February 2025

It was a wintery February, but our students and teachers have been hard at work to make-up for the missed days of schools. Pictured above- Ms. Todd reviewed syllables with a small group of students.

RCES celebrated the 100th day of school on February 4th. Many students celebrated the occasion by dressing as adorable 100-year-olds!

Photo by Holly Jenkins

RCHS 8th graders participated in the 2025 Reality Store program, offered in partnership between Virginia Cooperative Extension and RCPS. At the start of the activity, students were randomly assigned a career and a monthly income. They then had to purchase items from different booths, run by community volunteers, ranging from housing, transportation, child care, groceries, utilities, dental care, entertainment, and more. This activity helped students better understand the importance of budgeting, choosing needs over wants, and having a savings account.

Photo by Holly Jenkins

During a warmer February day, students enjoyed outdoor recess and a competitive game of basketball.

Photo by Holly Jenkins

Recently, Mr. Volmrich's 6th-grade Farm-to-Table class learned about the high school's FFA chapter and various agricultural education offerings from FFA members. The high schoolers presented slides highlighting the agriculture academy classes and chapter activities, inspiring future interest among the younger students.

Photo by Holly Jenkins

RCES students dressed as Dalmatians to celebrate the 101st day of school on February 5th.

Photo by Christen Snyder

Natalie Campbell, a senior at RCHS, was honored for her commitment and service as the School Board Student Liaison throughout the past year. Natalie expressed her heartfelt gratitude in her final address to the board members. She also introduced her friend and classmate, Ruth Cossette, who will serve as the student liaison for 2025.
Photo by Holly Jenkins

Third-grade students enjoyed a field trip to the Shenandoah Valley Discovery Museum, where they explored the four levels of interactive learning exhibits.

Photo by Bethany Cubbage

RCHS students, grades 8-12, attended a special Black History Month presentation featuring guest speaker Charles Jameson. In his tri-corner hat, Jameson shared with the audience the history of Black Americans' contribution to the Revolutionary War, many of whom had enlisted and became "comrades in arms" in hopes of gaining freedom. During the presentation, students learned about several notable Black Americans who served, including a few of his direct ancestors.

Photos by Holly Jenkins

Students in Ms. Sappington's music class practiced playing notes on xylophones earlier this month.

Photo by Holly Jenkins

Ms. Lamb's DE English class engaged in a Socratic Seminar to discuss the novel Grendel, which is the Beowulf epic from the monster's point of view. The seniors participated in an in-depth study of themes and subtext, creating an amazing two-day discussion.

Photo by Sheila Lamb

RCES students have been celebrating Black History Month in STEAM by learning about famous African American scientists, artists, mathematicians, and inventors. On Feb. 25th, Mrs. Montague’s pre-k students learned about Garrett Morgan, inventor of the modern traffic signal. Students brushed up on their fine motor skills and made their own traffic signals.

Photo by Bethany Bostic

During the RCHS Trade of the Month presentation, Mr. Rick Nawrocki shared with students how he got his start in welding and why he pursued a trades program education versus a more traditional college-bound program. Rick talked about how his welding shop and business both have grown over the years and how he has employed several former Rappahannock County High School graduates. Rick was a big hit, and several students asked various questions. Some even approached him asking about summer or after-graduation employment. Rick's business, Rick's Custom Welding, is locally based in Flint Hill, Virginia, and has been a fixture in Rappahannock County since 1999.

Photo by Chris Ubben

Congratulations to our Winter Jr. Panthers! The students were selected by their teachers for demonstrating good citizenship and leadership amongst their peers. In celebration of their achievement, students were treated to a special recognition luncheon with Ms. Wissinger and Ms. Lowe-Barton.

PreK- Gustavo Jaime Hernandez and Canyon Barton

K- Madison Maness-Collins and Mason Gray

1st- Secily Montague, Ellis Childress, and Mason Miller

2nd- Jedidiah Calhoun, Luciana Arellos, and Addy Hausler

3rd- Zella Lopiano, Kaison Mullins, and Lee Fincham

4th- Hailey Jenkins, Ira Irmen, and Rose Hall

5th- Luke Pitts, Emmanuel Moya, and Max Mullins

6th- Kourtney Eisemann, Ian Chapman, and Allie Truitt

7th- Kevin C. Rodriguez, Wyatt Lowe, and Bryce Wharton

Photo by Christy Taylor

Important Dates for March 2025- RCPS will be closed for spring break on March 7th- 11th. Additionally, March 21st is an early release day (noon) for students.

The PTO Fun Run is coming to RCES and RCHS this year! Thank you to everyone that vote for the design of the t-shirt. We Have a Winner! With an overwhelming majority, the “We Are Rappahannock” design with latitudes on the front chest took the top spot in our Fun Run T-shirt poll! Now it’s time to order yours and show your Panther pride! Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and neighbors—get your shirt with your favorite student’s name on the back! T-shirt orders close March 7th—don’t miss out! Shirts are $20 each adult and $10 for youth and can be paid with Paypal (pto@rappahannockschools.us) or a check to the schools made out to the RCPS PTO. Click the link to order now! https://forms.gle/EToS3B98W5eYojYT7

All RCPS students (and staff) will receive a free shirt.

Registration for the SPARK Day Camp is NOW OPEN!

Looking for a FUN and affordable summer program for your child? Look no further!

The SPARK Day Camp (Summer Program for Adventure, Recreation, and Knowledge) is back for its second year, and we couldn't be more excited for summer to begin!

RCPS, Headwaters, and the Child Care & Learning Center are teaming up once again to offer 8.5 weeks of action-packed day camp in June and July. Each week will feature new, exciting programs designed to keep kids engaged, active, and learning-all at an affordable cost. Campers will be grouped by grade level and supervised by trained adult staff and RCHS teenage counselors to ensure a safe and enriching experience.

Who Can Attend?

SPARK Camp is open to RCPS children who have completed kindergarten (ages 5-6) through 6th grade (ages 11-12).

Camp Schedule & Fees

• ·June: 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
• ·July: 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
• ·Cost: $125 per child, per week (due two weeks before each registered week)
• ·Includes: Snacks, transportation, and all program supplies
• ·Rain or Shine!

Special Opportunity for Summer School Students

Students recommended for RCES summer school can attend SPARK Camp for free in June! Simply register for SPARK and indicate summer school participation. Parents/Guardians will be notified in May if their child qualifies.

Camp space is limited, and registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. Forms will be accepted until March 17, 2025.

SPARK Day Camp Registration, 2025 https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSefCNzwM2SnHEqZMymi6QbH_5ZV0FpEUmNKmxCvq6vue6AY9g/closedform

Don't miss this chance for your child to have a summer filled with fun, creativity, and adventure!

Questions? Contact Jenny Kapsa at jkapsa@rappahannockschools.us.

We are currently accepting PreK applications for SY 2025-2026. After completing the electronic registration (link below), please email the required documents (immunization records, income verification, and birth certificate) to Michelle Berta at mberta@rappahannockschools.us or drop them off at the school board office. A limited number of slots are available.

Click the button below to start the application.

Join us for the RCHS Panther Band Mini Golf Fundraiser on March 15th from 10 am- 3 pm.

Calling all alumni! The Alumni Tournament will be held on March 8th. If you are interested in participating, CLICK HERE.

The clinic is available to all students in grades PreK-12 with parental consent. The necessary paperwork can be found HERE. To schedule an appointment, please call the clinic at 540-793-1371. Ms. Prince begins scheduling appointments at 8 am for students and RCPS staff. If she is busy assisting another patient, please leave a message for her to return your call.

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.

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.

February is CTE Month, and RCPS is excited to launch our inaugural Career & Technical Education newsletter! Created by Ms. Jodi Place, our CTE Coordinator and RCHS Assistant Principal, this monthly edition will showcase recent happenings and upcoming events.

To view the NEW CTE Newsletter, visit https://sites.google.com/rappahannockschools.us/rcps-cte/home

RCPS is excited to announce the debut of our Panther Power for Families newsletter. This monthly newsletter, suggested by our School Health Advisory Committee, is dedicated to promoting health and wellness for our students and school families. Each month, we will highlight a few of the health initiatives in our schools and provide helpful tips for keeping our Panthers healthy, happy, and flourishing. To view this first edition, visit https://secure.smore.com/n/628cx7

The RCPS Communications Committee is collecting feedback about our current communication methods. We are seeking input from our community, families/staff, and students. Your input is extremely valuable in helping us identify what practices are working well and areas we can strengthen further to meet your needs best.

Each survey has been specifically tailored to address the needs of that group. Please select the survey link that best describes you.

**Rappahannock COMMUNITY- CLICK HERE

**PARENT/GUARDIAN of RCPS student or RCPS STAFF- CLICK HERE

**RCPS STUDENT- CLICK HERE

Thank you for sharing your feedback! The surveys will close on March 7, 2025.

The 7th Annual Student Storytelling Contest

sponsored by Foothills Forum and Rappahannock News

starts Friday, January 24th and runs through March 21st.

Students in Grades 7-12 are welcome to enter for cash prizes, publication in the

Rappahannock News, and the satisfying and exciting experience of telling a story

and sharing it with others.

What is new and different this year?

1. There is a single prompt focused on telling a true story about something that

happened to you or someone you know:

Tell a story about yourself or someone you know that involves

an act of generosity, honesty or kindness.

2. Different forms of storytelling are eligible for entry, including written stories,

feature articles, poetry and acting scripts, graphic stories with multiple frames

and audiovisual presentations such as podcasts, videos, and photo slideshows.

3. A Contest Website, rappstories.com, where you will find everything you need to

know to get started, including contest guidelines, submission form, storytelling tips

and editing support. More helpful information and story form examples will be

posted on the website on an ongoing basis.

4. Entries must be submitted on the Contest Website. The submission form and button

are right there for your convenience. Students may choose to drop-off an additional

physical copy at sites identified on the website prior to the March 21st deadline.

4. A Contest Workshop, complete with free pizza, will be held on January 30th

from 5:30 — 7:00 pm at the RCHS commons/cafeteria. Expert presenters will

discuss the contest and various story forms in detail. Come for fun and inspiration!

Enrollment information and more can be found at www.RappNatureCamp.org. Student scholarships are available through the Headwaters Emily Hilscher Passion Award.

RappTaxFree will prepare your return accurately and at no cost. Register at RappTaxFree.org or call 540-227-0493. We will schedule your time with an IRS-certified counselor. There is NO fee to prepare your return. We are scheduling appointments now for Saturdays at the Sperryville Schoolhouse, beginning February 15. RappTaxFree is an AARP TaxAide site hosted by RappCE. For more information, call 540-227-0493.

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

Website: www.rappahannockschools.us
Facebook: www.facebook.com/rappahannockcountypublicschools
Instagram: www.instagram.com/_rcps_

Email: info@rappahannockschools.us

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