December 16, 2021 - Vol. 4, No. 25
 Winter break offers students and staff some much deserved time off during the holidays
How will you spend your winter break? Hear from Prince William County Public Schools students and staff about how they intend to spend their winter break recharging, relaxing, and enjoying their time off.
This ad supports SPARK, the Education Foundation for PWCS.
 'Twas the week before winter break, when all through the Division...
|
Inspired by Jan Brett's book "Gingerbread Baby," students at Alvey Elementary School created an original village and their own book characters. Using Ozobots, the students led their characters through the village, trying to bring them home before the baker caught them.
At Ashland Elementary and Gar-Field High Schools, students are leading efforts to collect toys for children in the community through the Marine Toys for Tots campaign. Ashland Elementary students exceeded their goal of 500 toys, while the Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps students at Gar-Field High collected more than 650 toys for those in need.
The Forest Park High School A Street Bruins were dreaming of a "green" holiday during a recent project which repurposed recycled materials into a beautiful holiday tree complete with all the trimmings.
A challenge to create cardboard gingerbread homes had King Elementary School families enjoying some creative time together. The finished products were on display in the library where students and staff voted on their favorite.
Students' sewing skills were on display at Marsteller Middle School as they created their own winter and holiday-themed ornaments.
|
|
 |
..all the students were stirring — staff and administrators, too!
 |
|
A visiting gingerbread man went missing at Marumsco Hills Elementary, leaving a mess of a crime scene in his wake. Mrs. Sadare's second graders followed clues to clear suspects, including Principal Julie Cuocci.
Over at Occoquan Elementary School, you might have heard Principal Buddy Lint channeling Buddy the elf inside a display case "singing loud for all to hear."
Parkside Middle School students brought holiday cheer to Dulles International Airport, decorating one of the trees on display with their handmade decorations and ornaments.
The Rippon Middle School chorus shared sounds of the season during their performance at the "Rocking Around the Boardwalk" event at the Neabsco Creek Boardwalk Park.
Buddy the elf joined staff greeting students and families in the car rider line at The Nokesville School this week. Students and staff were excited to see where Buddy would show up each day.
Can we get a Holi-Yay? At Tyler Elementary School, a seasonal spirit week made for a fun and frosty countdown to winter break.
|
All fun and games — Seventh-grade students at Woodbridge Middle School receive board games, thanks to nationwide donations
Hundreds of people, including some as far away as California, donated board games to Woodbridge Middle for the seventh-grade students.
Stacey Heaney, a seventh-grade math teacher at Woodbridge Middle, started this project to give back to her class of about 30 students before the winter break. Hoping to receive some donations, Heaney created an Amazon Wish List and shared it on her social media accounts.
After four days, thanks to Facebook shares, Twitter retweets, and the generosity of so many, she received 80 games, greatly surpassing her original goal. With so many donations arriving each day, this giving project evolved to include the entire seventh grade.
“There is so much educational and sentimental value in a board game that [students] can play with their family,” said Heaney. “[The project] hits home on so many levels, and I think that’s why it resonated with so many people.”
Watch the Manassas Ballet Theater's production of The Nutcracker
Through a partnership with SPARK, the education foundation for PWCS, the Manassas Ballet Theater is performing its annual production of The Nutcracker virtually this season for students and families to enjoy. There are two opportunities to watch.
7:30 p.m. - Friday, December 24 Streaming Production Cast A (use code NCYWPRTA)
7:30 p.m. - Saturday, December 25 Streaming Production Cast B (use code NCDBELGB)
The Manassas Ballet Theater performers have also recorded an educational outreach session in question-and-answer (Q&A) style that can be viewed now.
Watch Q&A session on The Nutcracker
Kindness elves catch students in the act at Minnieville Elementary School
Students at Minnieville Elementary School are on the lookout for the school’s newest friends, the kindness elves. The elves move around every day and look for students performing acts of kindness.
“You can share, you can say nice things about people,” shared first-grade student Sophia.
Tina Huddleston, school librarian, believes it’s a great way to build community, “it has inspired them to get caught doing something good.”
 All schools will be closed Monday, December 20, through Friday, December 31. School will resume on Monday, January 3. Enjoy your winter break!
|
