| 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:
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 | Elko Middle School: Maximizing Learning Before Winter Break Eagles, With the excitement of the holidays approaching and winter break just around the corner, we know it's a time when focus can sometimes drift. It's natural for students (and even our dedicated staff!) to feel a little tired. However, at Elko Middle School, we are committed to making these final weeks of the semester a critical, powerful block of uninterrupted learning time. We are reframing this period not as a countdown to a break, but as an opportunity to cement knowledge and deepen understanding. Focus on High-Quality Learning Our teachers are currently focusing their energy on delivering the most engaging and high-yield instruction possible. This means that in the classroom, we are encouraging and expecting: Deep Student Engagement: Students will be challenged to actively participate, share ideas, and grapple with complex concepts. Complex Thinking: Assignments will focus on analysis, synthesis, problem-solving, and creative projects—not just simple memorization. We are encouraging every student to match our teachers' energy with their own commitment to excellence in these final weeks. How Parents Can Help Your support at home is vital for success during this time: Prioritize Sleep: Ensure your student maintains a consistent sleep schedule to combat the natural weariness. Encourage Focus: Help your student minimize distractions and dedicate consistent time to homework and studying each evening. Ask About Thinking: Instead of asking, "Did you finish your homework?" ask, "What complex problem did you analyze today?" or "What new skill did you create or master?" Let's work together to ensure every Elko student utilizes this valuable time to finish the semester strong and maximize their learning before a well-deserved rest. We are excited for a powerful final few weeks of 2025! |
SCHOOL OPERATIONS ATTENDANCE UPDATES | ID Badges Please ensure that your students are wearing their ID badges every day. Students now need to scan their ID badges when they arrive to school late and when they have an early dismissal. Transportation/Bus Information If your student’s bus is running late in the morning, please call the Transportation Office at 804-261-9401. You can also download the Parent Portal Bus App to track the bus: https://www.henricoschools.us/page/parent-portal-bus-app Contacts/Pick-up Lists: Please make sure your student’s pick-up list is up to date by updating the Contacts listed in PowerSchool. You can do this by logging in to your Parent Portal account. Anyone coming to pick up a student for early dismissal MUST be listed in PowerSchool. If someone is not listed in PowerSchool, we will not be able to call the student down. EARLY DISMISSAL: The cut off time for early dismissals is 2:30 pm. REMINDER: Attendance flyer -English Attendance flyer- Spanish |
GIFT CARDS | During the holiday season, we want to take a moment to recognize and show our deep appreciation for the hard work, dedication, and tireless efforts of our incredible teachers and staff members . They work diligently every single day to support our students and provide a positive, enriching learning environment. A wonderful and flexible way to express our gratitude is through a Gift Card Drive! Why Gift Cards? Gift cards offer our staff the flexibility to treat themselves to something they truly need or enjoy, whether it's a cup of coffee, a tank of gas, a nice meal out, or supplies for their classroom. It’s a personalized way to say "thank you" for everything they do. How You Can Help We are requesting donations of gift cards in any denomination to local retailers, restaurants, or services. Some popular options include: Coffee Shops: Starbucks, Dunkin' Grocery/Retail Stores: Target, Walmart, Amazon Local Restaurants: (Any local favorites!) Gas Stations: Shell, Exxon, Wawa General Visa/Mastercard Gift Cards How to Donate Please send your gift card donations to the school office. You may drop them off or send them in with your student in a sealed envelope marked: "Attention: Staff Appreciation Gift Card Drive." You can email digital gift cards to Dr. Lyles at ttlyles@henrico.k12.va.us. The deadline for donations is December 15th. Your generosity, no matter the size of the donation, will make a significant impact and truly brighten the day of our amazing Elko Middle School team. Thank you for your continued support of our staff and students! |
TECHNOLOGY | No technology updates at this time. |
DEPARTMENT UPDATES Counselor's Corner
| NO UPDATES The Counseling Team 6th Grade-Ms. Fish stfish@henrico.k12.va.us 7th Grade - Counselor Rawls glrawls@henrico.k12.va.us 8th Grade - Jennifer Bolding-jbolding@henrico.k12.va.us EL and last names A-B - Dr. Swingen: jkswingen@henrico.k12.va.us |
SPECIALITY CENTER INFORMATION | Click here to visit the HCPS Specialty Center website. |
EVENTS | A Night of Holiday Melodies, presented by the Elko Middle School Music Department |
COMMUNITY OPPORTUNITIES/ ELKO/SANDSTON COMMUNITY OPPORTUNITIES | None at this time. |
VOLUNTEER PROCESS
| If you would like to become a volunteer, please click here to complete the online volunteer/mentor application via the link below. |
UPCOMING CALENDAR EVENTS | December 22-31: Schools Closed-Winter Break January 1-2: Schools Closed-Winter Break |
ELKO ATHLETICS ELKO ATHLETICS DIRECTOR- Kendra Amis-
| Elko Athletics Week 12/8/25-12/12/25 at glance. |
RESOURCES SPOTLIGHT: ELKO & HCPS TOOLS FOR SUCCESS | |
ELKO ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM | Tyrus T. Lyles, Ed.D.-Principal-ttlyles@henrico.k12.va.us Taleesa Meeks- Associate Principal- tjmeeks@henrico.k12.va.us Corey Calder- Associate Principal- ctcalder@henrico.k12.va.us Akeela Tyson- Assistant Principal- altyson@henrico.k12.va.us Brandon Hardy- Assistant Principal- bahardy@henrico.k12.va.us Jennifer Jenkins-Administrative Aide- jrjenkin@henrico.k12.va.us Torre Siler-Administrative Aide- tsiler@hennco.k12.va.us Abby Thomas- Administrative Aide- arthomas@henrico.k12.va.us Frenchie Travis- Ad-ministrative Aide- fmtravis@henrico.k12.va.us Jocelyn Woodson- Administrative Aide-jrwoodson1@henrico.k12.va.us |
The Nest News-16th Edition- December 8-12, 2025
December 5, 2025
