Since 1979, Betty Robinette has been a familiar and caring presence in the Union community. With the exception of a five-year break, Betty has dedicated 42 years to serving Wise County Public Schools as a school bus driver, safely transporting generations of students throughout the Union community.

Serving students at Union Primary, Union Middle, and Union High School, Betty embodies the spirit of community and school pride that makes Union special. Her commitment extends far beyond driving a bus. She has purchased Christmas gifts for students, returned backpacks and hoodies, and always looked for ways to support students and their well-being.

That spirit of school pride was on full display when the buses rolled into Union High School playing music to pump up students and staff. It was a celebration of the energy, pride, and sense of community that bus drivers in the Union community have helped foster throughout their years of service.

Her impact is evident when a current student walks up to Betty and simply says, “Good morning.” It is a small moment that reflects the meaningful relationships she has built with students throughout her years of service.

Thank you, Betty, for 42 years of service, compassion, community, and school spirit. Wise County is appreciative of your 42 years of dedication and committment to student success.

At Wise County Public Schools, we are proud of the students who walk through our doors—and even prouder of the people they become.

Our Alumni Spotlight series celebrates former students who are making a difference in their careers, families, schools, communities, and beyond. These stories highlight the many paths our graduates take and the accomplishments they achieve along the way.

From successful careers and community leadership to personal milestones and service to others, our alumni continue to represent the values and traditions of excellence they developed during their time in Wise County Public Schools.

We invite you to follow along as we share the stories of some of our outstanding graduates and celebrate the many ways they continue to make us proud.


If you are a graduate of Wise County Public Schools and would like for us to spotlight your journey, click the link below:
https://forms.gle/AtnHnFwmr9Li6y3z8

Wise County Public Schools is proud to share an exciting opportunity for Wise County students and residents to participate in the Semiquincentennial Essay Contest, celebrating the 250th Birthday of the United States of America!

SEMIQUINCENTENNIAL ESSAY CONTEST INFORMATION

To celebrate the 250th birthday of the United States of America, the Wise Business Association and Wise County Historical Society are sponsoring an Essay Contest for Wise County residents—both youth and adults!

📖 Theme: “Remember the Past, Imagine the Future”

Let your imagination be your guide! Choose any event from our nation’s long history that interests you and explore something you would like to learn more about.

✍️ Two Categories:

Youth: 18 years of age and younger
Adult: 19 years of age and older

🏆 Prizes in Each Category:
🥇 1st Place — $150
🥈 2nd Place — $100

📅 Deadline: September 26, 2026
📝 Entries must be typed and limited to 500 words.

📄 Cover Sheet Requirements:

Please include:

Adult or Youth
School (if Youth)
Name
Address
Email
Phone Number

📬 Mail Entries To:
Bonnie Aker
Box 595
Wise, VA 24293
ATT: ESSAY

📍 Entries may also be dropped off during business hours at:

The Clapboard House
207 West Main Street
Wise, VA

🎉 Award Ceremony
📅 Friday, October 9, 2026
⏰ 6:00 PM
📍 The Inn at Wise

Light refreshments and music will be provided. Everyone is welcome!

We encourage our Wise County students, families, and community members to participate in this special opportunity to celebrate our nation’s history while imagining its future!

Thank you for participating in this historical event!

📢 Upcoming Schedule Changes

Wise County Public Schools would like to remind families and staff of the following schedule changes:

🕧 Early Dismissal – Friday, September 4, 2026
Schools will dismiss at 12:30 p.m. on Friday, September 4, in observance of the midpoint of the first nine-week grading period.

📚 Teacher Reminder: Teachers are expected to participate in scheduled professional development activities until 3:30 p.m.

🏫 Schools Closed – Labor Day, Monday, September 7, 2026
Wise County Public Schools will be closed on Monday, September 7, in observance of Labor Day.

Students and staff will return to school on Tuesday, September 8.

We hope everyone enjoys a safe, relaxing, and enjoyable Labor Day weekend!

WCPS will be offering FREE developmental and speech screenings Friday, September 25th. These screenings are open to preschool children ages 2.5 - 5 years of age, who live in Wise County, and are not yet attending kindergarten. For more information, contact Kristen Day at kpday@wisek12.org, or at (276) 328-8017 ext. 12043.

Early Dismissal Notice - Friday, September 4, 2026:

Wise County Public Schools will dismiss early at 12:30 p.m. on Friday, September 4, 2026, in observance of the mid-point of the first nine-week grading period. Teachers are reminded that they are expected to participate in scheduled professional development activities until 3:30pm.

🏆 UHS& UMS Student Spotlight: SWVA CanCode Pitchfest Winners! 💻

We are incredibly proud to celebrate two outstanding student innovators who represented our division at the Regional SWVA CanCode Pitchfest on Monday at UVA Wise!

🥇 Aeris Odom (UHS) earned 1st Place in the High School Division, showcasing creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurial thinking.

🥉 Tucker Mullins (UMS) earned 3rd Place in the Middle School Division, demonstrating impressive problem-solving skills and the confidence to pitch his ideas to a regional audience.

Congratulations, Aeris and Tucker! Your hard work, creativity, and willingness to think outside the box are inspiring examples of student leadership and achievement. We are proud of the way you represent your schools, families, and community!

Our tradition of excellence continues!

✨ When Teachers Find Their Voices, Students Do Too! ✨

We are incredibly proud to see the work of our teachers and students at Union Middle School recognized on a national stage!

Through a powerful partnership with the Appalachian Writing Project and the University of Virginia’s College at Wise, Union Middle School educators have embraced professional learning that puts teachers at the center of their own growth—and the results are making a difference for students.

The impact goes far beyond writing assignments. Teachers have reported stronger classroom relationships, increased student engagement, and greater confidence among students as they discover the power of their own voices and experiences. The work has also contributed to favorable gains in literacy and achievement scores.

As Learning Forward recently highlighted, teachers at Union Middle School found that writing and learning together created a stronger classroom culture, encouraged students to share their stories, and helped students become more confident and invested in improving their work.

This is what meaningful professional learning looks like:

Teachers growing.
Students finding their voices.
Classrooms becoming communities.
Achievement rising.

We are grateful to the Appalachian Writing Project, UVA Wise, and—most importantly—our dedicated Union Middle School educators for their commitment to helping every student find their voice and reach their potential.

This is excellence in action!

Read the Learning Forward feature, “When Teachers Find Their Voices, Students Do Too,” to learn more about the incredible work happening at Union Middle School:

https://learningforward.org/journal/teacher-voice/when-teachers-find-their-voices-students-do-too/

Amazing Students, Extraordinary Things: Reid M., from L.F. Addington Middle School

What happens when curiosity, creativity, and determination come together? You get an amazing student doing extraordinary things!

Our student spotlights celebrate the incredible accomplishments of our students and the ways they represent themselves, their families, their school, and their community. Today, we are proud to spotlight Reid M., a current fifth grader at LFA who is already making his mark in the world of technology.

Reid is the son of Jennifer and Jon Mullins, and the great-grandson of the late “Papa Joe” Smiddy, Joseph C. Smiddy, the first Chancellor of Clinch Valley College [The University of Virginia’s College at Wise]. With a family connection to an important part of our region’s educational history, Reid is continuing that tradition of excellence in his own unique way.

Reid has been coding and programming for more than two years—entirely self-taught. At an age when many students are just beginning to explore technology, Reid is already designing websites, developing interactive games, and learning what it takes to create an app for the marketplace.

One of Reid’s impressive projects is the Mountain Crest Farms website. He designed the site and manages/maintains the farm’s social media accounts. Mountain Crest Farm is a 127-acre, family-owned and operated farm founded in 1987. It is home to horses, pigs, livestock, Tilly the dog, and even a donkey named Joe.

But Reid’s creativity doesn’t stop there. He has designed multiple interactive virtual games, including his most popular creation—a fun, clicker-style hot dog game. As players click, they advance through the game and unlock more and more toppings to create their ultimate hot dog.

Reid is also setting his sights even higher. He has been working through Apple Store tutorials, learning coding, scripts, and the process behind app development. His dream is to one day develop and officially launch his very own app on the app market.

Reid is proof that you don’t have to wait until you are older to dream big, create something meaningful, or make a difference. With his talent, determination, and imagination, his future is full of possibilities!

We believe in you, Reid! Your accomplishments are truly remarkable, and we are so proud of the way you represent yourself, your family, LFA, and our community. Your story is another wonderful example of a tradition of excellence—and we can’t wait to see what you create next!

WISE COUNTY SCHOOLS DOES IT AGAIN!

We are incredibly proud to announce that Wise County Public Schools has once again finished 3rd in the Commonwealth of Virginia in Standards of Learning performance among all 131 school divisions!

This marks our FOURTH consecutive year finishing 3rd in Virginia and our 11TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR as a Top 10 school division in the Commonwealth.

Eleven consecutive years.

Students have entered kindergarten and graduated from high school during that span. Standards have changed. Assessments have changed. Expectations have increased.

And through it all, Wise County Schools has remained among the very best school divisions in Virginia.

That doesn't happen by accident.

It happens because of outstanding students, dedicated teachers, strong school leadership, committed employees, supportive families, and a community that believes in its schools.

Being in the Top 10 once is an accomplishment.

Staying there for 11 consecutive years says something about who we are.

Finishing 3rd in Virginia for four consecutive years says something about the standard our students and employees have established.

We are proud of this accomplishment. We are proud of our people. And we are especially proud of our students.

Our Tradition of Excellence continues.

🩺 NOW HIRING: SUBSTITUTE SCHOOL NURSES

WCPS is looking for caring and dependable Substitute School Nurses to support our students as needed.

Make a difference in the lives of our students!

👉 Apply here: https://wiseva.schoolspring.com/?jobid=4956093