Students, Staff, & Families,

As I've mentioned before, this is my favorite time of year as the weather begins to change and we welcome the beginning of another holiday season. It's hard to believe we are this far into the school year already! A quarter of this school year has come and gone.

I commend each of you (students, families, teachers, administrators, and our entire community) for making Botetourt County Public Schools a truly exceptional place to learn and grow. I continue to be amazed at the accolades and recognitions that many of our schools have received recently. This is a direct reflection of the extraordinary employees we have, as well as the committed parents and families who send your children to us daily, motivated and ready to learn.

Use the Table of Contents to the left to quickly navigate to the sections of this newsletter.

Central Academy Middle School was named a 2024 National Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education on September 23. CAMS earned this recognition in the Exemplary Achievement Gap-Closing category. This award reflects the school’s dedication to maintaining high academic standards, utilizing effective teaching practices, and creating a culture of engaged learning.

Dr. Jonathan Russ (front left) and Mr. Jordan Pinkard (front right), receive a certificate of recognition at the Library of Virginia in honor of Central Academy Middle School's

2024 National Blue Ribbon School award.

In the video above, U.S. Secretary of Education, Miguel Cardona, discusses what it means to be a National Blue Ribbon School and recognizes all of the awardee schools from across the nation. Scroll to timestamp 30:45 to see the slide dedicated to Central Academy Middle School.

(Schools are recognized alphabetically by name and by state.)

Following community input from a survey during the strategic planning process, Botetourt County Public Schools added the Real Life 101 course to our instructional program. This course focuses on providing real life learning opportunities and preparing students for life after graduation. Eight students in Ms. Clara Holland's Real Life 101 class at Lord Botetourt HS recently participated in a unique opportunity to become CPR/AED & First Aid certified. This is no small accomplishment, and the knowledge and skills these students gained may very well save a life one day.

Known as LOVEworks, these unique signs can be found across Virginia. They celebrate the diversity, culture, history, and personality of the locations they represent. A new LOVEworks sign now sits proudly and prominently at the Botetourt Sports Complex, and was fabricated by Cameron Ferguson, Lord Botetourt HS senior and Welding IV student at BTEC. The sign is the fifth in the county and was officially dedicated on Monday, October 21. The event demonstrates the strong relationship that exists between the local county government and the school system, and highlights our mutual efforts regarding workforce development, and celebrates the talent and skills of our students.

The annual 'Crunch Heard 'Round the Commonwealth' was a tremendous success in Botetourt County Public Schools! We are fortunate to live in an area with a rich apple-growing heritage, and students and staff enjoyed a crisp, juicy apple from Bryant Orchards this year. Our Nutrition Department went above and beyond to showcase our division's participation this year. With fun activities, a delicious recipe, and a special interview with Bryant Orchards, there is something for everyone on the special website they created.

SNAP stands for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and is specifically designed to help families supplement their food budget. We encourage families to learn more by visiting:

1. CommonHelp
2. Virginia Department of Social Services

An increasing number of people suffer from food-related allergies. This means that some kids and their families don’t feel comfortable trick-or-treating, because the risk of being exposed to an allergen is just too high. The Teal Pumpkin Project seeks to raise food allergy awareness and encourages offering the option of non-food trinkets and toys in a separate bowl for trick-or-treaters on Halloween.

Interested in learning more or participating? Follow the link below for more information:

Elementary students were invited to participate in the Botetourt Fire & EMS second ever Fire Prevention Week Art Contest! Participants were encouraged to create artwork in a medium of their choice surrounding the 2024 Fire Prevention Week Theme, "Smoke Alarms: Make Them Work for You."

Congratulations to this year's winners:

• October 31: Halloween
• November 5: Election Day / Teacher Workday (no school for students)
• November 14: School Board Meeting
• November 27-29: Thanksgiving Holiday (BCPS Closed)
• December 12: School Board Meeting
• December 20: End of 2nd Quarter
• December 23-January 1: Winter Holiday (BCPS Closed)
• January 2-3: Teacher Workdays (no school for students)
• January 6: 3rd Quarter Begins