In Your Schools - June 8, 2009

ACHIEVEMENTS

Appomattox

- Appomattox County Public Schools was one of 10 public schools honored by the Virginia Board of Education as a ‘Distinguished Title I School Division.’ The school division was honored for exceeding all NCLB achievement objectives in reading and mathematics for two consecutive years.

- Appomattox Elementary School was one of 124 schools recognized by the Virginia Board of Education as a ‘Title I Distinguished School’ for maintaining full state accredidation under the Commonwealth’s Standards of Learning Program for two consecutive years, meeting NCLB benchmarks in reading and mathematics, and having average test scores in both subjects at the 60th percentile or higher.

- The following Appomattox County students participated in the Virginia School Boards Association Art Contest: Devin Fitze of Appomattox Elementary, Jasmine Bryant of Appomattox Middle and Brandon Hodges of Appomattox County High School.

- Appomattox Elementary School student Steven Tappen won first place among fourth-graders in the written component of the MatiSpell 2009 Competition held at Briar Woods High School in Ashburn. He won $100 for his efforts. Tappen also placed fifth out of 372 participants in the oral component. MatiSpell is a junior spelling bee competition where students fourth grade and under participate.

- Appomattox County High School student Howard Clifton Ray recently received the following honors: Virginia High School League Group A ‘Male Athlete of the Year,’ Duke Scholarship (financial aid of approximately $40,000 a year), and the $1,500 Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship.

- The following Appomattox County High School students won ACHS Creative Writing Awards: Dalton Bennett, Virginia High School League, Short Story, first place in the District with a Superior Rating, and Rob Sears, Lee Jackson Foundation, Essay, $1,000 scholarship winner.

Campbell

- Brookville High School senior April Cannon was named a recipient of the 2009 Pamplin Leader Award, a one-year, $1,000 tuition scholarship to Virginia Tech presented annually to a top student from each public high school in Virginia.

Lynchburg

- E.C. Glass High School senior Paul Malloy was named a recipient of the 2009 Pamplin Leader Award, a one-year, $1,000 tuition scholarship to Virginia Tech presented annually to a top student from each public high school in Virginia.

Private Schools

- Liberty Christian Academy sophomore Chris Allison was named the first recipient of a LCA band scholarship given by Mr. and Mrs. Charles Holmes in honor of their son, Jamie Holmes, who was killed in a car accident in May 2008.

- The following Virginia Episcopal School students received awards during the Academic Awards Assembly held May 22: Tyler Overfelt, The William H.M. deRosset Science Award given to the most creative and inquisitive senior science student; Zach Wright, University of Virginia Book Award; Chelsea Giles, William and Mary Leadership Award; Brett Beeson, Sewanee Award for Excellence in Writing; and Win Higginbotham, Washington and Lee Award.

- The following Virginia Episcopal School students received Graduation Awards on May 24: Eddie Girling, Naval Academy Scholarship; Connor Bell, award for serving as the Honor Committee Chair for 2008-09, Donnelly Valedictory Award, Mattfield Best in School English Award and The School Award; Marsh Baker, Best in School Spanish Award and Mary Lyon Tyler Gamble Memorial Award; Noah Grabeel, Best in School Drama Award and Best in School Music Award; Marcey Cook, Best in School Publication Award and Chaplain’s Award; Jon Stutesman, Meador-Wyatt Best in School Latin Award; Hank Donaldson, Ladd Best in School History Award; Terrance Abbitt, Bob Bowden IV and Jessica Watkins, Pritchett Big Brother and Big Sister Awards; Jessica Watkins, Formwalt Athletic Award; Jacob Pierce, Costolo Memorial Athletic Award; Tevin Jefferson and Katelyn St. Clair, Carruthers Memorial Award; and Tyler Overfelt and Amber Joyner, Frederick Carrington Memorial Award.

- Nine students participated in Temple Christian School’s second annual graduation ceremony held May 29 at Temple Baptist Church. Blake Hunter was named valedictorian and Jacquelline Bethune was named salutatorian.

- The following James River Day School students received End of the Year Awards: Emily Alford, Mary Duval Horner Leadership Award; Patrick Cundiff, Clunet Pettyjohn Jr. Award; Mary Cook, Alma McCarthy Award; Hannah Symonds, William and Nancy Coursey Writing Award; Clark Lupton, Sheree H. Bowen Award; Andrew Bolling, Will Wojcikowski and Caroline Taylor, Neil Dooley Award; Courtney Carter, DAR Good Citizenship Medal and the French Award; Noell Cosby, Spanish Award; and Sarah Hour and Philip Head, Latin Award.

SCHOOL HAPPENINGS

Appomattox County

Appomattox County High School

- Today: Graduation, 7 p.m. at the Liberty University’s Vines Center

Bedford County

- Today through June 10: Early dismissal at 1 p.m. for all Bedford County schools

- June 10: Last day of school for all Bedford County schools

- June 11 and 12: Teacher Workdays

- July 13-31: Summer School

Forest Elementary School

- Today: AR 25 and 50 Point Club Rewards

- June 9: SCA Candidate Speaches and Election, 9 a.m.

- June 10: Awards Assembly, 9 a.m.

Huddleston Elementary School

- Today: Field Day

- June 9: Fifth-grade Banquet

New London Academy

- Today: Career Day for fourth and fifth grades; VPI Graduation Ceremony, 6:30 p.m.

Thaxton Elementary School

- Today: Awards Assembly for grades K-2, 9 a.m.

- June 9: Awards Assembly for grades 3-6, 9 a.m.

- June 10: Talent Show, 9 a.m.

Thomas Jefferson Elementary School

- June 9: Talent Show featuring fourth and fifth grades, 9 a.m.

- June 10: Fifth-grade graduation, 9 a.m.; last day to pick up medications in nurse’s office (medications not picked up will be discarded)

Lynchburg

- June 11: Last day of school

Dearington Elementary School for Innovation

- Today: Fifth-grade cookout, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Jefferson Park

- June 9: Miss Hill City visits, 9:30 a.m.

- June 10: Third-grade Father’s Day/End of the Year Cookout

- June 11: Early dismissal

Perrymont Elementary School

- Today: Field Day (part 1)

- June 9: Field Day (part 2); Bingo Night, 6 p.m.

- June 10: Talent Show, 9:30 a.m.; early dismissal at 1:15 p.m.

- June 11: Last day; early dismissal

Thomas C. Miller Elementary School for Innovation

- Today: Health Fair, 9 a.m. to noon; Limo Rides, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; DARE Graduation, 1:30 p.m.

- June 9: Field Day

- June 9-11: Early dismissal at 1:15 p.m.

- June 10: Awards Assembly, 9:30 a.m.; Mural Dedication Ceremony, noon

- June 11: Pre-K Graduation, noon

William M. Bass Elementary School

- July 9: Registration for grades K-5 for the 2009-2010 school year, 1 to 7 p.m.

- July 10: Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten Orientation, 9 to 10 a.m. in the auditorium

- July 13: First day of school (for Bass Elementary only)

Sandusky Middle School

- Today: Awards Ceremony for grades 6-8, 6:30 p.m. in the Sandusky Cafe

- June 9: Eighth-grade Graduation, 6:30 p.m. in the gym

- June 13: SMS teachers at Heritage High School Graduation, 10:30 a.m.

- June 17: Mr. Sales at Amazement Square Board Meeting, noon

Private Schools

Branches Academy

- Today and June 9: Early dismissal at 12:30 p.m.

- June 10: Summer Program begins

Holy Cross Regional Catholic School

- June 8 and 9: Teacher Workday

- June 15: Summer Day Care begins

- June 17 and 18: Report cards ready for pick up

Liberty Christian Academy

- June 12: LCA Youth Band Camp

- June 15-19: LCA Frank Rocco Youth Football Camp

- June 16: Uniform ‘Buy-Back Only’ Day, 9 a.m. to noon in the LCA Cafeteria Annex. This will be the last day to sell uniforms before school reopens in August.

- June 22-26: LCA Ramsey Moore Track Camp

- June 22-24: LCA Ronnie McGuire Youth Baseball Camp

- July 13-16: LCA John Patterson Youth Basketball Camp

New Vistas School

- Today: MS/US Exams and early dismissal at 2 p.m. (MS/US only); regular school day and dismissal for elementary students

- June 9: MS/US Exams and early dismissal at 1 p.m. (MS/US only); regular school day and dismissal for elementary students

- June 10: Exam Make Up Day for MS/US students only (MS/US do not attend unless making up an exam); regular school day and dismissal for elementary students

- June 11: Whole School Fun Day; regular dismissal times

- June 12: Commencement, 10 a.m. on the lawn; early dismissal at noon for all students