Tomahawk Talk

Dear Tomahawk Families,

As we wrap up an incredible school year, we want to thank you for your support, partnership, and encouragement. Together, we’ve accomplished so much, and we’re proud to end the year on a high note!

We are excited to share that our school-wide proficiency rates on the West Virginia General Summative Assessment (WVGSA) have increased in both English Language Arts and Math:

• ELA Proficiency: Increased from 53% last year to 56% this year

• Math Proficiency: Increased from 50% last year to 56% this year

These results are higher than both the county and state averages, and a true reflection of the hard work of our students, staff, and families. Thank you for being a part of this success!

A few important reminders as we head into summer:

• The school building will be closed from June 2 - June 16 due to electrical upgrades.

• Teacher assignments for the 2026–2027 school year will be mailed to families in early August.

• The last day of school for students is Thursday, May 28th.

We wish all of our families a safe, restful, and joyful summer break.

Warm regards,

Dr. Ematrudo

Principal

Monday, May 25th

• No School: Memorial Day

Tuesday, May 26th

• 9:40 AM: HHS Graduation Walk
• 5th Grade: Kickball Tournament Finals
• Kona Ice Truck
• Raffle Basket Winners Announced

Wednesday, May 27th

• 5th Grade Graduation Ceremony
• 9:15 AM: Ansari, Church, Kurutza, Mayes & Parks
• 10:15 AM: Campbell, DiNello, Mance & Sowers

Thursday, May 28th

• Last Day of School! 😎
• Report Cards & i-Ready Growth Reports Issued
• 2:00 PM: Talent Show

• Monday, May 25: Memorial Day (No School)
• Tuesday, May 26: Beat the Heat: Wear your favorite summer gear!
• Wednesday, May 27: Island Adventure: Wear bold pinks, greens, and yellows!
• Thursday, May 28: Flip Flip into Summer: Wear summer-themed attire!

We are excited to announce that Kona Ice will be visiting Tomahawk on Tuesday, May 26 from 12:00 PM–3:00 PM! 🍧 Kona Ice will be available for purchase for our 3rd and 4th grade students, and we are thrilled that all of our exiting 5th graders will receive a FREE Kona Ice as part of our end-of-year celebration activities.

Families of 3rd and 4th grade students may use the attached graphic to pre-pay for a Klassic cup using the QR code or by visiting customer.kona-ice.com and entering the code K301X3995787. Pre-paying helps make the process quicker and easier for students on the day of the event.

We look forward to celebrating the end of a wonderful school year with a fun treat for our students!

Breakfast:

• Pizza bagel, fruit cup, juice and milk

Lunch:

• Choice A = turkey and cheese sandwich, banana, baked beans
• Choice B = pretzel with yogurt, banana, baked beans

Wednesday and Thursday are "Cooks Choice" and will be announced on Tuesday.

We are excited to celebrate our 5th grade students as they prepare to transition to middle school! Our annual Step-Up Ceremony will be held on Wednesday, May 27th in the cafeteria.

Due to the size of our 5th grade classes and limited space, we kindly ask that each student have no more than 4 guests in attendance. We appreciate your understanding as we work to ensure a safe and comfortable experience for all families.

Schedule:

• 9:15 AM: Ansari, Church, Kurutza, Mayes & Parks
• Door #11 will open no earlier than 9:00 AM. Please do not arrive earlier, as we need space for morning drop-off traffic flow.

• 10:15 AM: Campbell, DiNello, Mance & Sowers
• Door #11 will open no earlier than 10:00 AM.'

Students may leave with their families following the ceremony if desired.

We look forward to celebrating this special milestone with you and honoring our 5th grade students!

As we begin the process of creating class lists for the 2026–2027 school year, we would like to remind families that requests for specific classroom teachers were due on March 5. At this time, we are no longer accepting additional requests, as we are unable to accommodate them moving forward.

This year, we received more than 100 classroom placement requests. While we cannot guarantee any specific placement, please know that we will do our very best to thoughtfully consider requests that were submitted by the deadline as we work to create balanced classrooms that best support all students academically, socially, and emotionally.

Thank you for your understanding and continued support.

Farewell From Your Counselors

As we wrap up an incredible school year, we wanted to take a moment to express our sincere gratitude for your partnership and support. It has been a joy to watch your children grow and learn. We hope you and your family have a safe, fun, and restful summer break!

Guidance Lesson

This month your child will complete the final CyberSWAT lesson. CyberSWAT is mandatory by state law to teach all students about digital citizenship and internet safety. Your child will use a safe, interactive game called RealmQuest to learn how to navigate websites safely and responsibly; protect personal information, and recognize, avoid and report, if needed, to a trusted adult.

Focus on Kindness

We had several kind and thoughtful students create and hang posters in the front hallway to remind students to do their best on the WVGSA test! Thank you for your thoughtfulness and kindness!

Student Attendance

Faithful Attendance” and “Perfect Attendance” Certificates will be given out to qualifying students within the final few weeks.

Character Word

PATIENCE - Waiting calmly for something without complaining.

READ - SEL Edition

• “Be You!” by Peter Reynolds
• “Do Not Bring Your Dragon to the Last Day of School” by Julie Gassman

Report Cards and all remaining personal belongings will be sent home with students on Wednesday, May 28th. If your child is absent on the last day of school, report cards and personal items can be picked-up until Friday, May 29th. After June 1st, any items not picked up will be disposed of.

Students

• August 20, 2026: First Day of School

• May 28, 2027: Last Day of School

PL/CD Days ( No School)

• October 14, 2026: Professional Learning Day

• March 17, 2027: Curriculum Development Day

2-Hour Delays

• September 16, 2026: Teacher Prep Time

• October 7, 2026: Faculty Senate Meetings

• January 19, 2027: Teacher Prep Time

• February 3, 2027: Faculty Senate Meetings

• February 24, 2027: Teacher Prep Time

• April 14, 2027: Faculty Senate Meetings

2-Hour Early Dismissal

• December 18, 2026: Faculty Senate Meetings

Holidays (Schools & Offices Closed)

• September 7, 2026: Labor Day

• November 3, 2026: Election Day

• November 11, 2026: Veterans Day

• November 26, 2026: Thanksgiving Day

• December 25, 2026: Christmas Day

• January 1, 2027: New Year's Day

• January 18, 2027: Martin Luther King Jr. Day

  
  

Breaks

• November 23-27, 2026: Thanksgiving Break

• December 21, 2026 - January 4, 2027: Winter Break

• March 29-April 2, 2027: Spring Break

Graduation

• May 24, 2027: Spring Mills High School

• May 25, 2027: Martinsburg High School

• May 26, 2027: Hedgesville High School

• May 27, 2027: Musselman High School

Our Lost and Found rack is overflowing with items! If your child is missing a hoodie, lunchbox, water bottle, or other item, please have them check the Lost and Found, which is located directly outside of the cafeteria. Any clothing items remaining in the Lost and Found on May 27 will be donated to a local church or community organization.

If you need to contact us, please call the office at 304. 754.3171 or email the following personnel:

- Dr. Ematrudo, Principal: kematrudo@k12.wv.us

- Mr. Robison, Assistant Principal: matthew.robison@k12.wv.us

- Mrs. Ponton, Student Assistance Facilitator: mponton@k12.wv.us

- Vacancy, School Nurse:

- Mrs. Haines, POS Secretary: joyce.haines@k12.wv.us

- Mrs. Kercheval, Registrar: kimberly.kercheval@k12.wv.us

- Mrs. Kline, Finance: ekline@k12.wv.us

- Mrs. Boyd, School Counselor: megan.boyd@k12.wv.us

- Ms. Thomas, School Counselor: katlyn.thomas@k12.wv.us