This month, we’re giving a huge THANK YOU to the heart of our schools — our PRINCIPALS! 💙
From leading with vision to supporting every student and staff member, your commitment to community makes a difference every single day. 🙌
This week's alumni spotlight is Deventae Mooney, Class of 2013, from Eastside High School.
Wise County Public Schools is eager to learn about and share alumni highlights from its graduates! Please click here (https://forms.gle/ADQAbVxjGmieZA6R9) to complete a submission form.
***please note that submissions will be featured in the order they are received.
Link: https://forms.gle/ADQAbVxjGmieZA6R9
Students enjoyed tons of fun activities like the three-legged race, a HUGE inflatable bouncy house, egg on a spoon race, football toss, ring toss, pumpkin bowling, boat racing, fishing, sack race, face painting & tattoos, putt putt, bingo, and more! 🎯🎨🎃
Plus, students enjoyed treats that include popcorn, drinks, and a cakewalk! 🧁⛳🍿
We would like to thank the WCCTC students, teachers, and our amazing Family Engagement Coordinators for pulling together our 1st annual Pre-K Fall Festival and making it a huge success! Your support brought joy and smiles to so many little faces! 🧡
🎉 Celebrating National Principals Month
Every October, we take time to celebrate National Principals Month—a special opportunity to recognize the vital role school principals play in shaping the academic success and well-being of students across the country. Principals are not only school leaders but also mentors, visionaries, and champions for students and staff alike.
This month, we proudly honor Mr. Paul Clendenon, Principal of Union Middle School:
Google Link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1m5-wU39gS3lDRmwTMp_oel0Bo8Rfv8Gr/view?usp=drive_link
YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/XI8-DzE62Gs
🎓 Known for his exceptional ability to bring team members together to achieve shared goals, Mr. Clendenon leads with integrity, collaboration, and a student-first mindset.
🏌️ Off campus, he's an avid golfer, and he also shares his passion for sports as a sports analyst for the Union Sports Network. Whether he's on the green or behind the mic, Mr. Clendenon brings the same focus and enthusiasm that he brings to our school community every day.
Thank you, Mr. Clendenon, for your leadership, your dedication, and your commitment to making Union Middle a place where students and staff thrive.
Happy National Principals Month!
Brag on a Bus Driver - Redena Barton
🚍🐻🧡💙With over 36 years in education, Redena Barton has become a cherished figure in the Union Primary, Middle, and High School communities. As a dedicated school bus driver, Mrs. Barton exemplifies commitment, kindness, and community spirit. She treasures every student on her route — especially her own grandchildren who ride with her daily! Mrs. Barton’s bus route is a scenic journey through the heart of Southwest Virginia — from the quiet curves of Egan Road to the peaceful end in Clinch Haven.
Her favorite memory? Driving a bus, as her mother (who was the first female bus driver in Wise County) once did, now with a third generation aboard!
Mrs. Barton’s unwavering dedication, deep roots in the community, and love for her students make her an irreplaceable part of Wise County’s educational family. She is more than a bus driver — she is a constant, caring presence in the lives of those she serves. Thank you, Mrs. Barton! 🧡💙🚌🐻 #HeroBehindTheWheel
National Coaches Day is today, Monday, October 6, 2025, and serves as an annual day to honor the positive impact coaches have on individuals and communities. Today, we celebrate the mentors, motivators, and game-changers who push us to be our best — on and off the field. Whether it’s drawing up plays, inspiring comebacks, or teaching life lessons, coaches make a lasting impact every single day.
👟 Thank you for your passion.
💪 Thank you for your dedication.
👏 Thank you for your commitment.
📣 Tag a coach who has changed your life and let them know how much they mean to you! #NationalCoachesDay
🧹 Happy National Custodian Day! 🧼
Today, we honor the hardworking custodians who keep our schools clean, safe, and running smoothly. Your dedication, attention to detail, and pride in your work make a world of difference every single day for our students, faculty, and staff. 🌟
To all custodians—thank you for everything you do! We appreciate you. 🙌
#NationalCustodianDay
Wise County Public Schools is eager to learn about and share alumni highlights from its graduates! Please click here (https://forms.gle/ADQAbVxjGmieZA6R9) to complete a submission form.
***please note that submissions will be featured in the order they are received.
Link: https://forms.gle/ADQAbVxjGmieZA6R9
WCPS will be offering FREE developmental and speech screenings Friday, October 24. 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.
Wise Primary School’s “Old Fashion Day” Brings History to Life!
Today, students at Wise Primary School stepped back in time for an "Old Fashion Day"! It was a fun-filled, hands-on experience where students explored traditions, trades, and games from the past!
Activities included:
🍎 Apple Butter Exhibit & Apple Cider Tasting
🐝 Bee Keeping Display
⛏️ Coal Mining Exhibit & Gristmill Demonstration
🐐 Mini Goats Petting Area
🐄 Milk-a-Cow Station
🦌 Wildlife Education Exhibit
🚜 Tractor Photo Booth
🎶 Live Music & Clogging Demonstrations
🎯 Classic games like Jenga, Connect Four, Tic Tac Toe, Hopscotch, and Cornhole
🪣 Washtub Washing Experience
🧵 Quilting Demonstration
🍿 Kettle Corn Snacks
🌳 Outdoor Classroom & Nature Walk
The day was full of learning, laughter, and a deeper appreciation for the simple joys and hard work of the past. Thank you to all the volunteers, teachers, and community members who made this memorable event possible!
🍎 Honoring Our Lifetime Educators | Wise County Public Schools 🍎
Wise County Public Schools proudly recognizes and celebrates the incredible dedication of our lifetime educators — those who have devoted a lifetime to shaping young minds, building strong communities, and nurturing future generations.
These remarkable individuals have not only taught lessons from textbooks but have imparted wisdom, compassion, and inspiration across decades of service. Their classrooms have been places of growth, encouragement, and lifelong impact. 👏 Join us in applauding these champions of education!
✨ 47 Years of Impact | A Legacy of Learning ✨
Today, we honor and celebrate an extraordinary milestone — 47 years of unwavering dedication, inspiration, and passion for teaching. To teach is to touch lives forever, and for nearly five decades, Ms. Judy Abbott (Eastside High) has been doing just that — shaping minds, building futures, and leaving a legacy that stretches far beyond the classroom walls. You’ve led with heart, wisdom, and resilience. Your commitment has not only educated — it has empowered. 💫
Thank you, Ms. Abbott, for 47 remarkable years with Wise County Public Schools!
This week's alumni spotlight is Rachel Green, Class of 2020, from Eastside High School.
Wise County Public Schools is eager to learn about and share alumni highlights from its graduates! Please click here (https://forms.gle/ADQAbVxjGmieZA6R9) to complete a submission form.
***please note that submissions will be featured in the order they are received.
Link: https://forms.gle/ADQAbVxjGmieZA6R9
Come work with us!
POSITION: Custodian - Wise Central High School
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
High school diploma or GED Equivalent
Experience working in a related field.
Able to operate a personal computer, laptop computer, peripheral computer equipment, photocopier, fax machine, and other office equipment with a high degree of skill.
Highly motivated with strong organizational skills; able to coordinate multiple tasks at one time.
Self-starter; able to work independently.
Strong telephone and interpersonal communication skills.
Ability to lift 40 lbs. to shoulder height occasionally.
POSITION TYPE: Full-Time
APPLY HERE: https://wiseva.schoolspring.com/?jobid=5383763
Grand Opening of Lunchbox276 Celebrated with Ribbon-Cutting in Wise, VA, with Governor Glenn Youngkin and State Officials Attending to Support Regional Backpack Program
Click here to watch a video message from Governor, Glenn Youngkin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q43vmR0bFP8
Wise, VA – September 19, 2025 — The communities of Wise, Dickenson and Norton City gathered today in Wise, Virginia to celebrate the grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony for Lunchbox276, one of the region’s most impactful food assistance initiatives. With the support of local leaders and special appearances by Governor Glenn Youngkin and Maggie Beal, Director of the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), the event highlighted the program’s expanding mission to combat food insecurity for school children in Wise and Dickenson Counties, and the City of Norton.
Lunchbox276 is now the second-largest backpack meal program west of Roanoke, and is projected to provide more than 50,000 meals over the coming school year. The program currently distributes 1,000 weekend food bags every week to students in need, each one filled with child-friendly, nutritious, and easy-to-prepare meals. Bags are discreetly delivered by teachers each Friday, or before long school breaks.
Funded entirely by donations, grants, and volunteer support, the program operates with a monthly cost of $15,000, underscoring the ongoing need for community engagement and contributions.
Wise County Public Schools extends their gratitude to the many individuals and organizations that make Lunchbox276 possible, including:
-Wise, Dickenson, and Norton City School division staff and volunteers
-Local governmental leadership in Wise County, and Mr. Mike Hatfield, Wise County Administrator
-LENOWISCO Planning District Commission
-The Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD)
-Lunchbox276 Program Director Mary Beth Masters, whose tireless dedication has brought the program to life.
How to Support Lunchbox276
Community members and organizations wishing to support Lunchbox276 can contribute through the following platforms:
PayPal: @Lunchbox276
Venmo: @Lunchbox276
Cash App: $LBX276
For more information about the program or how to get involved, please visit https://www.lunchbox276.com/, or your local school division.
Lunchbox276 Contact:
Mary Beth Masters
Lunchbox276 Program Director
mmasters@wisek12.org
