| 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. |
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THE THEME FOR THE 2025-2026 SCHOOL YEAR: | MISSION imPOSSIBLE |
ACADEMICS | Eagles, As we head into the final week before Spring Break, there is a palpable energy in our hallways. While we are all looking forward to a well-deserved rest, our focus remains steadfast on the growth and success of our students. Excellence Beyond the Test Our teachers are hard at work providing high-quality instruction to ensure every student is prepared for the upcoming SOLs. However, at Elko, our vision extends far beyond a test score. The preparation we offer—starting in the 6th grade—is designed to bridge the gap between middle school and the rigors of high school. Our instructional program is holistic; we don't just teach to a test; we build the foundational skills necessary for long-term academic and personal success. Our Commitment: Teach, Prepare, Guide, Mentor I want to take a moment to give a massive shout-out to the incredible staff at Elko. Every day, they embody our core mission: We Teach with passion. We Prepare for the future. We Guide through challenges. We Mentor with heart. We do this because we believe deeply in the potential of each and every student who walks through our doors. Expectations for the Week Ahead To ensure a productive and positive environment before the break, we ask for your support in reminding students that proper behavior and Eagle pride must be displayed every single day. Maintaining our routines and expectations allows everyone to finish the quarter on a high note. Thank you for your continued partnership and for trusting us to educate the whole child. Let’s make this last week before Spring Break the best one yet! |
MATH SOL SIMULATION | On April 8, students will complete a Math SOL Simulation. This practice assessment helps us determine what students already understand and which skills still need to be reviewed before the actual SOL test. We encourage students to come prepared with their laptop and charger and to give their best effort, as this simulation is an important opportunity to practice the testing format and build confidence. The simulation score will be entered into the gradebook so you can see how students performed. Any score below a 70 will be marked as exempt and will not negatively impact a student’s grade. Scores below 70 indicate that a student may need additional review and support before the SOL. Teachers will continue to provide support in class, and we encourage students to take advantage of these opportunities and remain engaged during instruction. We also encourage students to use review materials provided by their teachers at home to continue preparing for the SOL assessment. The actual Math SOL test for Math 8, Algebra, and Geometry will take place on April 30. Math 6, Accelerated 6/7, and Math 7 will test on May 5. |
SOL SCHEDULE |
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CIS APPRECIATION WEEK |
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ELKO SPRING SPIRIT WEEK |
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SCHOOL OPERATIONS ATTENDANCE UPDATES | If your student is absent, their absence needs to be reported within 48 hours. Absences can be reported by: Filling out the Elko Attendance Google Doc Emailing Mrs. Nolte: mlnolte@henrico.k12.va.us Sending a Parent Square message to Mrs. Nolte Sending a handwritten note to your student when they return to school Calling the school: 804-328-4110 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 late to school 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 cutoff time for early dismissals is 2:30 pm. REMINDER: |
TECHNOLOGY | NO TECHNOLOGY UPDATES THIS WEEK. |
DEPARTMENT UPDATES COUNSELOR'S CORNER | March 19th is the last day of the third nine-weeks. Make sure your student has completed all their work! March Madness Attendance Challenge! From March 16th–27th, all 3rd block classes will compete in our March Madness Attendance Bracket Challenge. The classes with the best attendance advance in the bracket! The bracket is sorted by grade level and the class with the best overall attendance will win lunch outside and a sweet treat. Show up, support your class, and help your grade level win the championship! 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 | SPRING BREAK MARCG 30TH-APRIL 3RD
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HIGHLAND SPRINGS HIGH SCHOOL @ 6 PM
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COMMUNITY OPPORTUNITIES/ ELKO/SANDSTON COMMUNITY OPPORTUNITIES | Click here to view a flyer from CIS. |
2026 RICHMOND ACE ACADEMY | We are excited to announce that registration for the 2026 OBAP Richmond ACE Academy season is open! "ACE" stands for Aerospace Career Education. We would love to expose your middle and high school students to the many career paths in Aviation and Aerospace. This year's Richmond ACE Academy will be held June 29-July 3, 2026, and is sponsored by the Virginia Department of Aviation. Parent / Student orientation is June 28th. Share this amazing opportunity with the families in your network. Not sure how to register your student? Click here to watch a video on the event. Could you connect with the ACE team during ACE Office Hours each Tuesday and Thursday through June 3, 2026, from 1-2 PM EST? Join Zoom Meeting ID: 84844348000 Passcode: 558112 Click here to view an informational flyer. |
VOLUNTEER PROCESS
| If you would like to become a volunteer, please click here to complete the online volunteer/mentor application via the link below. https://elko.henricoschools.us/o/hcps/page/volunteers |
UPCOMING CALENDAR EVENTS | March 30th - April 3rd: Spring Break May 25th: Schools Closed Memorial Day May 26th: SOAR Ceremony May 29th: Last Day of School |
ELKO ATHLETICS ELKO ATHLETICS DIRECTOR- Kendra Amis- kdamis@henrico.k12.va.us
| Elko Athletics Week at a Glance 3/23/26-3/27/26. |
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- Administrative Aide- fmtravis@henrico.k12.va.us Jocelyn Woodson- Administrative Aide-jrwoodson1@henrico.k12.va.us |
The Nest News-26th Edition- March 23-27, 2026
March 22, 2026
