BCS Insider
July 2024
Hedgesville High School senior Julianne Haderer has been named an Honorary Secretary of State, recognizing her work in helping her classmates register to vote. Reflecting on the achievement, Haderer said,
“I was pretty excited. My friend Caitlin Hall, who I was doing this with, we'd been working on this since the beginning of the school year, so it was pretty exciting to hear that we had reached our goal.”
Haderer said her school hit 100% voter registration for eligible seniors just last week.
“I was proud, I think, of a lot of my fellow classmates. At first, there were a lot of kids who were not too adamant on registering to vote because they thought there were drawbacks," she said. "There's really no drawbacks, and I think everyone should get registered to vote, because all it does is give you the opportunity.”
She also described some hesitations her classmates had.
“A lot of students were worried about selecting political parties because they felt uninformed," Haderer said. "But there's actually the option to select no party when you initially register to vote; you still are able to vote in the general elections, and there's really no drawbacks to it.”
Part of the program included a visit to the Secretary of State’s office and the State Capitol in Charleston.
“My most memorable moment was Caitlin being Caitlin," Haderer said. "She went up and talked to all these different people and all the delegates that we were introduced to, and she just said hi to everyone. I really liked to see that because she was just being nice, and it's really inspiring.”
Haderer also said meeting Secretary of State Kris Warner was an incredible experience.
“I'd actually been introduced to him previously at Girls State the past summer, but this was a more one-on-one talk with him," she said. "He talked about some important things like small businesses and aids for them, which I think personally affects me. My uncle actually owns a small business, a car lot business, so it was really cool to hear about new stuff they're trying to implement with that.”
Haderer learned about how legislative sessions work and how quickly most bills are addressed.
"There were only a couple that had some major discussions, but it's interesting how quick it really is," she said.
She emphasized the importance of civic engagement, saying voting is the most important of all.
“As a citizen, that's what you should do. To ensure democracy remains as it is, you should vote. It's just so important.”
Looking ahead, Haderer said the experience shaped her perspective on public service and helped her see that state legislators are ordinary people.
“I think that a lot of people think that you have to be really rich, or you have to be already established to be a politician and to have a government office, but I think anyone can do it," she said.
Friday, March 6, 2026
6 p.m.
Martinsburg South Middle School
The snowmen have brought winter magic to Queen Street, and now it’s time to send them home in a fun and meaningful way! Join us for the Snowman Auction, where each school’s creatively decorated snowman will be auctioned live to the highest bidder.
This exciting event not only celebrates the creativity of our students and schools, but also gives back—all proceeds beyond the $40 lumber cost for each snowman will be returned directly to the school that created it.
Come out, show your support, and take home a one-of-a-kind snowman while helping our schools thrive!
The district testing window runs April 13–17 for writing and April 27–May 22 for English Language Arts, mathematics, and science, with specific dates varying by school. In addition, all 11th grade students will take part in SAT School Day on April 15, providing an important opportunity through the College Board to demonstrate college and career readiness.
These assessments help teachers and schools better understand student progress and support continued academic growth. Please read more in the parent letters from the West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) at the link below.
Ready, Set, Succeed!
Join us for a morning of fun, fitness, and helpful information as we kick off testing season together!
March 28, 2026
Poor House Farm Park
233 Almshouse Road
Martinsburg, WV 25403
Event Schedule
- 8:00 AM – Registration & activity stations open
- 9:00 AM – Family walk or run on the park’s scenic three-mile trail (join as a family or school team!)
What to Expect
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Testing tips and helpful information
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Meet your favorite i-Ready characters
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Music & entertainment
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Fun giveaways
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Water & snacks provided
Bring the whole family and help us start testing season feeling confident, prepared, and energized!
For more information, please contact Travis Williams.
Berkeley County Schools provides engaging learning opportunities in supportive, caring classrooms—with no-cost breakfast and lunch for every student. Families can also choose our Virtual Pathway, offering a flexible online learning option while staying connected to their school community.
Enrollment opens March 1:
- Current Pre-K students must re-enroll for Kindergarten
- Age cutoff (June 30, 2026):
- Pre-K: 4
- Kindergarten: 5
- Virtual School options available for K–12 students
Give your child a strong start—whether in the classroom or online—because their first school experience matters!
Friendship Skills: Helping Your Child Build Healthy Connections
Friendship skills are essential to a child’s social and emotional development. Positive friendships provide support, build confidence, and contribute to improved mental health and academic success. Parents play an important role in helping children develop these skills by modeling empathy, encouraging social interaction, and teaching effective communication and conflict resolution.
You can support your child by providing opportunities to interact with peers, practicing active listening, and helping them understand others’ feelings and perspectives. Research shows that children with strong friendships experience greater self-esteem, emotional well-being, and resilience, while also developing important life skills. Learn more in this month's Cook Center for Human Connection newsletter.
In this month's edition of Pathways in Action | Showcasing CTE: Where Education Meets Industry, you'll find:
Student Achievement & Leadership: Martinsburg High graduate Lilly Reisenweber was selected as a Main Anchor for WVU News, while students across Berkeley County—including Spring Mills Millwork students and Hedgesville FFA leader Holden Custer—demonstrated leadership, innovation, and career readiness through hands-on CTE experiences.
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Teacher Impact & Student Support: Nearly 50 Berkeley County CTE educators continue to create real-world learning environments that build technical skills, professionalism, and confidence, while CTE students honored school counselors during National School Counseling Week for their essential role in student success.
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Real-World Learning & Industry Connections: Partnerships with organizations like CMC Steel and WVU Athletics, along with student-driven projects such as safety device prototypes and service initiatives, connect classroom learning to real careers and empower students to solve authentic community and workforce challenges.
