Nelson County Public Schools

❤️ Happy School Nurse Day! ❤️ Today, we celebrate the incredible NCPS school nurses, who are the heartbeat of our schools! 💚💛 From managing daily health needs to responding in emergencies, our nurses provide compassionate care, calm reassurance, and unwavering support to our students and staff every single day. Thank you for your dedication, professionalism, and the comfort you bring to our school communities. Your care makes a difference in the lives of so many! 🩺💚💛 #OneNelson #SchoolNurseDay #BlueRidgeMedicalCenter

Congratulations to the April 2025 #OneNelson Award winners! Thank you for all that you do to support NCPS! Student: Brooklyn Bennett Community Member: Beth Anderson Classified Staff: Sam Bryant Certified Staff: Gabriella Sabino If you know of an NCPS student, community member, classified staff (IAs, Front Office/Administrative Assistants, Nurses, School Nutrition, Maintenance, Transportation, Custodians, Technology, etc), or certified staff (Teachers, Administrators, etc) please nominate them for the #OneNelson Award by clicking on https://forms.gle/3WDi5oU92xTmhwWL7 To read this month's #OneNelson Newsletter, click on the following link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1I3T72IML-UoTC63kvwDJ-1YbZyl0kZ3R/view?usp=sharing

On Friday, May 2, we celebrated School Lunch Hero Day! We honored the real heroes behind the scenes, our incredible school nutrition staff! From early mornings to busy lunch lines, they work with heart and hustle to keep our students nourished, smiling, and ready to learn. At NCPS, our School Lunch Heroes go above and beyond each day to serve healthy meals with kindness, care, and a whole lot of love. They play a vital role in the success and well-being of every student. 💚💛 Thank you for everything you do! You are our heroes in aprons! #OneNelson #SchoolLunchHeroDay2025

Do you or someone you know need to register a child for Kindergarten or Pre-Kindergarten, and you live in Nelson County? Call Rockfish River Elementary (434-361-1791 ) or Tye River Elementary (434-263-8960) to schedule your appointment. #OneNelson

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week! This week—and every week—we say "THANK YOU" to our incredible teachers! 💚💛🍎 Your dedication, passion, and care shape the future every single day. You are mentors, motivators, and difference-makers who go above and beyond to ensure every student feels seen, supported, and inspired. Whether it’s through a kind word, a creative lesson, or a listening ear, the impact you have lasts a lifetime. We are grateful for all that you do! 📚Again, THANK YOU, teachers! You truly are the heart of our schools. #OneNelson #TeacherAppreciationWeek #ThankYouTeachers

Reminder: Family Fun Fitness Night is tomorrow, Tuesday, May 6, from 5:30pm-7:00pm at Rockfish River Elementary School. #OneNelson

The NCPS May School Board meeting is this Thursday, May 8, 2025, starting at 6:00pm. Click on the link below for live streaming. https://youtube.com/live/dvq4qrK5plg?feature=share #OneNelson

NCPS will be holding its first of two Community Play Dates tomorrow, Friday, May 2, 2025. Come join NCPS educators for a fun and engaging play and exploration time with your preschool-aged children (birth to 5). Learn about expected development milestones, ways to support your child, and services offered by Nelson County Public Schools. The May 2 Play Date will be 9:30am-10:30am at the Natural History Museum in Nellysford. The May 16 Play Date will be 9:30am-10:30am at the Nelson Heritage Center in Arrington. #OneNelson #NCPSCommunityPlayDate

Over the next three weekends, our FCCLA will hold fundraisers to support NCHS students competing and participating in the FCCLA National Leadership Conference. Take a look at the flyers below for these great opportunities, starting this weekend, May 3. Support our Govs as they compete at the national level. #OneNelson #NCHSFCCLA

Nelson County High School is supporting individuals seeking employment and community organizations looking to hire. On Saturday, May 3, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., a Community Job Fair will take place at NCHS. Bring a resume and anticipate speaking to employers in the following fields: landscaping, construction, food services, security, banking, office staffing, and administrative opportunities. #OneNelson #CommunityJobFair

📎 Happy Administrative Professionals Day! ✨ Today, we celebrate the incredible administrative professionals who are the heart of our schools and offices. 💚 Whether they're the first friendly face you see when you walk in the door or the helpful voice on the other end of the phone, their dedication makes a lasting impact every single day. They are the organizers, the problem-solvers, the calm in the chaos, and truly the backbone of our schools and offices. 🏫✏️ To all our administrative professionals: THANK YOU for keeping everything running smoothly, for supporting our students, staff, and families, and for doing it all with grace and heart. We appreciate you! #OneNelson #AdministrativeProfessionalsDay #ThankYou #SchoolHeroes

Tomorrow, Thursday, April 24, our NCHS FFA students will participate in the "Drive Your Tractor to School Day" event. This event is an opportunity to showcase pride not only in this organization but also in the vital role agriculture plays in our community. We encourage everyone to come out and support our students as they make their way from the Farm Bureau office in Lovingston to the high school. Departure time is set for 8:10am. If you plan to travel on Route 29 at this time, you can expect some delays as our students safely drive their tractors to school. Thank you for your support of our students! As always, #OneNelson

The Nelson County Sheriff's Office will participate in an Active Shooter training, along with other local agencies, on Thursday, April 17, through Friday, April 18. They will be using Nelson Middle School as the training site. Please don't be alarmed if you see an increased law enforcement presence at the NMS/NCHS complex. We appreciate our local law enforcement, first responders, and emergency services working hard to keep our students, staff, and community safe! #OneNelson

April 7-11, 2025, was National Assistant This week is a celebration of individuals who work tirelessly to bolster teachers, motivate students, support their principals, create a positive learning community, and face the many unpredictable challenges that come their way. Assistant Principals play a crucial role, and this week is a dedicated time to recognize them for their hard work and commitment to our schools, students, and community. Please join us in celebrating these incredible school leaders! #OneNelson #APWeek

Spring Break is here! I know many of you are very excited about the next week, as it is a great chance to take a break from school, get some rest, and have fun. When we return from break on Tuesday, April 22, we will have 24 days left of school. During this time, we will continue our preparation for SOLs, end-of-year assessments, finishing projects, and completing work for classes, working hard to finish the school year strong. The end of the school year is in sight. I encourage you to enjoy your Spring Break and return to school ready to finish the year successfully. Have a great and safe Spring Break! #OneNelson #SpringBreak2025 To view the Spring Break Video Message, click on this link: https://youtu.be/dJS_AbFl1aU?feature=shared

The NCPS School Board Meeting for April will take place this Thursday, April 10, 2025, at 6:00pm in the Old School Board Office room at the Courthouse. Recognitions will take place at the beginning of the meeting, with the rest of the agenda to follow. You can stream the meeting by using this link: https://youtube.com/live/92pP0NeUjq0?feature=share #OneNelson

Thank you to all of our School Librarians on this School Librarian Appreciation Day! You are a wonderful part of supporting literacy for all students, both traditional and digital! What else do librarians do? Take a look at some of the things School Librarians do: -Provide access to information: School Librarians help students and teachers access and use a variety of information resources, including books, periodicals, databases, and digital resources. -Promote literacy and learning: School Librarians promote literacy and encourage a love of reading and learning by selecting and organizing books, leading reading programs, and collaborating with teachers on curricular projects. -Teach research skills: School Librarians teach students how to locate, evaluate, and use information effectively and ethically, helping them develop critical thinking and research skills. -Support technology use: School Librarians assist with the integration of technology in the classroom, including helping students and teachers use digital resources and instructional technology. -Provide a safe and welcoming space: School Librarians create a welcoming and inclusive environment, ensuring that all students feel valued and supported in their learning and growth. -Collaborate with teachers and staff: School Librarians work closely with teachers and staff to align library programs and resources with the school's academic goals and curriculum. Thank you to Tracey Clark (NCHS), Beth Price (NMS), Heather Herrick (RRES), and Misty Ferguson (TRES) #OneNelson #ReadingisFUNdamental #SchoolLibrarianDay2025

Today is Paraprofessional Appreciation Day. Paraprofessionals (Instructional Assistants, Behavior Support Staff, Teacher Assistants, ISS) are our schools' unsung heroes. They’re found in classrooms across all of our schools, from early childhood programs to high schools, and in general and special education environments. Their roles can vary depending on the setting, the students they serve, and the specific needs of the school or division. For students, paraprofessionals provide a lifeline. A child who might otherwise fall behind gains confidence with a paraprofessional’s steady encouragement. These individuals have to be flexible as their daily roles can change quickly throughout a class period, day, week, or even through the year. They are the ones who selflessly give their time to provide the necessary support, whether it is providing one-on-one support for a student, inclusion for groups of students, behavioral support, lunchroom monitoring, recess supervision, substitute coverage, hallway refereeing, or mentoring, just to name a few. NCHS: Ashley Austin, Tanya Bodek, Silvana Campbell, Peggy deSibour, Cynthia Harper, Crystal Phillips, Lauri Banks, and Shirley Goolsby NMS: Laura Combs, Jennifer Durkee, Sierra Miller, and Chris Dowdy RRES: Angie, Campbell, Jennifer Cline, Megan Eckles, Kelsey Gaines, Hope Hurst, Carrie Shoemaker, Stephanie Totty, Jennifer Lane, Emily Martin, and Najomi Saunders TRES: Susie Ballowe, Marie Fitch, Ronda Harvey, April Simpson, Kelley Woodson, Dayna Bryant, Regina Campbell, Melondy Marshall, Patti Morcom, Jessica Tomlin, Jessica Tyree, Melissa Watson, and Jessica Massie Thank you for all that you do to support our students, staff, schools, and division! #OneNelson #ThankYou #ParaprofessionalAppreciationDay

Congratulations to Chloe Hernandez for winning the VSBA Central Region Art Contest for the Middle School Level! This artwork resulted from the "Pointillism Exotic Animals" assignment in her Art 1 class. For this assignment, students selected a colorful exotic animal and then drew it on a Bristol board. They used the technique of pointillism, which uses Staedtler Pens as a medium. Pointillism is done with tiny dots of color, sometimes combined with their complementary color set and at other times three shades of the same color. Students had to study color theory to figure out which pens to use. This process is tedious and time-consuming but highly rewarding. Chloe spent three weeks on it! Chloe's artwork will hang in the VSBA office for the following year. She is automatically entered in the 2025 VSBA Statewide Art Contest. Winners of the statewide contest will be honored guests at the Opening General Session of the 2025 VSBA Annual Convention on November 19, 2025, in Williamsburg, where they will be recognized in front of school board members and educational leaders from across Virginia. In addition to this recognition, each statewide first-place winner will receive a $1,000 award and a commemorative trophy. Congratulations again, Chloe! What an excellent piece of artwork! We are proud of you! #OneNelson #VSBACentralRegionArtContest https://www.vsba.org/spring-regional-art-contest/

Congratulations to our Govs for having artwork included in a Smithsonian-affiliated gallery. Eight students had art submitted for a selective global youth art exhibit. Check out the links below to see the artwork and other media coverage of their work. NCHS Students who have work included are: Lilly Lews, Audrey Watts, Saniyah Brookins, Lailee Pollard, MaryJo Allen, Vee Nelson, Caroline Cason, and Jaidyn Smith. National attention for our talented Nelson artists! Way to go! #OneNelson #GoGovsGo https://augustafreepress.com/news/nelson-county-students-earn-spots-in-selective-global-youth-art-exhibit/ https://wset.com/news/local/eight-nelson-county-students-have-artwork-recognized-at-smithsonian-affiliate-gallery-april-2025 https://wset.com/news/local/gallery/eight-nelson-county-students-have-artwork-recognized-at-smithsonian-affiliate-gallery-april-2025?photo=1