school board agenda item

Connect. Engage. Inspire.

GLOUCESTER COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD The Thomas Calhoun Walker Education Center

6099 T.C. Walker Road Gloucester, Virginia 23061

SCHOOL BOARD AGENDA ITEM

MEETING DATE: TUESDAY, JULY 13, 2021

AGENDA SUBJECT: INSTRUCTIONAL MONTHLY REPORT

ATTACHMENTS: INSTRUCTIONAL MONTHLY REPORT

TYPE OF AGENDA ITEM:

CONSENT INFORMATION ONLY – NO DISCUSSION

REGULAR X INFORMATION ONLY – DISCUSSION

X DEPARTMENTAL REPORT/PRESENTATION ACTION

BACKGROUND / SUMMARY: The Instructional Monthly Report contains information of the schools and/or the Instructional Services Department’s daily operations, special events, projects, and recognitions.

REQUESTED ACTION: No action requested. FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT PRESENTER: Name: Charles Wagner, Ed.D.

Phone: (804) 693-7889 E-mail: [email protected]


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June was a time for celebration and good byes:

Melanie McComb, our beloved music teacher retired, but she went out with a bang. Our 5th grade classes performed a Bucket Drumming song at each of our 4 promotion ceremonies. It was very impressive!

Nicole Lantz, 5th grade teacher, accepted the ITRT position.

Diane Richman, special education teacher, accepted the Math interventionist position.

Angelica Perez, special education teacher, accepted the Regional Autism self-contained position.

Several others transferred or moved out of the district/state. We will miss them all and wish them nothing but the best!

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Each of our 5th grade classes had a promotion ceremony to celebrate moving to Middle School next year. It was so great to have families in the building supporting our kids.

The Abington graduating Seniors walked the halls of their elementary school while our current elementary schoolers cheered them on!

Field Day was a SUCCESS!!!! Students were outside enjoying a variety of activities. There was so much

laughter and fun! Everyone especially enjoyed the snow cones.

Summer School started June 28th. Abingdon is hosting summer school for Abingdon and Achilles students in rising first –rising 6th grades. We have 177 students attending.


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Summer School Fun! Therapy dog visiting 1x week

Book Mobile visiting 1x week

Bayport Outreach July 28th


Achilles Elementary School Instructional Report June 2021

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On Tuesday, June 15th, Achilles celebrated its fifth grade students in three “Celebrate 5” events, one for each homeroom class.

Taylor Hudgins, 5th grade student and SCA president, gave a speech to his fellow fifth grade students.

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Gifted Resource Teacher Rhonda Taylor attended a week-long professional development course in Utah last month with the Project Archaeology team. Sessions highlighted investigations that connect the student in the present with citizens of the past using engaging and hands-on methods. Cross-curricular connections to math, language arts, and the fine arts were also included. While Mrs. Taylor covered her travel expenses; she is grateful to the district for providing professional leave and can't wait to share the Project Archaeology curriculum with her colleagues.

Debbie Armentrout organized Achilles’ annual Bay Day using a grant she received from the Chesapeake Bay Trust. Debbie organized lesson kits for each grade level that contained materials and a “script.” Lessons kits were differentiated by grade level and included materials such as read-alouds, crafts, real specimens and reproductions/models, and interactive activities. Virtual students were able to participate in the day’s activities by picking up a craft kit in the front office and joining their class via Zoom throughout the day.



On June 17th, school and division staff celebrated division retirees at the Retirement Social held at T.C. Walker Education Center. Achilles

celebrated the retirements of Angela Foster (fourth grade), Donna Phillips (kindergarten), and Martha Wiggs (P.E.). We wish them well as they transition into their retirements.

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SOL Testing: Achilles students in grades 3-5 completed the state mandated SOL testing in June. Students worked hard to show all that they have learned throughout this year. Thank you to all of the teachers and staff who supported SOL testing, and a special thank you to our testing coordinators, Mrs. Jessica Brown and Mrs. Carlee Hanchak for all of their work to make SOL testing run smoothly.

Bay Day: The school’s annual Bay Day took place on Friday, June 11th. Students in all grades completed activities throughout the day, organized by Ms. Armentrout. Activities included read alouds, real specimen and reproductions/models, games, and crafts. Dr. McSweeney participated and facilitated an activity for students, too!



Field Day: Achilles’ annual Field Day took place on Monday, June 14th. Fifth grade students took on leadership roles and facilitated various stations and activities for the younger students.

Senior Walk: On Thursday, June 10th, 14 GHS seniors came back to Achilles to do a “Senior Walk.” As they walked around the halls of their old elementary school, current Achilles students and staff cheered and celebrated their accomplishment of graduating from high school.

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Achilles students attending 6-week summer school program at Abingdon Elementary

New Principal, Kelley Gray, joins the Achilles staff

Front parking lot construction

Botetourt Elementary 2021 Instructional Report

June 2021


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We celebrated the promotion of our 5th grade students this month as they transition to the middle schools. At our 5th grade graduation ceremonies, students listened to words of encouragement from both Deputy Salmon and Dr. Clemons. We wish our fifth graders the best of luck next school year!

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s At the end of this year we said goodbye to two of our teachers who are retiring: Mr.

Camillucci and Ms. Walter. Both Mr. C and Ms. Walter will be missed as they were a huge part of our resource team. We are looking forward to welcoming some new teachers Mr. Carroll (music) and Ms. Elmore (art) to Botetourt for the 21-22 school year!

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On June 15th, our Bulldogs enjoyed field day which was organized by our PE teacher, Mr.

Milner. Students enjoyed many fun games like relay races and were able to cool down with a frozen Popsicle treat.


June 2021


We were also able to celebrate GHS seniors who used to walk the halls of Botetourt

Elementary at our annual Senior Walk! High school seniors paraded the halls while our current Bulldogs cheered them on.

Summer school began June 28th, shortly after the last day of the regular school year. Botetourt is hosting students from Bethel and Petsworth as well for the summer program. We currently have around 160 students attending summer school this year from Pre-K to Rising 6th grade. There are two summer school teachers for almost every grade level as well as paraprofessionals who are providing additional support for students within the classroom. Class sizes are small with about 12-13 students per class. Students are provided a breakfast and take-home lunch each day. Attendance for summer school has been one of the best years yet!

Our community education coordinator Ms. Walker, has provided students with opportunities during summer school such as visits from therapy dogs and the Gloucester County Library Book Mobile!


June 2021



Page Middle School/Patricia McMahon – June 2021

Student and Staff

Recognitions

▪ In an effort to recognize and acknowledge every Page Teacher and Staff Member, Cathy

Balderson, Debra Falkenberg, & Brian Teucke select several staff members each week to

highlight for students, staff, parents, and the community. See each week’s recognized

members by checking our Facebook page. In the month of June, the following Soaring

Eagles were recognized in morning announcements, on a bulletin board near the CEC

office, and on Facebook: Cathy Balderson, Michele Richmond, Amanda McDonald, Brian

Teucke & Bryan Hill. Our students SOAR because of our teachers and staff!

▪ Many welcomes to Page’s New Faculty & Staff for the 2020-21 School Year: o Mrs. Sharon Hendrix takes the Principal helm on July 1. Mr. Daryl Oakley will join

the Eagles Team as the new Assistant Principal later this summer. o Lisa Parzanese will return to Page as the ITRT after the school year begins. o Jennifer Stutz will transfer from Peasley to Page to teach the self-contained special

education classroom that is also transitioning to Page. Mrs. Tara Johnson will be her paraprofessional for that classroom.

o New teachers to Page include: Ms. Erinn Peterson, Mrs. Michelle Kimble, and Mrs. Bernadette Tipton (who will be Page’s Language Arts Specialist). Ms. Cassandra Wood will join Page in August but has already started teaching in our Summer Academy.

o Mr. Allen Koederitz will leave his current position as Grade 8 Math teacher at Page to become Page’s Math Interventionist. Congratulations, Allen!

▪ Congratulations and Well Wishes to our Page Faculty & Staff who are moving to new positions and places for the 2020-21 School Year:

o Dr. Patricia McMahon is moving to the TCWEC Sped Office to serve the Division as a Program Support Coordinator on July 1.

o Ms. Cathy Balderson will share her assistant principal talents with Peasley Middle School on July 1.

o Mr. Rusty West, Mr. KC Woller, and Ms. Sherry Rollins will finally enjoy their retirement on warm beaches and in cool breezes. A lovely retirement dinner was held at TCWEC on June 17.

o Mrs. Denise Dubois will transfer to Achilles as their School Nurse. o Mrs. Bridget O’Connell will transfer from her Book Keeping position at Page to the

HR Department in TCWEC. o Mr. Brian Teucke has accepted a position in New York and will be leaving Virginia

this summer. Mrs. Kimberly Vogt has accepted a position in finance in York County. Mrs. Patricia Wood has accepted a position teaching Government in Mathews in the new school year. Mr. James Cook will also leave the school division


to teach in a special education self-contained classroom. Ms. Elley Trubic is moving to the Charlottesville area with her fiancé and will be teaching 7th grade students next year. Mrs. Pamela Fox and Ms. Kamryn Pritchett have accepted special education positions in GCPS elementary schools.

Current Happenings & Projects

▪ You Belong Here

▪ With much appreciation to Cathy Balderson (our School Test Coordinator) and her testing

team, Page successfully completed Spring SOL testing for in-person and virtual students.

▪ Mrs. Debra Falkenberg and Mr. Brian Teucke presented to the Board on June 8 to share

the Career activities and events planned and implemented at Page Middle School.

▪ On Monday, June 14, Page welcomed Commander Rick Ward and his colleagues from Post

75 of the American Legion to retire Page’s Virginia and US Flags. Sixth grade students from

Mrs. Trish Wood’s and Mrs. Pam Leigh’s USI classes observed the ceremony and asked

questions of the officers.

▪ Middle School Summer Academy has begun! Page welcomed more than 70 Page &

Peasley 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students who arrived willing and ready to learn. Be on the

lookout for an update when both sessions of the Academy is completed. We are grateful

to the ongoing planning team and to all teachers who have continued to revise and

improve on the original plans: Mrs. Kristen Heaney, Mr. Brian Teucke, Dr. Patricia

McMahon, Ms. Kierstin Wilson, & Mr. Michael Fenlon.

▪ Summer is always busy at Page. We wish Mrs. Hendrix all the best as she begins in her

new role. There are many at Page who will support her. She has come to the right place.

You belong here.

Coming Soon June 28 – July 15: Middle School Summer Academy at Page July 19 – August 5: Middle School Summer Academy at Peasley

Community Engagement

Communications: • 10 FB posts including: Page Staff Appreciation Pics/Bios, Gloucester HS Physical Info, American

Legion Flag Retirement Ceremony, 8th Grade Promotion, Currently 1419 followers on FB and

32 followers on Twitter.

• Invited the Gazette Journal to attend the Flag Retirement, thank you Tyler Bass for coming.

• Submitted 1 media releases to the Gazette Journal- 8th Grade Promotion Event.

Involvement:

• Participating in CEPI Staff Meetings

• Participating on the Page staff appreciation committee with Mr. Brian Teucke & Mrs. Cathy

Balderson to acknowledge all Page employees thru in house means and social media. Creating

morning announcements, pic/bio graphics for FB and bulletin board.

Volunteer Management:

• Submitting required volunteer paperwork for new PTA board members.


Guest Speakers:

• Presentation on Career Day at the June 8th School Board Meeting.

• Working with Linda Buswell and Brian Teucke to schedule Guest Speakers for Summer School

PBL Projects; Reaching out to Fairfield Foundation, Bonnie Wilson, and Board of Supervisors.

Full-Service School:

• Communicating with FSS Therapist, Vanessa Morris and Page staff (Family Assistance Teams)

on current clients.

• Discharging 1 student.

• Currently 4 sots filled, with 2 incoming from Abingdon for 2021-22 school year.

• 2 Referrals on waiting list, potential candidates for GHS.

Facility Management:

• Supervising evening building use for P&R activities at Botetourt Elementary School.

• Working with community groups interested in summer building use.

• Entered Requests for Summer Community Use.

• Working with department on summer use coordination.

Peasley Middle School

Home of the Pride

#WeArePeasley

Students in Mrs. Adams, Mrs. Talbot and Mr. Perry’s 7th and 8th grade elective classes attended an in-person presentation by Ms. Johanna Northstein from Chesapeake Bank about making good credit and savings decisions and planning for their financial future.

Mrs. Oh’s 6th grade pre-Algebra students created scale models of famous buildings of their choice. Students then presented their finished work to the entire 6th grade and staff to be voted on.

Mrs. Chapman’s and Mrs. Kennedy’s language arts classes read Lawn Boy by Gary Paulsen, which is about a 12 year old who runs a successful summer business by mowing lawns and investing his earnings. Students were challenged to design their own business plans, including creating and recording advertisements to promote their goods/ services.

Mrs. Beauchesne's classes had an opportunity to have SRO Bailey come into class as a guest speaker. SRO Baily spoke to them about laws, drugs, and making the right choices. The agenda included two films that showed the devastation of heroin and another film that showed what to do when faced with making the best decision. The students had many questions for SRO Bailey and enjoyed the program.

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Alexandra Byser, 6th grade student at Peasley Middle School, received three awards for her entry in the American Legion Middle School Essay Contest. The theme of the contest this year was, "I like Living In America Because." Alexandra's essay was selected as the top Post 75 entry, and she was chosen as the winner of the Third District which includes middle schools in Gloucester, Hampton, Newport News, Williamsburg, Poquoson, and York County. Her essay was then submitted by the District to the American Legion Department of Virginia competition, where she won first place at the state level, which included a $250 monetary award! This was the first time a winner from the American Legion Post 75 has ever won at the state level. Mr. Jeffries, her teacher was also given a monetary classroom award. Molly McFerrin the NJHS sponsor for Peasley held a small in person induction ceremony for the NJHS students. Peasley inducted 31 new 7th graders and 26 eighth graders who were unable to go through the ceremony last year, due to the pandemic. The students are collecting items for the Guest shelter over the summer as the first service project.

Peasley Middle School

Home of the Pride

#WeArePeasley

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Community Partners for June include Singleton United Methodist Church, who donated food for the 40 students involved in our snack pack weekend food program.

Full-Service-School is currently serving five students, all 5 families are interested in

continuing to receive services throughout the summer. One will attend summer school. Three students will transition to the High School at the end of the summer leaving 2 in the program at Peasley.

Communications for June included the creation of 4 Facebook posts to a following of

1402 Peasley families sharing important county, school, and community information. Community Outreach: Chesapeake Bank presented a program about credit and savings

to three of the 7th and 8th grade elective classes on June 14.

Mrs. Sowers and Mrs. Churra’s Seventh Grade science students participated in a Meaningful Watershed Experience, with assistance from several local Scientists and other experts in the field. Students learned about ecology and local ecosystems through hands-on activities. Topics discussed were wetlands, blue crabs, oysters, recycling, pollinators and birds. Students learned about local environments and their local plants and animals and environmental issues.

The 7th grade LA and History classes collaborated on a "Touring Through the Decades" project. Students were divided into groups starting from 1900-2010's. Students had to create products relevant to the decade of their assigned group on one of the following topics: Culture, science, technology, inventions, sports, newsworthy events, and famous people. Some students dressed up for that era and was a "wax figure". The 6th grade history classes toured through the decades. Photos on next two pages are of the 7th grader’s projects.

Peasley 7th grade Decades Projects:

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