February 2022 Newsletter
Greetings!

We are proud of our students, families and staff for their overwhelming support of the Valley Mission during our kickoff week to the Staunton Kindness Challenge.

Thanks to our division-wide Coins for Kindness collection, we presented a check for $1,106.89 to the Valley Mission on our monthly Kindness Day in January!

Staunton City Schools plans to partner with community organizations to show kindness to neighbors in need for the remainder of the school year.

If your organization wants to partner with us in the Staunton Kindness Challenge, please email us at kindnesschallenge@staunton.k12.va.us.
Student Art Featured on City Snowplows
Five SCS students recently had a unique opportunity to display their artwork on city snowplows.

The City of Staunton’s Public Works Department partnered with Staunton City Schools to allow students to showcase their artistic abilities in a snowplow design contest.

Students from each school used the theme “Winter Olympics” to create a design. One piece of student art from each school was selected for five plows.

The finalists, listed here in order of their appearance, are:

  • Na’siah Bolden, 5th grade – Bessie Weller Elementary
  • Randall Enoch, 2nd grade — A. R. Ware Elementary
  • Phoenix Lathrop, 3rd grade — McSwain Elementary
  • Charlotte Carbajal, 7th grade — Shelburne Middle
  • Madison Helmick, 12th grade — Staunton High

Congratulations to all of the artists! We appreciate the partnership with Staunton Public Works and hope to continue this effort in years to come.
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We extend a huge thank you to families who helped us pull through staffing shortages in our transportation department in January.

Many of you drove your children to school to help alleviate the shortage of bus drivers. Your support and kindness did not go unnoticed!

Thank you for stepping up to help our entire learning community.
At McSwain Elementary School, every student returned from the winter break to find a positive note on their desk. A group of student role models, also known as Upstanders, took the time to write 450 kind messages for their peers—enough for every student at the school. Way to go, Upstanders!
Top News
Major Technology Upgrades Assist Student Learning
Instructional areas in every school are now equipped with a 70-inch Promethean interactive touchscreen panel. Sharing educational content from teacher to students or student-to-student has been reimagined with these new devices.

In addition to the Promethean panels, each instructional staff member is in the process of receiving a new Dell laptop, a 24-inch extra monitor for viewing student work, and a cable docking station to keep the teacher’s workspace and technology tools easy to manage. These critical upgrades in technology are helping our teachers provide a modern-day education to every student in our division.
National Honor Society Collects Over 1,000 Items for Food Bank
The Staunton High School (SHS) chapter of the National Honor Society recently sponsored a food drive to support the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank.

SHS students and faculty donated more than 1,000 food items during the drive! We appreciate all who have supported this effort.
Student Council Collects Gifts for 13 Area Children
Thirteen children in the Staunton area received gifts for the holidays thanks to the SHS Student Council's donations to the Salvation Army's Angel Tree Program.

Many departments and clubs at the high school came together to provide one of the largest gifts to the Salvation Army since 2011.
Kindness Matters Yard Signs Available
We have a limited supply of Kindness Matters yard signs available in the Staunton City School Board office on the second floor of City Hall, 116 W. Beverley Street.

If you'd like to spread a message of kindness in your neighborhood, stop by between 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. to pick one up.
116 West Beverley Street
Staunton, VA 24401

Phone: 540.332.3920
www.staunton.k12.va.us