WPS begins 2nd annual attendance competition
Winchester Public Schools Elementary and Intermediate students will contend in the 2nd annual Every Day Counts Weekly Attendance competition.
Attendance will be calculated Monday through Thursday, starting this week through September 22nd.
Then on Friday, the school with the highest attendance percentage will win a visit from the Kona Ice Truck.
Excused absences like an illness will not be counted against the school’s attendance percentage.
The contest is sponsored by the John and Janice Wyatt Foundation and the Winchester Campaign for Grade Level Reading in an effort to curb the attendance issues facing schools across the area.
For more information on WPS attendance policies, click here.
For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.
Local school districts make changes for new year
As many of our local students begin their return to school, this year a few districts have made some major changes.
Winchester Public School students began classes today which also marked the beginning of the expanded walk zones for some of their schools.
Motorists should be aware of these changes and travel cautiously near campuses.
Frederick County Public Schools will start the year differently with the addition of a transition day for students entering preschool, kindergarten, sixth grade, and ninth grade.
Those groups will begin on Monday, while the rest of the students will start on Tuesday.
The transition day also allows bus drivers to become better acclimated to their new routes before the first day.
For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.
Winchester Public Schools expands walk zones
Winchester Public Schools will join numerous departments across the country with expanded Walk Zones for the upcoming school year in response to the ongoing bus driver shortage.
Households included in the Walk Zones will get to school by either walking, biking, or riding with a family member.
The change will primarily impact students at Virginia Avenue and Quarles and a smaller group at Daniel Morgan and Handley.
The areas chosen have safe walking paths, sidewalks, and crosswalks while avoiding four lane roads and train tracks.
The City of Winchester is also working with the school district to employ additional Crossing Guards and add crosswalks and signage.
If you have questions or concerns, WPS is hosting two Transportation Walk and Talks at 6:30 pm on July 19th at Quarles Elementary and on July 20th at Virginia Avenue.
Students with an IEP requiring transportation will still be able to take the bus.
For more information on the Walk Zones, click here.
For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.
WPS utilizes Dual Language Immersion
Winchester Public Schools are using Dual Language Immersion to help bring the community together.
Frederick Douglass Elementary School teachers spend half their day educating in English and the other half in Spanish.
The program not only helps Spanish speaking students keep up with their Native English-speaking classmates, but also helps Native-English students learn a new language and increase cultural awareness.
WPS initially struggled finding suitable teachers for the initiative.
A partnership with Participate Learning, which specializes in this type of education, helped the program take off.
For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.
WPS board holds their annual retreat with the public invited
An email from Winchester Public School’s (WPS) Bonnie Sandy announced the School Board’s annual retreat.
WPS Board will conduct their mid year retreat at the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley 901 Amherst Street Winchester this year.
The retreat will be held in the museum’s second floor board room from 8:30 until approximately 3 p.m. Wed. Feb.9.
This meeting as with most WPS Board meetings is open to the public.
The agenda for the meeting is here.
For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.
WPS receive a $7.8 million grant for a 3 year period
Winchester Public Schools (WPS) have received a $7,799,878 Teacher and School Leader Incentive Program Grant from the U.S Department of Education.
According to the press release WPS is one of only 12 schools and 22 overall to receive such a grant.
The grant will help develop new and innovative career pathways for teachers according to School Superintendent Jason Van Heukelum in the press release.
The grant will likely foster professional growth while compensating teachers at a higher level for their leadership and expertise over the next three years.
For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.
WPS recognized for approach to digital media
Winchester Public Schools (WPS) has been designated a Common Sense District.
Common Sense (CS) is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to helping kids and families thrive in the world of media and technology.
The WPS was recognized by CS for taking a community approach to preparing it’s students for digital media while limiting the perils that exist online.
WPS has been praised for teaching students to explore, create, connect and learn.
At the same time WPS is teaching students to avoid the perils of plagiarism, loss of privacy and cyberbullying.
The recognition acknowledges WPS’s commitment to creating a culture where the community is invested in helping kids thrive in the digital world.
For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.
WPS are prepared for return to in-person learning
Winchester Public Schools prepare for expanded in person learning.
On Friday Daniel Morgan Middle School received a visit from 10th District Representative Jennifer Wexton.
The representative toured the school to see and hear how the school is prepared for a safe return to in-person learning.
Wexton saw and declared that the school is well prepared to welcome students back to school today Mon. Apr. 12.
For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.
WPS begins in person learning
Winchester City Public Schools will begin in person learning starting April 12.
Students on both A and B hybrid schedules will return to classes Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.
Wednesdays are designated virtual learning days for all students.
Those students in the WPS Connections will remain in their virtual learning environment.
To accommodate the increase in people social distancing will be reduced from 6 to 3 feet with all other COVID-19 restrictions in place.
Due to limited bus capacity parents who are able are asked to transport their students to and from school.
For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.