Edition One

As the new school year gets closer, many families are beginning to prepare for back-to-school shopping. From school supplies and backpacks to clothing and other essentials, these expenses can add up quickly. In this edition of the Summer Success Series, Alyssa Nazarok, a HUD Certified Housing Counselor with Telamon Corporation, shares practical tips to help families stretch their budgets, shop wisely, and take advantage of valuable community resources.

Watch this week's video to learn simple ways to save money, plan ahead, and reduce financial stress as you prepare for the upcoming school year. Be sure to continue exploring the Summer Success Series for additional resources, activities, and opportunities designed to help every student and family start the school year prepared, confident, and ready for success.

Travis Williams, M.Ed.

Family & Community Engagement Coordinator

Note: Berkeley County Schools does not require you to purchase any school supply items. The purpose of school supply lists is to inform you of the developmentally appropriate supplies if you wish to purchase them for your child. Likewise, the law does not prohibit teachers from developing lists of items that parents/guardians may wish to purchase and /or donate for use by the school or their student’s classmates.

This summer, we encourage students to continue strengthening their math fluency and problem-solving skills through fun, hands-on outdoor activities. Math fluency helps students build confidence, strengthen number sense, and solve problems more efficiently. Just a few minutes of practice each day can help students maintain important math skills and feel confident and prepared for the next school year.

This edition includes simple outdoor math activities designed to make math fun while helping students practice important fluency skills. Most activities use minimal materials that families may already have at home, such as sidewalk chalk, cups, buckets, sponges, or water balloons.

Math practice does not need to involve long worksheets. Outdoor games, movement activities, and everyday conversations about numbers are excellent ways to help students continue building strong math skills during the summer months.

We hope your family enjoys learning, playing, and exploring math together this summer!

Skills:

• counting
• number recognition
• one-to-one correspondence

Students

• hop to numbers
• count aloud
• find specific numbers

• “Hop to 8.”
• “Hop to the number after 12.”
• “Count backward from 10.”

Increase the Rigor:

• hop by 2s
• identify odd/even numbers
• add simple addition problems

💦 Sponge Toss Counting Game

Skills:

• counting objects
• comparing quantities
• number sense

Students

• toss wet sponges onto numbers
• count points
• compare totals

Increase the Rigor:

• use addition sentences
• compare greater/less than
• add a timer

✏️ Sidewalk Chalk Fact Path

Skills:

• addition and subtraction fluency
• counting on
• skip counting

Directions: draw a path with addition and subtraction facts.

Students

• solve the problem
• jump to the answer
• move through the path

Examples

Increase the Rigor:

• use larger numbers
• add timed challenges
• use doubles facts

💦Water Balloon Addition Toss

Skills:

• addition fluency
• mental math
• problem-solving

Directions: draw answer circles outside.

Parent calls: “What is 6 + 4?”

Students toss water balloon onto correct answer.

Increase the Rigor:

• use subtraction facts
• use two-step problems
• add score keeping

🚀 Sidewalk Chalk Skip Counting Trail

Skills:

• skip counting
• place value
• number patterns

Directions: draw a trail counting by:

• 2s
• 5s
• 10s

Students

• hop the pattern
• fill in missing numbers
• race to finish

Increase the Rigor:

• use larger numbers
• create mixed patterns
• count backward

💦Bucket Measurement Challenge

Skills:

• measurement
• estimation
• comparing amounts

Directions:

Provide

• cups
• buckets
• containers

Students

• estimate how many cups fill a bucket
• compare which holds more/less
• count total cups used

Increase the Rigor:

• record data
• compare estimates to actual amounts
• use half-full/full comparisons

Skills:

• multiplication fluency

• skip counting

• fact families

Directions: draw a winding path with multiplication facts.

Examples

• 4 × 3

• 6 × 5

• 8 × 2

Students

• solve facts

• hop to answers

• race through the trail

Increase the Rigor

• add division facts

• use timed challenges

• create multi-step problems

💦 Water Balloon Fact Toss

Skills

• multiplication and division fluency

• mental math

Directions: write answers on the driveway with chalk.

Parent calls

“What is 7 × 6?”

Students toss water balloon onto correct answer.

Increase the Rigor

• use division problems

• keep score

• add two-step problems

🚀 Fraction Sidewalk Chalk Art

Skills

• fractions

• equivalent fractions

• comparing fractions

Directions

Students draw

• fraction models

• pizzas

• flags

• shapes divided into parts

Examples

• shade 1/2

• compare 3/4 and 2/4

• create equivalent fractions

Increase the Rigor

• add decimals

• compare improper fractions

• solve fraction word problems

💦 Bucket Measurement Challenge

Skills

• measurement

• estimation

• multiplication

• comparing quantities

Directions

Provide

• cups

• buckets

• containers

Students

• estimate how many cups fill a bucket

• record totals

• compare measurements

• calculate differences
• create charts/graphs
• convert measurements

🌟 Sidewalk Chalk Coordinate Grid

Skills

• graphing points

• coordinate planes

• geometry

• problem-solving

Directions: draw a large coordinate grid outside.

Students

• plot points

• create fireworks pictures

• solve coordinate clues

Increase the Rigor

• use all 4 quadrants

• create ordered pair riddles

• graph shapes

💦 Water Balloon Decimal Toss

Skills

• decimal comparison

• mental math

• operations with decimals

Directions: write decimal answers outside.

Examples

• 0.5

• 1.2

• 2.75

Students solve problems and toss balloons onto correct answers.

Increase the Rigor

• add multiplication/division

• compare decimals

• create multi-step problems

This week’s “Adventure Week” activities encourage students to build reading fluency, comprehension, creativity, and storytelling skills through exciting adventure-themed tasks. Students will follow reading clues during a treasure hunt, create their own superhero, practice fluent reading, write camping stories, and describe how characters feel throughout a story. Families can support students by listening to them read aloud, helping them discuss character feelings, and encouraging imaginative storytelling and creativity. These activities are designed to keep young learners engaged in reading and writing while exploring fun summer adventures.

This week’s “Mystery & Adventure” activities encourage students to strengthen comprehension, critical thinking, creativity, and writing skills through engaging literacy challenges. Students will practice identifying clues in mystery stories, writing creative endings, making inferences using text evidence, composing poetry inspired by nature, and interviewing family members to summarize information. Families can support students by discussing stories together, encouraging students to explain their thinking, and helping them brainstorm ideas for writing and poetry activities.

Berkeley County Schools is excited to announce a new partnership with Dolly Parton's Imagination Library to help inspire a lifelong love of reading in our youngest learners!

Through this collaboration with Berkeley County Schools, the Roy and Gwen Steeley Foundation, and Marshall University’s June Harless Center, eligible children in Berkeley County can receive a free, high-quality, age-appropriate book delivered directly to their home each month from birth until their fifth birthday.

Research consistently shows that children who are read to regularly develop stronger language skills, larger vocabularies, and a greater readiness for kindergarten and future academic success. Building a home library is one of the simplest and most effective ways families can support early literacy.

Whether it's reading together before bedtime or sharing a favorite story during the day, every book creates an opportunity to learn, imagine, and grow together.

We are proud to partner with the June Harless Center and the Steeley Foundation to bring this incredible program to Berkeley County families and help every child start school with a strong foundation for success.

📖 Enroll today and begin building your child's library—one book at a time!

• Back to School Bash (Trinity Temple Church of God) – Saturday, July 25, 2026, 10:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. | 127 Tuskegee Drive, Martinsburg, WV
• Back-to-School Giveaway (Voices Against Domestic Violence / Shop Outside the Box) – Saturday, August 1, 2026, 9:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. | 820 N. Mildred St., Ranson, WV
• Annual Backpack Giveaway (The Martinsburg Initiative) – Saturday, August 8, 2026, after 3:00 p.m. | Ramer Center, 515 W. Martin St., Martinsburg, WV
• Back to School Bash (Martinsburg Church of God) – Saturday, August 8, 2026, 11:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. | 263 State Circle, Martinsburg, WV
• Free Back-to-School Haircuts (The Martinsburg Initiative) – Thursday, August 13, 2026, and Saturday, August 15, 2026, 5:00–7:00 p.m. | Boys & Girls Club, 105 W John St. Martinsburg, WV
• Back to School Bookbag Giveaway (The Blessings Closet) – Saturday, August 15, 2026, 12:00–4:00 p.m. | Shepherdstown Fire Hall (Barron Hall), 8052 Martinsburg Pike, Shepherdstown, WV 25443
• Back to School Skate Night – Saturday, August 15, 2026, 4:00–6:00 p.m. | Galaxy Skateland, 1201 3rd St., Martinsburg, WV
• Back to School Community Resource Fair with School Supplies and Clothes (Strong and Stable Families Work Group) – Wednesday, August 19, 2026, 5:00–7:00 p.m. | 26 Wilson St., Martinsburg, WV

We hope the weekend food bags from the Berkeley County BackPack Program have been helpful throughout the school year. While school is ending, the BackPack Program will continue this summer.

The Berkeley County BackPack Program is offering non-perishable food over the summer. For the summer program, you will need to pick up your children’s food. You will be contacted in June with the dates and times of the summer food distributions. Food distributions will take place at 300 Foxcroft Ave., Martinsburg. There will be 3 handouts-once in June, once in July, and once in August.

You must sign up if you want to participate in the summer program. To sign up, text 304-268-0635 to request the sign-up link. Only one sign-up is needed per family.

Keep the learning and fun going all summer long with Martinsburg-Berkeley County Public Library!

Their Summer Reading Program is a great way for students to stay engaged, explore new stories, participate in fun activities, and keep their minds active while school is out. There’s something for readers of all ages to enjoy this summer!

Be sure to stay connected and check out everything they have to offer by visiting their website linked below!

This summer, families can access free support and guidance through the Cook Center for Human Connection and its Mental Health and Wellness Resource Center. Summer break can bring exciting opportunities for families — but it can also create new challenges for parents and caregivers as children spend more time at home, navigate changing routines, and manage social and emotional stressors.

This Family Support Library is here to help by providing every adult and caretaker in the district with a trusted place to find qualified answers and compassionate guidance from premier therapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists specializing in parenting and childcare support.

This FREE resource includes more than 50 courses available in both English and Spanish, created and presented by licensed clinicians. Families can access helpful information and support on important topics such as anxiety, depression, self-harm, bullying, social media, substance abuse, grief and loss, and more — all designed to help parents confidently support their children throughout the summer and beyond.

Be sure to check out the website for more information and to explore all available resources and courses.

• BCS internet filtering remains active year-round.

• Administrators are alerted if inappropriate material is accessed.

• All users are expected to continue following the BCS Acceptable Use Policy, which was signed at the beginning of the 25-26 school year and continues through the summer.

Our tech support team will be available throughout the summer! If you need assistance with your student’s BCS device, simply submit a help ticket using the link available on the BCS website homepage under “Summer Programs.”

Additionally, if you move out of district this summer, please submit a support ticket to coordinate a time for the device to be returned.