The Rocket Rundown
Craig County Public Schools | October 2026
Dear CCPS Community:
As the leaves change colors and the crisp fall air settles into Craig County, there is so much to celebrate across Craig County Public Schools! From exciting classroom experiences and student achievements to athletic success and special events, our Rockets continue to demonstrate what makes our school community so special.
Fall is a season of change, growth, and gratitude. I am especially thankful for our dedicated staff, supportive families, and caring community members who work together to create meaningful opportunities for our students. As we continue through the school year, I encourage everyone to embrace our theme, “Level Up!” by striving for excellence and making a commitment to improve every day.
Thank you for your continued support of Craig County Public Schools. Let's keep the momentum going and make this fall a season to remember!
Sincerely,
Jason A. Wheeler, Ph.D.
Superintendent
Craig County Public Schools
Instruction
Hands-On Learning Comes to Life: On Friday, October 16, students enjoyed an exciting day of hands-on learning during the Mobile Dairy Classroom and Agriculture & Natural Resources Field Day. Thanks to the Craig County 4-H, Farm Bureau Women’s Committee, and our very own Emily Nolen, students explored agriculture and natural resources through engaging activities, including holding snakes and turtles and making pumpkin pie in a bag! These experiences provided a fun and memorable opportunity for students to learn beyond the classroom. A special thank you to everyone who helped make this event possible!
- Kindergarten Adventures at Jeter’s Farm: Our kindergarten students enjoyed a fun-filled field trip to Jeter’s Farm, making the most of an unusually warm fall day! Students had the opportunity to explore the farm and bring home their very own pumpkins to share with their families. Those who returned to school that afternoon continued the fall festivities with apple juice, popcorn, and a delicious pumpkin roll treat. It was a wonderful day of learning, laughter, and making memories!
- Creativity Comes to Life at MES: Ms. Lantz kicked off the first meeting of the MES Art Club with a fun and creative activity! Students worked together on a collaborative drawing project where each participant added a section of a character or creature without seeing what others had drawn. The result was a unique and imaginative piece of artwork that highlighted creativity and teamwork. We look forward to seeing the artistic talents of our MES students shine throughout the year!
- Every Day Counts at MES: Students in grades K–5 recently participated in a creative art contest highlighting why school attendance matters! Students were encouraged to illustrate what makes coming to school important to them, and their artwork showcased some wonderful creativity and enthusiasm. One familiar face appeared in many of the drawings—Moose! It was a fun way to remind everyone that showing up each day is an important part of learning, growing, and making lasting memories at school!
School Events
- House Sorting Day: Students in grades Pre-K through 7 recently participated in an exciting House Sorting Day, where each student was welcomed into a house as part of our schoolwide House System! This initiative is designed to build school spirit, strengthen relationships, encourage teamwork, and create a sense of belonging among students across grade levels. We look forward to seeing our houses grow together through friendly competition, collaboration, and opportunities to demonstrate positive character throughout the school year!
PTA
Our PTA continues to play an important role in supporting our students and creating meaningful experiences throughout the school year. Through fundraising and community support, the PTA helps fund special events and field trips and contributes to programs such as Field Day and One School, One Book. Last year, the PTA also sponsored STEAM Night, which featured the Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center.
Officers:
- Alyssa Stump: President
- Kate Dixon: Secretary
- Wyatt Reeder: Treasurer
Contact Information
McCleary Elementary School
25345 Craigs Creek Road
New Castle, VA 24127
(540) 864-5173
- Culinary Arts Students Bake for a Cause: Students put their baking skills to work for a great cause! Thanks to a generous donation of supplies from Mrs. Carol Owens, students prepared delicious pumpkin rolls that were donated to a fundraiser benefiting the Special Olympics. What a wonderful example of our students using their talents to give back to others! A special thank-you to Mrs. Owens for her generosity and for making this opportunity possible!
School Events
- Homecoming Dance: Craig County High School students enjoyed a fun-filled Homecoming Dance on Saturday, October 17! The evening was filled with dancing, games, laughter, and opportunities to make lasting memories with friends. A special thank you to everyone who helped plan, organize, decorate, and make this wonderful event possible for our students!
- Attendance Challenge: Congratulations to our sixth-grade students for winning the first-quarter attendance challenge! Their commitment to showing up and being ready to learn earned them a well-deserved pizza party to celebrate their success. Keep up the great work, Rockets, and remember that every school day counts! Thanks to Mrs. Hutton and Mrs. Wolfe for all their hard work in planning the celebration and tracking attendance.
- Golf Returns: For the first time in eight years, Craig County High School welcomed its golf team back to the course! This exciting return was made possible through the tremendous generosity of our community. Local businesses, families, and community members donated essential equipment, including more than 12 sets of golf clubs, bags, and other supplies. A special thank you goes to the Craig County Booster Club, whose $1,500 contribution helped cover course access, practice rounds, and other expenses at Hanging Rock Golf Course. We are incredibly grateful to everyone who helped make this season possible. Once again, Craig County proved that small communities can make a big difference!
- Volleyball: Congratulations to our Rocket Volleyball team on a great season and earning the No. 4 seed in the district tournament! The Rockets will compete on Monday, October 26, at 6:00 p.m. We encourage everyone to come out, show their Rocket pride, and cheer on our team as they begin tournament play!
Contact Information
Craig County High School
25239 Craigs Creek Road
New Castle, VA 24127
(540) 864-5185
Capital Improvement Projects
- Generator Project: We are pleased to announce that the generator project at Craig County Public Schools has been completed! This important investment will provide backup power during outages, helping ensure our facilities remain operational and can continue serving as an emergency shelter for our community when needed. We appreciate the support and collaboration of everyone who helped make this project possible.
Contact Information
Craig County Public Schools
6 Alleghany Circle
New Castle, VA 24127
(540) 864-5191
September - Dana Raven
Since arriving on campus, this individual has made a remarkable impact on both our students and the school. Through countless hours of hard work, creativity, and dedication over the summer, what was once simply a place to check out books has been transformed into a warm, welcoming, and inviting environment where students genuinely want to spend their time. The transformation has been nothing short of extraordinary and reflects a true passion for literacy, learning, and student engagement.
Perhaps even more impressive than the physical transformation of the library is the positive impact this individual has had on our students. Each day, students gravitate toward the library, not only because of the inviting atmosphere but because of the meaningful relationships that have been built. In a remarkably short period of time, this individual has become a favorite among many students, creating a space where they feel welcomed, valued, and encouraged to explore new interests.
The impact is also evident in the increased use of the library as an instructional resource. Our English department now visits regularly, and students are on pace to check out more books this year than they have in the past several years combined. This renewed excitement surrounding reading is a testament to the enthusiasm, initiative, and commitment brought to this important space.
We are truly fortunate to have someone who cares so deeply about the well-being of our students and consistently goes above and beyond to make a difference. It is with great appreciation that we recognize Mrs. Dana Raven for her outstanding contributions to Craig County Public Schools and the positive impact she continues to make on our students.
August - Kellie Stevens
We are proud to recognize a staff member who embodies the courage to see what is possible and take action to make that vision a reality.
This individual has demonstrated exceptional leadership and commitment to Craig County Public Schools by helping revamp and strengthen our House System. Recognizing its potential to enhance school culture, student belonging, and staff engagement, this staff member brought together and led a dedicated team in redesigning the program for our students and schools.
That initiative did not stop there. When this individual recognized the value of offering Teachers for Tomorrow, and the challenges of fitting the course into our existing staffing schedule—this staff member stepped forward, completed the necessary Praxis requirements, and is now teaching the course personally.
This willingness to identify a need, develop a vision, and take action is an outstanding example of servant leadership. It reminds us that innovation does not require perfect circumstances or unlimited resources. Often, it begins with someone saying, “This is important, and I am willing to help make it happen.”
For these reasons, it is my privilege to recognize Kellie Stevens as our August Employee of the Month. Thank you for your leadership, initiative, courage, and unwavering commitment to creating opportunities for both students and staff. Your vision, and, more importantly, your willingness to act on it, is making a meaningful difference at Craig County Public Schools.
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