Please join me in congratulating Ms. Leslie Shelton, Special Education Instructor at Dan River Middle School, on her selection as Pittsylvania County Schools’ Employee of the Week. Please click on the following link to find out what our employees do to make this A Great Place to Learn and Work! http://www.pcs.k12.va.us/staff/employee-of-week/2011-2012/

Staff in the Tunstall School Community have good reason to be excited about the New Year! Their weight loss group has shed 268 pounds in the past seventeen (17) weeks. Add the 560 pounds lost last year and that’s a grand total of 828 pounds! They invite you to join them for the weigh-in and a twelve (12) week program at Tunstall Middle School on Wednesdays from 3:15 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. Meetings usually run from 3:30 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. Should employees have an interest, please contact Ms. Kerribeth Ludeman at (434) 724-7086 or at kerribeth.ludeman@pcs.k12.va.us.

Ms. Anita Cummings, 6^th Grade Instructor at Tunstall Middle School, spearheaded a book drive for the purpose of helping the Meadows of Dan Elementary School (Patrick County) replenish their book supply after the fire they experienced in August. All of the students at Tunstall Middle School contributed to this great cause. Some books from home were sent and many parents and students bought new books to give to the school. Kudos go out to Ms. Cummings and Ms. Pearl Harris, Media Specialist, for organizing and directing the event.

Mr. Clarke Scott, Director of Middle School Education and Lead Director of History, recently conducted a National Geographic Bee for 4^th and 5^th grade students at Southside Elementary School and Kentuck Elementary School. The students were questioned on materials prepared by the National Geographic Society. Students were eager to show what they have learned throughout the years about geography and world events. For Southside, Olivia Roberts, 5^th grade student, emerged as the First Place winner for the school. Second Place was claimed by 4^th grader, Rachel Rohlfsen. Third Place recognition was earned by Taylor Moore, 5^th Grade. For Kentuck, 5^th grade student Madison Nuckles won First Place. Caleb Ford, a 4^th grade student, took Second Place honors with 5^th grader, Kaylen Betts earning Third Place recognition. The schools’ First Place winners will now take a written test to determine if they qualify for State competition.

Recently, 3^rd and 4^th grade students at Chatham Elementary School were thrilled to spend time with the Chatham High School JROTC cadets while celebrating the Holiday season with games and refreshments. The cadets and students played basketball, jumped rope and hula-hooped together. Later, they sat down to a feast of cookies, punch and other Holiday goodies.  The ROTC also gave each of the students a coloring book as a gift. During the 2011-2012 year, the Chatham High School JROTC cadets have been acting as tutors to students in grades K-5 at Chatham Elementary School. This has become a valuable program and is under the leadership of Captain Roderick Henderson and Sergeant Dwayne Waddey. The cadets tutor students every Wednesday at Chatham Elementary School for two hours. The young students have benefitted greatly and show great enthusiasm while they work with their cadet-tutors. The students look forward to their time with the cadets every week, and the cadets have proven to be excellent teachers and role models. Chatham Elementary School is grateful to the JROTC program for all it is doing to serve the young children of our community and how it is providing leadership for the next generation. 

Visit http://www.pcs.k12.va.us/media/index.html to (1) request media presence on site to cover an upcoming event or (2) to request media coverage (without media on site) of an upcoming event or (3) to report news from a past event. Thank you for identifying the great things happening in our schools!