February 2024
RCPS Division Newsletter
A Look Back at the Month in Pictures
The RCES Family Engagement Night, which took place on Wednesday, February 28th, was a huge hit for both students and families. The Dr. Seuss-themed event featured numerous enjoyable activities and delicious treats for everyone involved. Special thanks to Ms. Bethany Bostic and Ms. Katherine Todd for coordinating this wonderful event and to all the volunteers and staff who contributed to its tremendous success.
Photos by Holly Jenkins
On Feb. 23rd, in honor of Black History Month, RCHS students and staff viewed Places of Hope and Aspirations: Rosenwald Schools in Rappahannock County, VA, directed by Metta. The students heard first-hand accounts and insights about the struggles and challenges during school integration. The viewing of this documentary, presented by Scrabble School and RCPS Equity Team, was made possible by a grant from the Virginia Department of Humanities and matching funds from an anonymous Rappahannock donor.
Pictured Above (L-R): Dr. Grimsley, Tasha White, Angela M. Dennis, Metta, Nan Butler Roberts
Photos by Tim Stockdale
RCES celebrated 101 Days of Fun on February 2nd. Check out a few of the adorable Dalmatians!
Photo by Holly Jenkins
During National FFA Week, RCHS Principal Carlos Seward, RCSO Sheriff's Deputy Chris Ubben, and RCHS math teachers Mr. Scott Stephens and Mrs. Sallie Shackelford all earned the dubious distinction of being selected by the RCHS student body to catch a greased pig (named Hank) as part of a fundraiser for the RCHS Future Farmers of America!! Deputy Ubben emerged victorious as he caught the beguiling boar two times in a row! Hank got a nice bath afterwards!
Write-up and photos by Tim Stockdale
Ms. Deal's first graders dressed as grandmas and grandpas for the 100th Day of School on February 1st.
Photo by Jennifer Deal
The RCES Middle School Band, led by Mr. Dorell Fullard, delighted the audience during the School Board & Board of Supervisors Joint Budget Work Session Meeting on February 13th.
Photo by Holly Jenkins
The 3rd Grade RCES Panthers competed in the 2024 READBowl, a reading competition between classes/schools from all over the country. In total, RCES 3rd grade read an impressive 123,885 minutes over the course of 4 weeks. Well done, 3rd grade!!
Photo by Allison Suchernick
The 2024 Reality Store program took place on Thursday, Feb. 22. All RCHS 8th graders participated in this event, which was led in partnership between Virginia Cooperative Extension and RCPS. With the help of 30 volunteers, students were assigned a career and a monthly income, and had to purchase an item at 16 different booths which ranged from housing, transportation, child care, groceries, utilities, dental care, entertainment, and more. Students had to choose between low, medium and high priced items, and some volunteers had a good time offering great “deals” to students, so that they would be encouraged to purchase the most expensive option at their table. As a thank you to the volunteer participants, RCHS culinary students prepared a delicious lunch for them to enjoy.
Write-up and photo by Jenny Kapsa
Seventh grade students enjoyed a fun and informative field trip to Richmond to visit to the Virginia State Capitol, House Chambers, and the Science Museum of Virginia.
Photos by Jenny Kapsa
Student and Staff Recognitions
Congratulations to Ms. Elaine McCabe, the RCES Teacher of the Year 2023-2024! During the elementary school faculty meeting on February 12th, Ms. McCabe was honored as the recipient of this award for her outstanding commitment to learning and student success. “Beyond her exceptional teaching ability, she is celebrated for her tireless efforts in fostering a supportive and inclusive learning environment,” said Principal Wissinger. “She goes above and beyond to ensure every student feels valued, heard, and empowered to reach their full potential. Her commitment to learning for all has left a lasting impact on the community.” Ms. McCabe currently teaches 6th-grade science and 7th-grade life science classes. Additionally, she has taught reading and led the mentor program in previous years.
Photo by Holly Jenkins
To learn more about our RCHS Teacher of the Year and RCPS Teacher of the Year, Mr. Scott Stephens, check out our January Newsletter.
Jr. Panthers of the Month
Congratulations to our Jr. Panthers of the Month! This month’s 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. Please join us in congratulating the following students.
Pre-K: Maisy Lou Minder, Gracie Burks
Kindergarten: Brayden Woodward, Henry Gleason, Secily Montague, Oaklen Lee
First Grade: Alex Stolar, Ezra Piper, Roman Clatterbuck
Second Grade: Tenley Herzig, Alisa Shoemaker, William Smoot
Third Grade: Evvy Burke, Tinsley Orme, Mason Pullen, Grace Burfield
Fourth Grade: Abby Hatfield, Sophia Farmer, Dairek Hess
Fifth Grade: Grayson Norman, Christian Canales, Ryleigh Calhoun
Sixth Grade: Riley Colvin, Lilah Choi, Kayla Ibarra
Seventh Grade: Richard Jones, Mariah Phillips, Brayden Compton
Photo by Christy Taylor
Scholastic Bowl Places 3rd in States
The Rappahannock County High School Scholastic Bowl team competed in the state tournament at Jamestown High School recently and valiantly placed third in the state!! Head Coach Mr. Dave Naser said that the Panthers narrowly lost to John I. Burton High School (Norton) and to George Wythe High School-Wytheville,VA but defeated Rappahannock High School (Warsaw) to finish in third place! Sophomore Ruth Cossette’s toss-up point total for the year was 1700, with 820 for senior Najet Rayan and 600 for junior, Emma Brown. Way to go team!!
Contributed Photo
School Board Appreciation Month
February is School Board Appreciation Month. We are grateful to each of them for their commitment and hard work for our schools. We truly appreciate everything they do for our students and staff. For more information on each of our remarkable School Board Members, click HERE.
Pictured: Dr. Grimsley (left) poses with the RCPS School Board. Photo by Holly Jenkins
The Rappahannock County High School National Honor Society held its 2024 Induction Ceremony on Thursday, February 29th. Families, students, and staff proudly clapped as 21 students were recognized for this prestigious achievement.
Congratulations to the 2024 Inductees: Emma Arnold, Joley Beard, Jacob Brown, Shawne Christian, Lucy Colvin, Mason Comer, Ruth Cossette, Brianna Covarrubias Rodriguez, Wyatt Creel-Sieber, Elias Genho, Lotus Gillespie, Lilly Grimsley, Natalie Hawkins, Chloe Jenkins, Henry Loth, Rhys Milam, Gabrielle Moreno, Declan Perrot, Isaac Plaksin, Carmen Pond, and Joel Wangsgard.
Photo by Tim Stockdale
All-District Band Ensemble
Selected for their musical prowess, RCHS Seniors Payton Cillo, Elijah Lowe, and Rhys Milam performed in the all-district band ensemble held on February 3rd at Millbrook High School in Winchester, VA. The event featured some of the most talented student-musicians in District XIV of the Virginia Band & Orchestra Directors' Association. Payton was on flute, Elijah was on trumpet, Rhys was part of the percussion section and together they played five pieces alongside other talented musicians from twelve other area high schools. The ensemble's conductor was Dr. William Stowman, a Professor of Trumpet and Chair of the Department of Music at Messiah College in Mechanicsburg, PA.
Photos by Tim Stockdale
CTE Spotlights
February was CTE Month. Check out the spotlight campaign that celebrated our awesome Career & Technical Education (CTE) offerings at RCHS.
Announcements & Reminders
Behind the Wheel
We are scheduling Behind the Wheel session for RCPS students and non-students. Please click the following link to learn more and to sign-up your student. https://forms.gle/J9WhhcbdTZhbPKer9
Pictured: Our Behind the Wheel Instructors, Ms. Sell and Ms. Fox
Calling All RCHS Alumni
Due to low submission rates, our new alumni section will begin in March.
Have a new job, promotion, retirement, or achievement? Want to tell us what you have been up to since your RCHS graduation? If so, please CLICK HERE to submit a short bio. Additionally, this link can be found on our website at www.rappahannockschools.us/happenings.
Complete this short survey by Monday, March 25th, to be included in the March edition. Later submissions will be included in upcoming newsletters.
Important Upcoming Dates
To view the PDF version of our community events, CLICK HERE. Additionally, this calendar can be found on our district website homepage.
Helpful Information
Mental Health & Wellness Resources
To view the list of helpful mental health and wellness resources for students and families, CLICK HERE.
Connect With Us
Website: www.rappahannockschools.us
Facebook: www.facebook.com/rappahannockcountypublicschools
Instagram: www.instagram.com/_rcps_