Greendale Elementary

Stay in the Know: With the potential for winter weather this evening through tomorrow morning, we wanted to alert you of the two options for Friday, November 22, if Washington County Public Schools is NOT on a regular schedule. *Remote Learning Day -- NO childcare will be provided *Two-Hour Delay -- Childcare will be provided at elementary schools from 8:00 a.m. until the start of the school day. As a reminder: A Remote Learning Day will be announced if instruction is going to be provided during an unscheduled closure of a school or schools. Classroom teachers will communicate with students about the processes they will use to facilitate their classes. A Remote Learning Day is NOT a traditional snow day. School Closed will be announced if instruction is NOT going to be provided during an unscheduled closure of a school or schools. As we are now entering the winter months and know weather can be unpredictable, it’s important to stay connected with Washington County Public Schools. We have various ways for you to stay in the loop. Websites: *The district and individual school websites will be the hub of communication for all WCPS. *All information that affects the school or district will be communicated through district and/or school web pages. The district website is https://www.wcs.k12.va.us/ *School web pages are “school initials + .wcs.k12.va.us” (example: Abingdon High School = ahs.wcs.k12.va.us) *The websites can be translated to multiple languages by clicking the drop-down menu in the top right-hand corner. Receive Text Messages, Phone Calls & Emails: *The contact information for students and/or parents comes from the Contact 1-5 Data in PowerSchool for each student. *Check with your student’s school to make sure your contact information is up to date. Receive Push Notifications: *Download the Washington County VA Schools Mobile App for your smartphone. *The app is available for FREE download in the Apple Store and the Google Play Store. *The app will provide instant access to district and school announcements and calendars. *Scroll down to settings; toggle the school(s) you would like to receive push notifications for and view. Social Media: *The district maintains and operates Facebook, Twitter (X), and Instagram accounts as well as a district YouTube account. *Families are encouraged to follow the district accounts @washcovaschools for updates, news, and information. *Individual schools maintain a Facebook and Twitter account. 

National ESEA Distinguished Schools Recognition: The Virginia Department of Education has selected Greendale Elementary School as one of two schools in Virginia to receive the 2024 National ESEA Distinguished Schools Award. Recognized for exceptional student performance for two consecutive years, Greendale Elementary School made noteworthy gains in reading and science SOL scores, improving by 9 and 14 points respectively in the last year. The school implemented key literacy initiatives, such as targeted reading interventions, an open library, and ongoing professional development for school staff. The school has also focused on data driven instruction such as formative and summative assessments to guide differentiation; explicit teaching with clear demonstrations and guided practice; tailored instruction for personal interventions; and small group instruction and remediation. "I am so proud of Mr. Michael Colston and all of the educators at Greendale Elementary for their perseverance and the incredible gains their students have made as a result," said Superintendent of Public Instruction Lisa Coons. "Their intentional focus on improving literacy outcomes, targeted tutoring in reading and math before and after school, and community engagement and collaboration initiatives have all contributed to creating the culture of success and excellence that embodies the school. Congratulations on this well-deserved and impressive achievement." Students receiving free lunch make up 88% of Greendale Elementary’s student population. ESEA is the abbreviation for the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the primary source of federal aid for elementary and secondary education requiring states to establish long-term and interim goals for increasing student achievement in reading and mathematics. ESEA provides funds to all of Virginia’s school divisions for supplemental educational support to eligible schools. The focus of these programs is to raise the achievement level of students at risk of academic failure due to poverty and other factors. The Distinguished Schools Program, a project of the National Association of ESEA State Program Administrators, recognizes federally funded schools from each state for their outstanding achievements in education. Each year, only two schools per state are chosen as National ESEA Distinguished Schools, underscoring the prestigious nature of this honor.

Greendale Elementary has been named a 2024 National ESEA Distinguished School. This prestigious honor, awarded to only two schools per state each year, celebrates our outstanding efforts and the incredible progress of our students. This tremendous honor is due to the efforts of our gifted staff and exceptional students.

On Thursday, November 14, Greendale Elementary second and third graders put on a program of folk dances from around the world. Dances included the Heel-Toe Polka (Czech Republic), Sasha (Russia), Chimes of Dunkirk (France), Los Machetes (Mexico), and t'Smidge (Netherlands). The program culminated with students inviting family members to the floor for a community dance to Old Brass Wagon (American) during which students taught their family members how to swing their partner, do-si-do, and promenade.

Greendale Elementary School hosted its annual Thanksgiving Meal today with special guests joining us for a wonderful meal. Thank you to our cafeteria staff for providing a Thanksgiving feast that was enjoyed by our Greendale family.

The Schoolwide Spelling Bee will be in the forum on Thursday, November 21, at 10 a.m. Teresa Carter from WCYB will moderate.

2nd Grade and 3rd Grade will present a program on Folk Dances at the PTO program on Thursday, 11/14 at 6:00 p.m.

Washington Way Award Nominations: Nominate a special support staff person for the #WashingtonWayAward! Do you know someone whose work and commitment makes WCPS a better place to be? #WashingtonWayAward Categories: *Above and Beyond Custodian Award -- Vote for a custodian that makes a difference! *Silver Spoon Award -- Vote for the best food service worker out there! *Helping Hand Award -- Vote for a nurse or an aide that has helped you! *Master Technician Award -- Vote for the one who has helped you fix things! *Wheels on the Bus Award -- Vote for the driver or mechanic who helps get you home! *Customer Service Award -- Vote for the person who is always there to help! Scan the QR Code by Friday, November 22 to nominate a support staff person. To learn more about the #WashingtonWayAwards, watch this video! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IM7Y0BdMbF4

Greendale Elementary celebrated Veterans Day and honored our veterans with a special program this morning. Veterans joined our school family for refreshments and an educational program on the importance of honoring our flag and the significance of honoring those who have served our country. We thank those who joined us this morning and, more importantly, those who have served our country.

Exemplar Award Recognition: During a meeting on Thursday, school board members recognized Mr. Long, principal of Holston High School and Mr. Colston, principal of Greendale Elementary School. The board thanked both administrators for their hard work in preparing students for their futures. On October 24, the Virginia Board of Education recognized 141 schools for their high achievement and continued improvement as part of its Exemplar School Recognition Program. The recognized schools include 92 schools across the Commonwealth earning the Board of Education Highest Achievement Award. Washington County Public Schools is honored that Greendale Elementary School and Holston High School received the 2024-2025 Board of Education Highest Achievement Award. The Highest Achievement Award is based on performance during the 2023-2024 school year. "Being recognized in the Exemplar School Recognition Program is a direct reflection of a school's commitment to high performance and increasing excellence," said Virginia Superintendent of Public Instruction Lisa Coons.

Bingo Tonight!! GES Forum 6 PM Great prizes! Concessions!

Greendale Elementary hosted its annual 5th grade vs. Faculty Flag Football Game on Monday, November 4. After a hard-fought game, the students won in overtime, with an overall score of 42-36.

October culminated with our vocabulary parade on Halloween. Students chose a word and dressed in a costume that reflected that word. This year, as a special treat, students were able to stop at various stations during the parade and trick-or-treat. Thank you to GES PTO for providing candy!

Greendale Pride Newsletter October 2024 https://secure.smore.com/n/srg9y

Washington Way Award Nominations: Nominate a special support staff person for the #WashingtonWayAward! Do you know someone whose work and commitment makes WCPS a better place to be? #WashingtonWayAward Categories: *Above and Beyond Custodian Award -- Vote for a custodian that makes a difference! *Silver Spoon Award -- Vote for the best food service worker out there! *Helping Hand Award -- Vote for a nurse or an aide that has helped you! *Master Technician Award -- Vote for the one who has helped you fix things! *Wheels on the Bus Award -- Vote for the driver or mechanic who helps get you home! *Customer Service Award -- Vote for the person who is always there to help! Scan the QR Code by Friday, December 6 to nominate a support staff person. To learn more about the #WashingtonWayAwards, watch this video! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IM7Y0BdMbF4

Applications for Gingerbread Kids are due by November 15. Please check your child's Tuesday folder for more information.

Highest Achievement Exemplar Award: On Thursday, October 24, the Virginia Board of Education recognized 141 schools for their high achievement and continued improvement as part of its Exemplar School Recognition Program. The recognized schools include 92 schools across the Commonwealth earning the Board of Education Highest Achievement Award. Washington County Public Schools is honored that Greendale Elementary School and Holston High School received the 2024-2025 Board of Education Highest Achievement Award. The Highest Achievement Award is based on performance during the 2023-2024 school year. "Being recognized in the Exemplar School Recognition Program is a direct reflection of a school's commitment to high performance and increasing excellence," said Virginia Superintendent of Public Instruction Lisa Coons.

The K-9 Unit, with Deputy Tilson and Kala from the Washington County Sheriff's Department, visited Greendale Elementary this morning to provide a program and to celebrate students' perfect attendance. The school had 135 students with perfect attendance in September!

Exemplar School Recognition: On Thursday, the Virginia Board of Education recognized 141 schools for their high achievement and continued improvement as part of its Exemplar School Recognition Program. The recognized schools include 92 schools across the Commonwealth earning the Board of Education Highest Achievement Award. Washington County Public Schools is excited to announce Greendale Elementary School and Holston High School have received the 2024-2025 Board of Education Highest Achievement Award! The Highest Achievement Award is based on performance during the 2023-2024 school year. Schools recognized for Highest Achievement demonstrated high levels of success across all school quality indicators, including success in narrowing achievement gaps, as well as: *Achieve Performance Level One for reading, mathematics, and science based on the student pass rate (which does not include growth measures) for the "all students" group in the school. *Achieve at Level One in the Chronic Absenteeism, Graduation and Completion Index (GCI), and Dropout Rate school quality indicators. Congratulations Greendale Elementary School and Holston High School! We are so proud of our students and staff!

Celebrate Red Ribbon Week with dress up days next week.