Hoot Off The Press
WEEK OF APRIL 27th
"Spring is nature's way of saying, 'Let's party!' But in our school,
it’s nature’s way of showing us how much we’ve grown since autumn." -R.Williams
Mark Your Calendar
Monday, April 27th
nothing at this time
Tuesday, April 28th
testing window OPENS
Wednesday, April 29th
nothing at this time
Thursday, April 30th
Spring Concert
"Party Animals"
doors opens at 5:45pm
Friday, May 1st
nothing at this time
Upcoming Events
END OF THE YEAR
testing window
April 28th~May 8th
Important Information
- 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!"
A note from Principal Ballard
Hi Families,
As we head into the final days of April, we are getting ready to show off everything our students have learned this year! Our official testing window begins on Tuesday, April 28th.
While testing can sometimes feel a bit stressful, we want our students to feel confident, relaxed, and ready to do their best. Here is how you can help them prepare, along with some tips to keep everyone safe and comfortable as the weather warms up.
🌟 Tips for Testing Success
A little preparation at home goes a long way in helping students focus at school:
Prioritize Rest: Aim for a consistent bedtime to ensure they get plenty of sleep.
Power Breakfast: A healthy, filling meal in the morning provides the "brain fuel" needed for concentration. Breakfast is served each morning so...Arrive on Time: Being at school with a few minutes to spare helps students settle in without feeling rushed.
Positive Vibes: A simple "I’m proud of your hard work" can boost a student’s confidence more than you know!
👟 Spring Style & Safety
The beautiful weather is finally here! We want our students to enjoy their outdoor time and recess to the fullest. To keep everyone safe and appropriately covered while they play, please keep these guidelines in mind:
Secure Footwear: Please ensure students wear sandals with a back strap that secures to the foot. Flip-flops and slides can be a tripping hazard on the playground.
Comfort & Coverage: For students wearing dresses or skirts, we highly suggest wearing shorts underneath. This allows them to climb, jump, and play freely while remaining appropriately covered.
🗓️ Key Dates
April 27: Final day of review.
April 28: Testing Window Begins.
Thank you for your continued support in making this a successful and safe spring for our students. Let’s finish the month strong!
Please get CONNECTED so that you are informed of school cancellations.
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
Upcoming Events You Don't Want to Miss
Spring Clubs
Garden Club 🌺 March 5th~May 14th
Fitness Club 🏈🏐March 10th ~ May 19th
🐨Spring Concert: Party Animals 🦁
Thursday, April 30th @ 5:45pm
Enter through the REAR of the building.
May 4th ~ May 8th
Staff Appreciation Week
Information in student folders.
Spring Book Fair
Scholastic Book Fair
When: May 4th ~8th
Where: Winchester Avenue
Family Night will take place
Thursday, May 7th 5:00-6:30pm
Changeless
The spring book fair will be changeless.
All orders paid with cash will be rounded to the nearest dollar.
The change will be donated to the “Share the Fair” which helps students who don’t have funds to buy a book!
🌟 Celebrating Excellence: 4th Nine Weeks PBIS Reward 🌟
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.
See flyer below.
Family Resources
Our Instructional Focuses
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.
Tutor WV
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.
Project Learn
After School Program
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.
Use the provided link below to learn more about iReady
Attendance Matters
Please aim to send your child to school each day. If your child is not sick, please send them to school.
Regular school attendance matters, but if your student misses school, you can submit your student's absence online using the Parent Absence Note Form
Recess Expecations
Students Can
Play on pieces of equipment
Play on blacktop with supervision.
Hold hands with friends
Sit on the ground
Play organized games on the playground or black top
Use the restroom
Students Cannot
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
WALKERS
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.
Picking up a student from BCS???
100% ID CHECK
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.
click to view the menu
click to submit an absence note
Share Your Contact Info!
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