Administrative Professionals Week is the week of April 19-25! During this week, we will show appreciation for, both, school-level, and division-level administrative professionals who ensure the success of every student at Wise County Public Schools.
Today, we’re celebrating the incredible school-level administrative professionals who help keep our schools running every single day!
From greeting students and families with a smile, to managing schedules, answering phones, and keeping things organized behind the scenes—you are truly the heartbeat of our school division.
When days get busy (and they always do), you’re the calm, the problem-solvers, and the friendly faces everyone depends on.
We see you, we appreciate you, and we are so grateful for all that you do for our students, families, staff, and our community!
Later on this week, on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, WCPS will celebrate and show appreciation to our central office administrative professionals who work tirelessly to ensure the success of every student!
On Sunday, April 19, 2026, Wise County (and Wise County Public Schools) were well-represented at the VHSL Class of 2026 Hall of Fame Inductions.
Mrs. Hannah Light-Cress was inducted as a former VHSL Athlete (Softball, Volleyball, Basketball, and Track & Field), representing Coeburn High School, Coeburn, VA.
Hannah Light-Cress | Athlete
High School: Coeburn High School
Sports: Softball | Volleyball | Basketball | Track
Earned 16 varsity letters from 2006-10 ... 4 in softball, 4 in basketball, 4 in volleyball, 3 in track and field ... VHSL All-State Pitcher of The Year in 2010 ... Two-time 1st team and 2nd- team VHSL All-State ... Three-time All-Region and All-District pitcher of the year ...4x all district first team pitcher 4x all region first team pitcher ... 2010 All-State Female Athlete of the Year ... 2010 Wendy's High School Heisman Finalist ... Ranks top 5 in VHSL history with 1,092 career strikeouts, 15 consecutive shutouts, 8 career perfect games, 25 strikeouts in one game, and consecutive no hitters (3) ... 46 career shutouts.
Mrs. Natasha (Belcher) Holt was inducted as a former VHSL Athlete (Girls Tennis, Volleyball, and Girls Basketball), representing J.J. Kelly High School, Wise, VA.
Natasha (Belcher) Holt | Athlete
High School: J.J.Kelly High School
Sports: Girls Tennis | Volleyball
The first girls state tennis singles champion across all classifications to win three straight titles (1993-95) ... The Belcher/Kelly Dorsey doubles pair won the school's first-ever state title in 1995 ... Compiled a 4-year singles record (79-0) and doubles record (67-3) ... Never had a singles match go three sets ... Won three straight district and regional singles and doubles championships ...Led team to four consecutive state titles (1992-95) ... District and Region POY three straight years ... Coalfield Progress Athlete of the Year three consecutive years.
Mrs. Jan Thompson was inducted as a VHSL Coach in Theatre and Speech, representing J.J. Kelly High School and Central High School, Wise, VA.
Jan Thompson | Coach
School Affiliation: Central High School (Wise); J.J. Kelly
Sports: Theatre | Speech
During her 47 years in education and 21- year career Academic Activities Coach at J.J. Kelly and Centrals she has set the bar for other academic programs to reach fo, in Southwest Virginia ... She has won 11 state titles, 10 regional titles, and 15 district titles in both One Act and Speech (formerly Forensics) ... Has coached 22 All State Outstanding Actors and 75 All State Individual or Duo Award winners ... Her speech teams have won four state titles (2015-16, 2016-17, 2018-19, 2020-21 and 5 runners-up (2013-14, 2014-15, 2017-18, 2021-22, 2022-23) ... Her One-Act Theatre troupe has won 7 titles (2007-08, 2012-13, 2015-16, 2016-17, 2019-20, 2021-21, 2023-24) and 4 runners-up (2010-11, 2013-14, 2017-18, 2021-22) ... Virginia Association of Speech, Drama & Debate Virginia Teacher Director of the Year in 2014.
Coach Robin Dotson (VHSL HOF, Class of 2016) accompanied these individuals on their induction day. Please join us in congratulating these VHSL Hall of Fame inductees on an incredible day!
The WCPS April 2026 Newsletter is now available for viewing.
You may access the newsletter by clicking the following link:
https://wisecova.edurooms.com/engage/wise-county-public-schools/newsletters/april-2026-newsletter
Wise County Public Schools congratulates Eastside High School's Spartan Speech for capturing a Class 1 VHSL State Championship on Saturday, March 28th, scoring 23 total team points!!! Also, congratulations to the following students, whose performances secured individual state championships in the following categories:
Dramatic Interpretation: Samantha Mullins - 1st place
Prose: Aubrey Johnson - 1st place
Poetry: Caroline Sexton - 1st place
Congratulations to, both, individual champions, and the team on their outstanding performances!
Members and sponsors of the Eastside Theatre (One-Act) team were recognized at the Wise County Public School Board meeting on Monday, April 13th.
Congratulations to Eastside High School’s Theatre team for capturing the VHSL Class 1 One Act State Championship on Friday, December 5, 2025—their twelfth consecutive VHSL state title! Huge congratulations to the One-Act team, and the entire Eastside Spartan family!🎭🏆#WeAreEastside
Members and coaches of the Eastside High School Cross Country team were recognized at the Wise County Public School Board meeting on Monday, April 13th.
Wise County Public Schools proudly congratulates the Eastside High School Lady Spartans on their outstanding achievement of capturing the VHSL Class 1 Cross Country State Championship on Saturday, November 8th. Your hard work, dedication, and teamwork continue to make your school and community proud!
This week, we recognize and celebrate our amazing assistant principals for their leadership, dedication, and commitment to student success. From supporting teachers to guiding students, your impact is felt throughout our entire school community.
Thank you for all that you do—you help make our schools stronger every day!
📚🍎 April 4 is School Librarian Day! 🍎📚 (due to Spring Break, we are celebrating them early!)
Today we celebrate our incredible school librarians—the heart of our library and champions of literacy, learning, and curiosity. From helping students find the perfect book to guiding research and discovery, you make a lasting impact every day.
Thank you for inspiring a love of reading and supporting our school community!
Good afternoon students, families, faculty, and staff:
Please be reminded that Wise County Public Schools will observe Spring Break, beginning Friday, April 3rd through Friday, April 10th. Classes and normal school operations resume Monday, April 13th. Wise County Public Schools wishes all students, families, faculty, and staff a safe, relaxing, and enjoyable Spring Break.
--Wise County Public Schools
Join us in celebrating the heart of our school — the library! From inspiring stories to powerful research tools, our library is a place where curiosity grows and learning never stops.
Let’s show some love to our amazing librarians and encourage everyone to:
📖 Pick up a new book
🔍 Explore new ideas
💡 Discover something exciting
April is National Autism Awareness Month 💙
This month—and every month—we celebrate neurodiversity, promote understanding, and support inclusion for autistic individuals everywhere.
Let’s move beyond awareness and toward acceptance:
✨ Listen to autistic voices
✨ Respect different ways of thinking and communicating
✨ Create spaces where everyone belongs
Today we celebrate the dedicated paraprofessionals who make a difference in our schools every single day. Your support, patience, and commitment help students succeed and teachers thrive.
Thank you for all the ways you go above and beyond—you are truly appreciated!
Happy Occupational Therapy Month!
This April, we celebrate the incredible impact of occupational therapists who help people live life to the fullest every day. From supporting recovery to promoting independence, their work truly makes a difference.
Thank you to all the amazing OTs for your compassion, dedication, and commitment to helping others thrive! 🙌
