November & December 2024

The holiday season is here, and we would like to take a moment to express our gratitude for our Rappahannock school families and community. It has been a fantastic first semester filled with learning, enrichment, achievement, and special memories. We thank you all for joining us in promoting a culture of learning, a roadmap for excellence, and the passion and character that leads to each student’s success.

Since November and December have fewer school days due to extended breaks, we have combined both months into a special holiday edition newsletter. Take a moment to check out all the highlights from Veterans Day to Winter Break and everything in between.

We wish you all a wonderful winter break and look forward to seeing the students return for the second semester on January 8th.

RCPS honored our veterans with two special events on Nov. 11th. In the morning, RCHS hosted the annual Veterans Day Event, which featured guest speakers, special music, and recognition of those who served. Later in the day, RCES held its annual veterans day parade with special music by the 5th grade music classes. CLICK HERE to read more and see a collection of photos from our celebrations.

Photos by Holly Jenkins

On Nov. 5th, first grade students visited the JMU planetarium, which was paid for by the PTO. The students watched the planetarium show and asked an astronomer professor questions about the solar system. Afterwards, they enjoyed a picnic lunch on the quad, toured the beautiful campus, and looked at the fall leaves.

Photo by Jennifer Deal

On November 6, 2024, 34 gifted and talented visual art students visited the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond, VA. Each student received a sketch pad and sketching pencils to enhance their experience. GT Coordinator Cecilia Falk organized a creative scavenger hunt, encouraging students to explore and engage with the museum's vast collections. This enriching experience was made possible by a grant from RAAC, a local nonprofit dedicated to supporting the arts and artists in Rappahannock County. The day was an inspiring success, sparking creativity and learning for everyone involved.

Photos by Cecilia Falk

RCHS Competition Cheer departed for the state competition during a spirited send-off on Friday, November 8th. The team did a phenomenal job representing Rapp at states the following day.

Photo by Dani Pond

RCES 7th graders wrapped up their impressive roller coaster projects in STEAM! Each of the three teams designed coasters with unique characteristics. The pink team designed a coaster that navigated through beams. The blue team's creation showcased two separate tracks. Lastly, the yellow team's coaster featured two funnels, a loop, and a thrilling free fall! Ms. Cubbage shared that she is "so proud of these students and their hard work!"
Photos by Bethany Cubbage

Students in Ms. Farnham's Technology and Materials Processing class recently had a blast testing their CO2 powered pinewood derby cars. The students built the cars and were able to test them in the RCHS bus loop! Students observed the effects of the various designs that each chose to use on the cars' performances.

Photo by Chris Ubben

RCHS Varsity Cross Country received a HUGE Panther send-off from both schools on Friday, November 15th before heading to states. The following day, the boy's team placed 5th out of 12 schools. Adlin Hubble placed 49th as an individual in the girl's race. Congratulations to our outstanding Rapp runners for their fantastic season!

Photos by Holly Jenkins and Courtney Atkins

RCHS students visited The Apprentice School in Newport News to explore post-secondary opportunities that allow them to earn college credit, receive competitive pay and benefits, and acquire valuable trade skills. This fully accredited institution offers apprenticeships that range from four to eight years in nineteen shipbuilding disciplines, as well as eight advanced programs of study. Furthermore, The Apprentice School prioritizes the cultivation of craftsmanship, scholarship, and leadership qualities among its students. For more information, please see Dani Pond or Kylee Wiggins.

Photo by Dani Pond

Exciting News! The Rappahannock County Lions Club President Tim Grimes presented Michelle Barrett with two checks totaling over $5,100 to support Rappahannock County High School students pursuing trade and vocational training and education.

RCHS hosts monthly "Trade of the Month" meetings to introduce students to many trades, discuss the education required for each, and discuss possible careers. This month's presentation was by Tim Grimes, the President of the Rappahannock County Lions Club, a United States Air Force veteran, and former aircraft technician. Tim talked about his time in high school and the Air Force and how trades-based education has shaped his life and career. Rappahannock County High School has partnered with the Rappahannock County Lions Club and Laurel Ridge Community College to promote CTE education, and students who choose to participate can receive specialized training that typically costs thousands of dollars per course for as little as $100 per student per course!

Thank you to the Rappahannock Lions Club for their generous donation and support for our students.

Photo by Chris Ubben

Mrs. Fincham's Small Animal Care class researched AKC-recognized dog breeds to learn all the fascinating facts about their selected breed. Once their research was complete, they brought their findings to life by constructing 3D replicas of their dogs. The project cumulated with a "RCHS Westminster" Dog Show, where they went head-to-head in a competition for the coveted title of Best In Show! Ultimately, McKenna Sherry won with her adorable French Bulldog, "Charlie!" Thank you to the judges: SRO Deputy Ubben, Mr. Hogan, and Mrs. Sell.

Photo by Michele Fincham

Sixteen RCHS seniors participated in the fall 2024 Senior Mock Interviews on Nov. 19th. Each interview lasted 25-30 minutes, and students were able to practice their interview skills and ask questions about how to best answer difficult questions. Afterward, the students shared that this exercise helped prepare them to participate in a real-life interview. Thank you to Kees Dutilh, Autumn Hawley, Dennis Kelly, Debbie Massie, and Angie Shavatt for conducting the Senior Mock Interviews.

Photo by Holly Jenkins

RCHS students enjoyed a special viewing of the Drama Club's "Houston, We Have a Problem" during the seminar block on Nov. 22nd. Directed by Ms. Platt, the one-act play showcased the theatrical talents of the student actors.

Photo by Holly Jenkins

Before departing for Thanksgiving break, kindergarten students enjoyed a special Thanksgiving-themed snack in the Auxiliary Gym. Dressed as Pilgrims and Indians, the young students each took turns saying something they were thankful for before feasting on cornbread, wheat Chex mix, popcorn, and juice.

Photo by Holly Jenkins

The 16th Annual Bounty From the County Celebration was held on Nov. 21st at RCHS. The participating students harvested, procured, gathered, and prepared local Rappahannock foods for a family-style banquet for various students and staff. This year's Bounty from the County included various wild games, fish, venison, quail, rabbit, Settle's Beef, casseroles, and baked goods. According to Mr. Hogan, "a good time was had by all!"

Contributed Photos

Mrs. Fincham's Equine Science students had a fantastic hands-on lab experience with "Devin", the star of the show owned by WCSO ACO Deputy Jasmine Weaver! The students dived deep into the world of horses, reviewing anatomy, grooming techniques, and tacking with both English and Western gear. They even practiced taking vitals, ensuring they covered everything equine! To make the day even more special, Mrs. Fincham invited Mrs. Waters' Healthcare class to join the fun. Together, they learned how to take vitals on a horse and even tackled the challenge of drawing blood.

Photo by Chris Ubben

Students and staff greatly enjoyed the "A December to Remember at RCES" spirit week! Check out all the joyful smiles pictured above.

Contributed photos

Sixteen RCHS students participated in a Profile of a Graduate field trip to Laurel Ridge Community College (LRCC). Lisa Heiser, LRCC's Workforce Solutions Career Coach and a former RCPS Career Coach, guided the students on an engaging tour of the campus, highlighting the wide range of opportunities available. The students explored the medical classrooms, where they were introduced to advanced patient simulators, which enable students to practice identifying and treating a variety of health conditions in a realistic, hands-on environment. Additionally, the group visited the engineering classrooms before heading to the Trades Building. There, students toured specialized classrooms for HVAC, Welding, Plumbing, Electrical, Fiber Optics, and Heavy Equipment Operator (HEO) programs. Darren McKinney, LRCC’s Trades Faculty Coordinator for Workforce Solutions, provided insight into each trade, discussing course content, expectations, and career pathways.

Photo by Jenny Kapsa

Ms. Todd, RCES Reading Specialist, visited Ms. Huff's class to complete an engaging activity with the third graders. Together, they read a recipe, answered questions, and made the Christmas tree recipe.

Photo by Katherine Todd

For the first time in school history, Rappahannock Panthers competed as a team in Varsity Indoor Track on Saturday, December 14th! Held at Liberty University, RCHS track and field athletes competed in the Class 1 Invitational and had a chance to experience the unique qualities of the indoor sport compared to the outdoor counterpart, such as different distances, sharper curves, and competing on a banked surface.

Contributed photo

Ms. Robinson's PreK students created snowmen to present to their families during the holiday season. The children customized their snowman by selecting the fabric, hat, ribbons, and buttons. For the final touches, they drew the mouth and eyes themselves. Each snowman is the size of the student and comes with a card that says, "Lean this snowman against the wall to remind you of when I was this small. Take him out each Christmas and see- I'm not as little as I used to be!"
Photo courtesy of Erica Robinson

The RCHS peer mentors and 8th graders helped spread a little Christmas cheer by painting ornaments and trimming the tree, while eating holiday cookies!!

Photos by Dani Pond

On December 19th, Dr. Shannon Grimsley spread lots of holiday cheer by visiting with the RCES Pre-K classes to read "Mooseltoe" aloud and present each child with a stocking filled with goodies. The students were overjoyed to receive their treats from the superintendent. "This is the best day ever," one student exclaimed as he discovered snacks and small toys in his stocking.

Photo by Holly Jenkins

For the second year in a row, the RCHS LEO Club has created blankets for the Linus Project, which distributes them to children in need. This year, the students successfully made 25 warm, snuggly blankets for donation! Kudos to the LEO Club and their club sponsor, Ms. Sarah Moore!

Contributed photo

First Grade Students did a book study of The Energy Bus with Mrs. Murray. The Energy Bus focuses on overcoming everyday challenges and keeping a positive attitude! Students earned three "yes" checks on their bus tickets and then created their own license plates for their First Grade Energy Bus! Mrs. Wissinger and Mrs. Lowe-Barton came to read to the first graders and they ended their special time with ice cream sandwiches! Mrs.Murray always has a positive attitude and instills these values in her students, including through this book study of The Energy Bus.

Photos contributed by Jacqui Lowe-Barton

Third-grade students enjoyed participating in the 2024 Kids Market Day on December 19th. This program provides students with an opportunity to experience the process of determining a marketable product, the effort of creating a product, and finally, selling the product with the hope of making a profit. Not only did the students sell their goods, but they also had an opportunity to shop among their peers' booths using Market Day bucks!

Photo by Holly Jenkins

The RCHS student body wildly cheered and applauded to celebrate the remarkable performances of both students and staff during today's annual PRIDE Holiday Variety Show! Participants demonstrated their extraordinary talents, captivating the audience throughout the event. Stay tuned for a video montage featuring each act, which will be available soon.

Photos by Holly Jenkins

Watch the video montage to see snippets from each performance HERE OR view the

full-length performance BELOW (courtesy of Mr. Camron Wayland).

During the 2024 RCPS Staff Jingle Mingle Party, RCPS staff gathered to celebrate the end of a successful semester with tasty food, engaging conversations, and door prizes, which were generously donated by individuals and businesses in the community. The staff departed for winter break with an RCPS keepsake ornament following the joyful holiday celebration.

Photo by Holly Jenkins

The RCPS Winter Concert 2024, held on December 12th, featured talented student musicians who performed festive holiday tunes for the large audience of parents and community members. CLICK HERE to read more and view photos from the event or click below to see the full-length video.

Mrs. Curry's Digital Applications I & II classes are at it again! The students have been working hard and have earned more Microsoft Office Specialist credentials. CTE course industry credentials are an important addition to a student's transcript; they signal to potential employers and recruiters that the applicant possesses the skills necessary to be successful.

Congratulations RCHS Digital Application students!

Riley Arndt - MOS Word

Mateo Canales - MOS Word

An'aya Payne - MOS Word

Drew Robinson - MOS Word

Nolan Brown - MOS Word / MOS Word Expert / MOS Excel

Chase Clark - MOS Word / MOS Word Expert / MOS Excel

Addie Hubble - MOS Word / MOS Word Expert / MOS Excel

Xavier Todd - MOS Word / MOS Excel

Photo by Sarah Beth Curry

Mrs. Fincham's Equine Science II class had a 100% pass rate on the NHJTCA Equine Management and Certification 100 question exam! The certification validates the knowledge and skills needed to begin equine-related careers in evaluation, breeding, handling, stable management and more. Those who earn the certification are more qualified and prepared to enter a variety of roles within the industry. Additionally, the certification allows employers to identify and connect with more skilled candidates in a highly-specialized industry. These ladies EARNED this certification as it is in depth and hard! Congratulations Marlee Colvin, Lily Newton, Emily Lunson, and Morgan Tapp (left to right)!!!
Photo by Michele Fincham

Congratulations to Mrs. Fincham's Equine Science I students for successfully passing their YouScience Equine Examination industry certification (another 100% pass rate)! The exam provides a comprehensive assessment of an individual's natural aptitudes and skills related to the horse industry, helping them identify their strengths and potential career paths within the equine field, whether as a rider, trainer, veterinarian, or other related roles, allowing for more informed career planning and education choices!

Photo by Michele Fincham

Left to right: Wyatt Creel-Sieber, Emily Matthews-Maestri, Acelynn Martin, Alaynna Compton, Faith Harrison, and Jeninfer Lopez-Lemus

On Friday, December 13th, RCPS Superintendent Shannon Grimsley announced the recipient of the prestigious RCPS Teacher of the Year Award, Sallie Shackelford. Currently in her 12th year teaching at RCPS, Shackelford serves as a Secondary and Middle School Mathematics Teacher and Instructional Math Coach. As a math coach, she oversees all tier 2 and tier 3 math interventions, collaborates with teachers, and closely monitors students' progress. Additionally, she serves as a teacher mentor for new hires.

Shackelford earned a Master's in Mathematics Education at Radford University after being selected for the competitive Virginia Department of Education's (VDOE) Math and Science Partnership (MSP) grant. Currently, she is enrolled in VDOE Reading Specialist Micro Credential program to further support students' classroom achievement.

During the announcement, Dr. Grimsley elaborated on the attributes that earned Shackelford the special recognition. "Sallie received multiple nominations from colleagues for this recognition and her extraordinary achievements and performance in the math department, as a coach, as a curriculum/instruction support, VTSS implementor, and much more made her an excellent choice."

As the RCPS Teacher of the Year, Shackelford is now a candidate for state-level recognition.

Check out the upcoming events calendar, your one-stop place to view RCPS' community events and more! To view, CLICK HERE or visit our district website and click "Happenings and Highlights," now under the CALENDAR tab.

RCPS will be CLOSED for WINTER BREAK starting on December 23rd. Students will return to school on Wednesday, January 8th. We wish our families a wonderful holiday break.

Parents/Guardians—Leaving work is not always easy if your child gets sick at school. Telehealth makes it easier. With your consent, the clinic nurse, Ms. Prince, will be able to use video telehealth technology to connect your child with a provider at Valley Health. In most cases, your child can be diagnosed without leaving school or you having to leave work.

Conditions treated include asthma, allergies, cough, colds, flu, ear aches, sore throats, fever, headache, head lice, pink eye, skin irritations, and more.

The clinic is available to all students in grades PreK-12 with parental consent, as well as available to RCPS staff. The necessary paperwork can be found HERE. To speak with Ms. Prince at the clinic, please call 540-227-0200.

Rappahannock County Public Schools is excited to announce a pilot project in partnership with Rapp at Home (RaH). Starting in the new year, Rapp at Home Friends will be able to schedule appointments at the telehealth clinic at Rappahannock County Elementary School during normal clinic hours. The urgent care clinic nurse tests for strep, ear infections, Covid, flu, and rashes. Through telemedicine, Valley Health doctors can provide recommendations for further testing and prescriptions.

This is a pilot project for Rapp at Home (RaH) members to test the viability of the clinic being more accessible to the public. Only RaH members who complete the necessary paperwork and scheduled an appointment will be able to visit the clinic. Patients will enter and leave the clinic through a dedicated entrance. After a trial period, we will evaluate the possibility of expanding the program to the general public and providing additional services, which will benefit our students and staff.

RaH is a 501c3 not for profit operating in Rappahannock County. Their goal is to allow senior residents the opportunity to stay active, socially engaged and able to live comfortably in their homes by linking residents to services and offer stimulating and interesting social and fitness activities. The services and activities RaH offers can range from opportunities for staying involved with friends and neighbors, to receiving help with transportation, to assisting with tasks around the house or yard, to picking up groceries and prescriptions. You can learn more about RaH at www.rappathome.net.

If you have any questions, or concerns, please contact our telehealth nurse, Tara Prince, at tprince@rappahannockschools.us or Mr. Bob Richey at bob@rappathome.org.

To sign up for Behind the Wheel, visit

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSccnKHX9tDOU1oY45Az8kkTVnkvWGYTEU4sKqIyz0RG02rxwg/viewform

For more information, please contact Ms. Fox at efox@rappahannockschools.us.

To view the list of helpful mental health and wellness resources for students and families, CLICK HERE.

Website: www.rappahannockschools.us
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Email: info@rappahannockschools.us

To view a helpful list of our communications channels, CLICK HERE.