told Amy I had to come see her. She was up in the tower on the playground, and you know the rest of the story…

Our last stop for the morning was with Brittany Ham and Jaci Rolain’s PE class. Students were having fun practicing activities for field day, including relays on the track, all with good sportsmanship. 

I thank the Broadus Wood staff for having me visit. Your high energy level with the students is amazing and represents the great work all of our educators and support staff are doing across ACPS schools as the year makes its way to a strong finish. 

 

ACPS Art Show Video? Check out this link with a video of the art show that students, families, staff, and community members viewed last Friday night projected on the CODE Building on the downtown mall. Thank you to all of our amazing arts teachers! 

2022 ACPS Art Show

 

Our most recent Portrait of an ACPS Student! For this portrait, Lauren Hunt interviewed Alena Touve, an aspiring filmmaker at WAHS. 

Alena Touve, WAHS Student 

 

Here are a few media links for your consideration! 

Teresa Goodin, who oversees the ACPS Early College Scholars Program at Monticello High School, described how all ACPS high school students can graduate with both a high school diploma and two years of college credits in an interview with NBC 29:

NBC 29 Community Conversation

Leading up to a conference on how all ACPS students can gain leadership training and skills and earn scholarships through our own Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps Program, School Board members, Dr. Kate Acuff and Katrina Callsen and Western's school counselor, Caroline Bertrand, jumped out of an airplane with the famed Golden Knights:

Board Members & Employees Skydive with Golden Knights

ACPS Skydiving

The Daily Progress chronicled a special celebration at Jouett Middle School as the school prepares for their new name--Journey.

Jack Jouett Community Celebrates New Name

A collaboration art project at Mountain View showcased a new mural being completed by students in partnership with older colleagues from Monticello.

Mountain View Elementary School Mural Project

 

Upcoming Observances

• May 30 is Memorial Day.
• June 10 is the last day of school for students.