Hoot Off The Press

Monday, May 25th

Memorial Day -no school

Tuesday, May 26th

nothing at this time

>> Wednesday, May 27th <<

Pre K Ceremonies

POOL day

Thursday, May 28th

LAST day of school

Report Cards

Awarrds Assembly @ 10:30 am

Friday, May 29th

Last Day for Staff

• Arrival begins at 8:20am K~2nd; 9:00am Pre K
• Tardy bell rings at 8:45am K~2nd
• Dismissal begins at 3:00pm Pre K; 3:20pm K~2nd
• ALL students enter through the rear of the building on Faulkner Avenue

🛑🚸SAFETY FIRST 🚸🛑

"For the safety of our students and staff, please do not park in the yellow zone. This area is designated for buses and BCS transports. Thank you for keeping our school community safe!"

Dear Winchester Avenue Families,

This will be our final full newsletter for the 2025–2026 school year as we prepare to SOAR to new heights this summer and into the year ahead!

We want to thank all of our families for your continued support, encouragement, and partnership throughout the school year. It has been a year filled with growth, learning, and memorable experiences for our students and staff.

Next week, communication from the school will be limited to announcements only as we wrap up the school year and finalize end-of-year activities.

We are so proud of everything our students have accomplished this year and appreciate the role our families play in helping our students succeed each day.

We hope everyone has a safe, restful, and fun-filled summer. Keep reading, keep learning, and continue to SOAR to new heights!

With appreciation,

~Principal Ballard

🗓️ Important Dates & Reminders

• May 22nd: no longer pool day
• May 25th: Memorial Day- No School
• May 27th: RESCHEDULED pool day
• May 28th : Last Day of School for Students and the Final Awards Assembly

NTouch Text and Email Alerts:

Download the BCS App . Learn more: berkeleycountyschools.org

On the Web:

Sign Up: WV Dept of Ed alerts: https://wvde.state.wv.us/closings

Social Media

Follow Us @Berkeley County Schools

At Winchester Avenue Elementary, we believe in recognizing students who consistently go above and beyond to make our school a great place to learn. We are thrilled to announce the upcoming 4th Nine Weeks PBIS Reward Celebration!

Congratulations to our S.O.A.R.ing Owls!

This celebration is for students who have consistently chosen to:

• Safety First

• Own Your Actions

• Always Achieve

• Respect Yourself and Others

To those students who have shown kindness, leadership, and school pride every day: You have officially earned your invitation! We are so proud of the environment you are helping to build. Get ready to celebrate—you earned it!

📋 Understanding Participation Criteria

Our PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) program relies on "Consistent Excellence." To maintain the high standards of our school community, we use specific data to determine eligibility for this final reward of the year.

Students will attend if they have:

• Demonstrated S.O.A.R. values daily.

• Maintained fewer than 9 "Red Owl" write-ups for the entire year.

• Maintained a clean record with zero Major or Minor office referrals.

Students will NOT be eligible to attend if they have:

• Accumulated 9 or More "Red Owl" Write-Ups: These represent repeated behaviors throughout the year that fall outside our S.O.A.R. expectations.

• Received 1 or More Major Office Referrals: Any major infraction requiring administrative intervention automatically disqualifies a student from this specific reward.

• Received 1 or More Minor Office Referrals: Even a single minor referral indicates a need for further practice in our school-wide behavioral routines.

• Persistent Struggles with S.O.A.R. Expectations: Frequent difficulty demonstrating Safety, Ownership, Achievement, or Respect as outlined in our school-wide rubric.

  
  

A Message of Encouragement

We understand that missing a reward can be disappointing. However, we view this as a vital "teachable moment." If your child did not qualify this time, we encourage you to speak with them about a "Fresh Start." We believe in every student’s ability to grow. Use these final weeks of school to reflect, reset, and show that they can S.O.A.R. to success! We are here to support every student in making better choices every single day.

Dress code:

For the pool party students must come to school in their swimsuits and the swimsuits should be age appropriate. For girls they should wear a one-piece swimsuit or a tankini that covers their stomach. If your child only has a bikini, please send them a shirt they can wear in the pool over their swimsuit. For boys they should wear swim trunks with an undergarment underneath. All students should bring a towel to dry off and a change of clothes including undergarments.

Lunch:

If students need a school packed lunch this was already indicated on the pool party permission slip. If students are bringing their own packed lunch make sure it is in a paper bag. Disposable water bottles are advised as well.

Sunscreen:

Please make sure to apply sunscreen to your child before sending them to school. Your child can reapply it themselves if it is brought along with them!

brought to you by

Martinsburg Inititative

Saturday, June 6th

Time: 10am~1pm

See the flyer below.

High Impact Instructional Practices focus on ensuring all instruction is purposeful, rigorous, and student-centered. Lessons are aligned to grade-level standards and include clear, visible objectives that identify both what students must know and how they will apply that knowledge. Instruction intentionally builds academic vocabulary through curriculum-based opportunities for exploration and understanding.Teachers support students in moving from teacher-led instruction to independent learning through inquiry and gradual release. Finally, students are provided opportunities to integrate learning and produce original work by synthesizing information from multiple sources—building purpose, power, and practice in every classroom.

Available daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Through TutorWV, every West Virginian gains no-cost access to personalized tutoring and drop-off review services, test prep and self-paced resources, and job search assistance. Click the link below from any device, and you’ll get connected to a live expert tutor and resources! Tutors are rigorously vetted subject-matter experts. They ask questions, they encourage, and they empower. They’re available every day from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. so that learners of all ages and stages can get help anytime, anywhere, from any internet-connected device.

Poject Learn offers after school programming:

• homework help
• health and wellness programs, nutritious meals, physical activity
• fun and safe environment with caring staff
• flexible schedules, affordable prices

Visit: https://www.bgcepwv.net or call 304-263-2696

Please see the flyer below.

Regular school attendance matters, but if your student misses school, you can submit your student's absence online using the Parent Absence Note Form

Play on pieces of equipment

Jump off high equipment

Push, shove, or wrestle with classmates

Throw mulch

Draw with chalk on the building

Go down the slide headfirst or on their stomach

Walk up the slide

We understand that older siblings may need to walk our kiddos home. Please be sure your child's teacher is aware of this arrangement. We have a new form to be completed by parents/guardians of students that are walked home by siblings that are under 18 years of age. Once the teacher is made aware, we will send home the form.

If your student is not an every day parent pick up, please have your ID when you come to pick up your child from the school. It is BCS policy that we check IDs of every person that request to pick up a student. Please keep this in mind and be paitent with staff when your ID is requested.

If you need to contact Ms. Ballard

Email: cballard@k12.wv.us
School Website : https://www.berkeleycountyschools.org/o/winchesteravenue
Location: 650 WInchester Avenue, Martinsburg, WV 25401
Phone: (304) 267-3570