The Nest News- 7th Edition-September 29, 2025- October 3, 2025

Eagles Strong

INFO YOU NEED TO KNOW

VISION-

At Elko Middle School, we are committed to soaring from good to great by cultivating a culture of educational excellence, innovation, and community engagement. Our vision is to empower ever student to reach their full potential—academically, socially, and personally.

We will measure our success by:

Sustaining full accreditation through rigorous academic achievement and continuous improvement.
Expanding extracurricular opportunities that foster creativity, leadership, and collaboration.
Building strong partnerships with local businesses, community organizations, staff and student learning and real-world

MISSION

Elko Middle School is committed to fostering a growth mindset by providing a high-quality education and data-driven instruction within a safe and inclusive environment.

THE THEME FOR 2025-2026

MISSION imPOSSIBLE

ACADEMICS

Eagles,

I hope this message finds you well after a great, albeit shortened, four-day week. Your students showed tremendous focus and energy in their classes, and we're so proud of the hard work they put in across all subjects.

Feedback: The Key to Taking Learning to the Next Level

This year, we are placing a strong emphasis on the power of feedback to make instruction more personal and effective for every student. You may have heard your child mention receiving more specific comments, suggestions, or quick check-ins from their teachers. This is a deliberate, school-wide focus that's already beginning to elevate student achievement.

We want to share how this process works. Your student's teachers aren't just giving grades; they're providing a complete feedback loop that gives students all the information they need to improve.

Partnering in the Feedback Loop

For this system to work best, we need your partnership at home. We encourage you to ask your student about the feedback they've received, especially after a major assignment. Instead of just asking, "What grade did you get?" try asking:

"What did your teacher say you did really well?" (Looking for specific feedback)
"What is one thing your teacher suggested you change for next time?" (Focusing on the process)
"How did you use that feedback to revise your work?" (Closing the loop)

Additionally, we are actively encouraging our students to be open to receiving feedback and also to share their own feedback with their teachers about what helps them learn best. This two-way communication is vital!

Embracing this culture of open feedback—where students receive clear guidance and are active participants in their own learning—is key to our success this year. Thank you for supporting this essential work at home.

SCHOOL OPERATIONS

ATTENDANCE UPDATES

EARLY DISMISSAL: The cut off time for early dismissals is 2:30 pm.

REMINDER:

Attendance flyer -English

Attendance flyer- Spanish

DEPARTMENT UPDATES

COUNSELOR'S CORNER

Counselor's Corner

NEW INFO

8th Grade Mission for Tomorrow:

Every year we take our 8th graders to Mission for Tomorrow. This is a region wide job exploration event where students can speak with current employers, employees, and engage in hands-on activities. Field trip permission slips are due September 30th. Your student can pick up extra permission slips from Ms. Flowers.

8th Grade Specialty Center and ACE Center Corner

Upcoming dates:

Ongoing: Donuts and Degrees program at Elko - your student can sign-up through the 8th grade Schoology page

Ongoing: 1:1 help for 8th graders during advisory - your student can sign-up through the 8th grade Schoology page

September 29- Application opens at 9am

November 14 - Application Closes

Please see this site for more information about specific open houses:

https://www.henricoschools.us/page/student-timeline

The ACE centers allow our 8th graders to apply to study a trade in 11th and 12th grade. For more information, please see the ACE Recruitment Video and apply here (application opens September 29th).

6th and 7th Grade - IB Application Window Now Open!

Families interested in applying to the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program can now submit applications to attend the IB program at Fairfield Middle School for the rest of their IB Career. Don’t miss out—the window closes October 6! For more information, please contact Dr. Swingen in school counseling or see the Henrico County website:

https://www.henricoschools.us/page/middle-school-special-programs

Hispanic Heritage Month: September 15 – October 15

Hispanic Heritage Month is a time to celebrate the rich histories, cultures, and contributions of people whose families come from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. Throughout the month, Elko's Student Ambassadors will be planning opportunities for our students to learn about and honor the traditions, stories, and achievements of Hispanic and Latine communities. We encourage families to join the celebration by sharing experiences, reading together, or exploring community events that highlight this important month.

6th Grade - (Substitute for Ms. Fish) Jennifer Bolding jbolding@henrico.k12.va.us

7th Grade - Counselor Rawls glrawls@henrico.k12.va.us

8th Grade - Ms. Flowers acflowers@henrico.k12.va.us

EL and last names A-B - Dr. Swingen: jkswingen@henrico.k12.va.us

Click here to visit the HCPS Specialty Center website for more information.

Community in Schools

Click here to meet Mr. Cosby- Elko's Community in Schools Coordinator

EVENTS

Parent Teacher Conferences

STUDENT/TEACHER HOLIDAY 10/2/2025

NOVEMBER 4TH-10AM-2PM

WORLD'S FINEST CHOCOLATE SALES World's Chocolate Fundraiser

We are excited to launch our school-wide World’s Finest Chocolate Fundraiser! Proceeds directly support student events and activities and we need your help to make it a success.

Fundraiser Assembly – Monday, September 15
The assembly will be held during elective classes in the auditorium.

Permission Slips – Required! Students must have a signed permission slip to receive a box of chocolate. Slips will be distributed after the assembly, and chocolate will be handed out the following day, Tuesday, September 16.

Money Collection & Announcements
Students should turn in money when they arrive at school after selling a box of chocolate. If they want another box to sell please indicate on the permission slip.

Important Dates

Fundraiser Starts: Monday, September 15

Fundraiser Ends: Wednesday, October 15

We can’t wait to see our students get involved! Remember to sign and return the permission slip so your student can participate and help make a difference in our school community.

Click here for a digital permission form for the World Finest Chocolate Fundraiser.

chocolate flyer in english chocolate flyer in Spanish