September 17, 2021 - Vol. 4, No. 13
 Celebrating a decade of learning and tradition at Patriot High School and T. Clay Wood Elementary School
Patriot High School and T. Clay Wood Elementary School, located adjacent to each other, opened their doors to students 10 years ago this September. Last week, the school communities came together to celebrate their 10th anniversary with a parade, carnival, and more. Read more.
This ad supports SPARK, the Education Foundation for PWCS.
National Merit Scholarship Corporation names PWCS students as 2022 semifinalists
Congratulations to the 2022 National Merit Scholarship Program Semifinalists from Prince William County. Read more.
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The Task Force on Culturally Inclusive School Meals and Calendars delivers its report at Beville Middle School
The Task Force on Culturally Inclusive School Meals and Calendars issued its final report to Gov. Ralph Northam this week after sharing a meal with educators and students at Beville Middle School. Read more.
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Announcements
Responsible student use of Social Media
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In recent days, PWCS has seen an increase in poor decision-making by some students encouraged by social media platforms. PWCS takes seriously any act of vandalism to, and/or theft of, school property. Any student involved in such acts, including recording or sharing video of those acts, will be disciplined in accordance with the Code of Behavior.
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In response to recent social media challenges and trends, PWCS will block the use of TikTok on the Division’s network. Please encourage your student to make responsible choices in the use of social media.
Here are some additional social media guideline reminders for students and their parents and guardians:
- Students below the permitted age should not join social networking sites (13 for most sites including Facebook and Instagram).
- Students should tell parents if they are using the sites, and when they are online.
- Students and parents should be aware of how to report abuse and inappropriate content.
- Students should not access social media on school devices, or on their own devices while they're at school.
- Students should not make inappropriate comments (including in private messages) about the school, teachers, or other children.
- Please refer to these additional resources.
September is National Suicide Prevention Month — #BeThe1To Keep Them Safe
Week three of Suicide Prevention Month focuses on #BeThe1To Keep Them Safe. Studies show that when harmful means are made less available, suicide rates by that method decrease.
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After asking if a person is having thoughts of suicide, it is important to find out if they have a plan and then take action to keep them safe. The National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI) had produced a guide, Navigating a Mental Health Crisis, which outlines steps for individuals and families to ensure the safety of the person in crisis.
Battlefield High School aims to "Send Silence Packing"
Active Minds, a new club at Battlefield High School, hosted a suicide prevention and awareness activity called "Send Silence Packing." The community event hosted in the school stadium encouraged visitors to write inspiring messages to those struggling, connected visitors to mental health resources, and allowed them to share in personal stories of individuals who died by or lost a loved one to suicide.
To learn more about how to keep your loved ones safe in crisis, visit the PWCS Suicide Prevention Month page.
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High school students are invited to explore college options at two upcoming fairs
Monday, September 27
6-8 p.m.
Woodbridge High School
Tuesday, October 19
6-8 p.m.
Charles J. Colgan High School
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Division-wide Financial Aid Nights:
PWCS is hosting multiple financial aid nights for students and families of all grade levels. These offerings are posted on the college and career planning webpage with zoom links which do not require a pre-registration. Mark your calendars and follow up for the recording which will be posted in the Parent Learning Series for future review.
Transcript Requests and Other College Planning Resources
Information about the fall college fairs, financial aid nights, Navience, transcript requests, and other resources to assist with planning for post-graduation education are all available on the Office of Student Services College and Career Planning Webpage.
Still time to purchase low-cost student-issued device insurance through the PWCS-approved third-party vendor, Securranty.
VA Growth Assessments are being administered to students in grades 3-8 this fall
Delay in mailing of spring SOL scores
The mailing of score reports for the Spring 2021 Standards of Learning (SOL) tests is delayed due to the availability of resources. PWCS has been told that printing and mailing materials are scheduled to arrive in early October 2021. As soon as materials are available, PWCS will print and mail score reports to families as quickly as possible. In the meantime, please reach out to your student’s school with questions about SOL testing this school year.
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Meet Mary Kate Graham, new principal of Gainesville Middle School
Mary Kate Graham began her role as principal of Gainesville Middle School this school year. Having served as the assistant principal there, she is no stranger to the high-flying hawks school community.
“At the heart of my practice are the relationships that I build with staff, students, and the community,” shares Graham. “Collaboration and communication with the families and the community are crucial to the success of our school.”
International Dot Day in PWCS
This week, students and staff celebrated International Dot Day! The annual observance was inspired by the book "The Dot," by Peter H. Reynolds, which follows a student who is challenged by a teacher to make her mark.
From dot-inspired outfits to art projects, fun and creative energy was on display throughout the Division. At Bennett Elementary School, for example, students decorated their own, unique dots and then used a mobile application to make them come to life. At Rosa Parks Elementary School, students painted dots to identify geographical features on a map of Virginia. And, at Cedar Point Elementary, students created their own personal dot using nontraditional printmaking tools.
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