Like most adults who were around on September 11, 2001, I still vividly remember exactly where I was that fateful morning and what I was doing when I heard the news of the terrorist attacks that shook our country. I was teaching one of my Level 3 Spanish classes at Cave Spring High School when the principal made the announcement to the students of the school through the intercom system. The superintendent at the time had a routine of making unannounced visits to classes, and she happened to be sitting in my class when the principal made the announcement about the attacks. I remember thinking to myself “what are the right words to say to these students after the announcement is over?” and, of course, I had the added pressure of wanting to say exactly the right thing with the superintendent in my class. I do not remember exactly what I said to my students, but I do remember my instinct being to convey calmness and to reassure the students that everything was going to be OK.
What I also remember from the days following September 11, were the stories that began to emerge of acts of incredible heroism, from the bravery of passengers on Flight 93 to all the first responders who rushed to the scene in New York and at the Pentagon. I also vividly remember the extraordinary sense of community and national unity that was on full display through American flags flown on cars and homes, and rallies and fundraisers in support of victims. There are still many who bear the scars of the tragedies of those days, including the aftermath as wars were fought in response to the attacks, and they need our support. The remembrance of September 11 is also, though, a time to be reminded of the blessings we have as a community and country, and what can be accomplished when people come together for a common purpose. We can face hardships head on and overcome extraordinary challenges through hard work and determination, and we do not have to do it alone.
Serving as superintendent of Roanoke County Public Schools for going on seven years has been an incredible blessing, and I enjoy nothing more than interacting with our students and staff. Seeing students arrive at school in the mornings, excited to be in school and often greeted by name by our bus drivers, teachers and principals is uplifting. Talking with them in the afternoons, as they wait to get on their bus, and asking about their day, favorite classes, and what they are learning is a reminder of why we do what we do in our public schools. We are here to help students learn academics, but also how to work together and get along with others. We are not a perfect school system, but we always strive to improve and do what is right for students, and I am encouraged by what I see in our schools and in our students and staff.
They are working hard and gaining confidence through tackling challenges and experiencing success. They are also surrounded with support and assistance when needed, including the many parents and families who support our students and schools. There are so many in our community including employees, families, businesses, faith organizations, and fellow students who come together to help our students and schools and to invest in their success. I want to express my appreciation to everyone who contributes their time and energy to the students and schools of Roanoke County Public Schools. Because of your support, I am pleased to report that our students and schools are doing great things, our school year is off to a wonderful start, and I look forward to seeing all they will accomplish in the 2024-2025 school year. There is nothing we cannot achieve as a community when we work together for the common purpose of educating our children and preparing them with the skills and knowledge needed to become opportunity ready.
SEPTEMBER 2024
KEY SCHOOL DATES
September 25 3-Hour Early Dismissal
October 14 Schools closed for a teacher workday
October 23 3-Hour Early Dismissal
October 30 3-Hour Early Dismissal
Roanoke County Public Schools is soaring to new heights with the start of the 2024-2025 school year
On the morning of Thursday, August 15, more than 13,200 students kicked off the 2024-2025 school year in Roanoke County Public Schools. From the youngest kindergarten student walking into school for the very first time to the seniors of the class of 2025, beginning their final year of high school, our students were met with smiles and welcomes from teachers, administrators and staff, as teachers began the year with engaging and purposeful instruction with many opportunities for our students to experience deeper learning.
Throughout the year, all students will take part of our district-wide Opportunity Ready graduate certification program. Elementary and middle school students will participate in student-led conferences in which students will directly showcase their learning to parents during conferences, giving the student the opportunity to practice and develop important communication skills as well as showcase their work while at school, reviewing strengths and opportunities for improvement. All the while, students are adding different pieces to their portfolio. At the high school level, seniors will prepare a presentation about their learning and will defend that presentation to a panel of staff. If successful, that senior will have an Opportunity Ready seal added to their diploma.
"We have been developing this new certification program for several years and we're excited to implement this new program for every student, in every school and in every classroom," said Roanoke County Superintendent Dr. Ken Nicely.
"Our purpose is to help students become Opportunity Ready by graduation and this certification program is one more step in allowing students to be more directly involved in their educational progress," Dr. Nicely said.
School board, board of supervisors break ground on three major construction projects
For several years, the Roanoke County School Board and the Roanoke County Board of Supervisors have collaborated to secure funding and develop plans for the expansion, renovation and modernization of Glen Cove and W.E. Cundiff elementary schools, and the construction of an all-new, state-of-the-art career and technical center to replace the aging and outdated Burton Center for Arts & Technology. Just after the start of the 2024-2025 school year, state and local officials joined students and staff to break ground on all three projects, marking the start of the single largest construction program in the history of Roanoke County Public Schools.
“Today, we break ground on more than just a building. We break ground on a future filled with opportunities for learners,” said Christian Kish, BCAT principal at the Sept. 9 groundbreaking for the new Roanoke County Career & Technology Center.
Together, these three projects represent more than $130 million dollars of active construction and are expected to take about two years to complete.
How to report a concern or problem involving students or the school
Recently, we have seen several social media rumors circulating that have directly and indirectly involved our schools. When parents contact the school to report a concern or problem, the school takes all such reports very seriously, investigates every report, and takes appropriate action. Our schools are staffed with human beings who do not pretend to be perfect, but who do take their jobs seriously and are committed to handling situations in the right way when they are brought to our attention. If we make a mistake, we will own it and correct it. We have the best and most responsive principals who care about their students, their staff, and their school. If a parent believes, however, that the principal has not addressed their concern appropriately, the parent is welcome to contact the appropriate administrator at the division level, usually the office of administration or instruction.
Schools are also bound by confidentiality requirements when it comes to individual students and individual employees. Therefore, the schools cannot and will not use public arenas such as social media to engage in debates or report the “rest of the story” to balance incomplete or inaccurate information posted on social media. The schools do, however, fully and appropriately address concerns and problems with the individuals directly involved.
In summary, if a parent has a concern or problem involving their child or the school:
The best place to start is with the appropriate staff member. If it is a classroom situation, for example, the first contact should typically be with the classroom teacher.
If needed, the next step, or in some situations the alternate first step, is to contact a school administrator, usually an assistant principal or the principal.
If the concern or problem is not resolved at the school level, division-level administrators should be contacted; usually that is the office of administration or instruction, depending on the concern or problem.
Using social media to “report” a problem or to spread rumors is harmful and can pose a danger to our students and schools
We remind parents and students that sharing social media rumors that potentially include incomplete or inaccurate information can inappropriately escalate a situation and possibly jeopardize the safety of students and staff. Parents and students have every right to be upset or concerned when a negative situation occurs involving their child. Posting the concern in the public arena of social media, especially before contacting the school and getting the full story, however, can lead to other people making assumptions about the situation or unintentionally slandering another student or school employee. When others re-post the story with their own comments, these stories can then become exaggerated or embellished. Unfortunately, even though we teach students to be media literate and not believe everything they read on social media, there are many people that do believe everything they read. In today’s world, there are some social media users who not only believe everything they read or incorrectly interpret what they read, but take actions that can harm others, whether by reputation or physical harm.
We encourage our students to be safe, be respectful and be responsible. We encourage our parents and our community to do the same. If you have a concern or question, please contact the school or police and do not share these posts.
Want to make a difference for our students? Become a bus driver!
Roanoke County Public Schools is actively recruiting to hire and train several new bus drivers for this school year and we’d like you to be one of them! Bus drivers work about 5 hours a day in the mornings and afternoons. This is a great part-time opportunity for parents and grandparents to earn more than $20 an hour, and get to be the first to welcome our students every morning!
Don’t have a commercial driver’s license (CDL)? No problem! We’ll provide all the training to earn your class B CDL and we’ll pay you while you train. Plus, you’ll receive full-time health, dental and vision benefits, and you could receive up to $1500 in signing bonuses!
Our bus drivers are a critical part of the Roanoke County Public Schools team. They work hard every day to safely transport students to and from school, as well as special events, such as athletic competitions.
We hope you’ll consider joining our team or sharing this information with someone you know that might be a great bus driver. Apply online at www.rcps.us/beabusdriver.
School board and school leaders welcome the 2024-2025 Student Advisory Council members
At a welcome reception in September, Student Advisory Council (SAC) representatives from every middle and high school in Roanoke County (including BCAT) were recognized by several members of the Roanoke County School Board and school administration leaders. The purpose of the SAC is to act on behalf of all students of the Roanoke County Public Schools. Learn more about the SAC at https://www.rcps.us/parents-students/student-advisory-council.
Get involved! Attend a fall music performance
Roanoke County Public Schools has been recognized as one of the top 100 communities in the nation for music instruction. Come see why at one of our many music, choir and theatrical performances. Please see our music and performing arts calendar for the latest listing of performances and be sure to see our students showcase their talents!
Clear bag policy for all events
We welcome and encourage the public to attend events at our schools. As a reminder, Roanoke County Public Schools has implemented a clear bag policy for all school related events. This includes athletic events, school performances/concerts and any other public event. Please see our public entry requirements page for more information.
2024 College Fair is Sept. 17, 6-8 p.m. at the Salem Civic Center
The College Fair is a great place to start planning for your future. Meet representatives from in-state and out-of-state college and universities. Learn more about different opportunities and get your questions answered. Register at www.strivefair.com.
Partners for Safe Teen Driving events set for this fall
These presentations bring together parents, students, schools, law enforcement, and community resources to promote safe and responsible driving. Students enrolled in driver’s education are required by Virginia law to attend a meeting, and parent attendance is highly encouraged since parents are the number one influence on teen driving behaviors. See our health & PE website for more.
CSMS, HVMS earn national recognition as Schools of Distinction
The national Association for Middle Level Education (AMLE) has named Cave Spring Middle School and Hidden Valley Middle School as 2024 AMLE Schools of Distinction. CSMS and HVMS are two of only 17 middle schools nationwide to earn this recognition for 2024 and are the first two public middle schools in the entire western part of Virginia to earn this distinction. Read more about this great honor!
See Something, Hear Something, Say Something
We can’t stress this enough. About 90-percent of the time, those who commit violent crimes against schools told someone or posted something on social media prior to committing the act. We encourage you to report anything concerning. Even if it seems trivial, it might be a sign of something larger. If you see or hear something concerning, please say something to a teacher, school administrator, school resource officer or the police department. Remember, report it, don’t share it.
Support our students and teachers through the RCPS Education Foundation
The RCPS Education Foundation works to provide financial support for teachers and students in Roanoke County Public Schools through classroom grants, student scholarships and program support. The Education Foundation partners with the school system to recognize the top teachers in RCPS through the Golden Apple Teacher of the Year award. There are many ways to support the Education Foundation through donations and participation in events, such as the fall golf tournament and the Backpack Run in the spring. Learn more at www.supporroanokecountyed.org
Fireside Chat with Va. First Lady S. Youngkin
We encourage parents, students, and other community members to participate in a livestreamed fireside chat on Sept. 19 at 7 p.m. at Northside High School. First Lady Suzanne Youngkin and Dr. Jonathan Haidt, award-winning social psychologist, author, and researcher of The Anxious Generation will be discussing the findings of this book and the importance of limiting social media and cell phone use among children and young adults to restore childhood and play, followed by a community conversation.
On the morning of Thursday, August 15, more than 13,200 students kicked off the 2024-2025 school year in Roanoke County Public Schools. From the youngest kindergarten student walking into school for the very first time to the seniors of the class of 2025, beginning their final year of high school, our students were met with smiles and welcomes from teachers, administrators and staff, as teachers began the year with engaging and purposeful instruction with many opportunities for our students to experience deeper learning.
Throughout the year, all students will take part of our district-wide Opportunity Ready graduate certification program. Elementary and middle school students will participate in student-led conferences in which students will directly showcase their learning to parents during conferences, giving the student the opportunity to practice and develop important communication skills as well as showcase their work while at school, reviewing strengths and opportunities for improvement. All the while, students are adding different pieces to their portfolio. At the high school level, seniors will prepare a presentation about their learning and will defend that presentation to a panel of staff. If successful, that senior will have an Opportunity Ready seal added to their diploma.
We remind parents and students that sharing social media rumors that potentially include incomplete or inaccurate information can inappropriately escalate a situation and possibly jeopardize the safety of students and staff. Parents and students have every right to be upset or concerned when a negative situation occurs involving their child. Posting the concern in the public arena of social media, especially before contacting the school and getting the full story, however, can lead to other people making assumptions about the situation or unintentionally slandering another student or school employee. When others re-post the story with their own comments, these stories can then become exaggerated or embellished. Unfortunately, even though we teach students to be media literate and not believe everything they read on social media, there are many people that do believe everything they read. In today’s world, there are some social media users who not only believe everything they read or incorrectly interpret what they read, but take actions that can harm others, whether by reputation or physical harm.
Roanoke County Public Schools is actively recruiting to hire and train several new bus drivers for this school year and we’d like you to be one of them! Bus drivers work about 5 hours a day in the mornings and afternoons. This is a great part-time opportunity for parents and grandparents to earn more than $20 an hour, and get to be the first to welcome our students every morning! 
