12th Edition-November 9- 13, 2026
The Nest News- 12th Edition-November 9- 13, 2026
The Nest News-12th Edition-Smore
Principal’s Desk
Good afternoon, Eagle Families!
Thank you for another great week at Elko Middle School. We deeply appreciate all the parents and guardians who were able to join us for parent/teacher conferences.
If you were unable to attend and would like to speak or meet with your student's teachers, please feel free to reach out via email, ParentSquare, or by calling the school to set up an appointment.
Upcoming Schedule Reminder: We have another 4-day week ahead!
Monday, November 9th: No school for students.
Tuesday, November 10th: Students return to school.
Thank you for your continued support, and have a wonderful week!
Attendance Office
Student Absences
Absences can be reported one of the following ways:
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 or professional note from an appointment with your student when they return to school
Calling the school: 804-328-4110
Please note that if a student reaches 5 and 10 unexcused absences, their parent or guardian will be contacted to schedule an attendance meeting.
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. Anyone picking up a student must present their driver’s license for identification. Photos of your license or Virginia Mobile ID cannot be accepted.
Fall Food Distribution
Gifted Identification
Process
The gifted referral window will be open from Thursday, October 22, through Thursday November 12, at 11:59 PM. During this time, students may be referred to the gifted identification process by an educator, parent/guardian, community member, peer, or self. By submitting a referral, you are requesting your child be evaluated to determine eligibility for gifted services. To learn more about the gifted identification process, please click here: 26-27 Gifted Identification Information. To begin a referral, login to PowerSchool and click on forms. Follow this guide for instructions. Additional information about gifted programs can be found on our website: Henrico Schools Gifted Services Website
Gifted referrals will not be accepted after Thursday, November 12. Contact your Gifted Resource teacher, Rebecca Crofts, (rlcrofts@henrico.k12.va.us) with questions.
Makeup Picture Day 11/20
Makeup school photos will be on Friday, November 20th!
School Counseling Updates
SOS Lessons
November 11th, 12th, 17th, and 18th of November, Elko School Counseling will be pushing into 8th grade Health classes to teach the Signs of Suicide lesson. This is an important lesson that informs our students about what to do if a friend is talking about suicide. Students will be bringing home a letter this coming week with more information and details about how to opt out your student. If you have questions about this program or would like to opt your student out, please reach out to Dr. Swingen.
8th Grade Specialty Centers
Henrico county specialty centers and ACE centers have opened their applications! The application window is from September 28 - November 13th. The School Counseling Department is happy to assist any students interested in applying. If you need help setting up your SchoolMint account, please contact Dr. Swingen.
Does your student need assistance with submitting their Specialty Center or ACE center application? On Tuesday, November 10th we will have Central Office in the building helping our students complete their applications. We will be able to help with application submission, project proofreading, and recording videos for projects. Space is limited and first come first serve. Sign your student up here.
Specialty Center Application Help 26-27
The Elko School Counseling Team
Tamika Stacy Registrar
Phone ext. 20007
Sarah Fish (7th Grade)
Phone ext. 20011
Jennifer Boulding (8th Grade)
Phone ext. 20010
Corey Hancock (6th Grade)
Phone ext. 20008
Jorli Swingen
Director for School Counseling/ EL & last name A- B
Phone ext. 20009
EMS Weekly Athletics Update
Week of: November 9-November 13, 2026
Join Elko's PTSA
Volunteer Process- If you would like to become a volunteer, please visit the main HCPS website to fill out a volunteer form.
Upcoming Events
- November 9th: student holiday (Diwali)
- November 25th-27th: student holiday (Thanksgiving break)
Stay in the KNOW of all things Elko and HCPS
HCPS Online Services & Resources
Elko Leadership Team
Tyrus T. Lyles, Ed.D.(Principal): ttlyles@henrico.k12.va.us
Quantina Jackson (Associate Principal):qtjackson@henrico.k12.va.us
Sharne' Francis (Associate Principal, 7th Grade): sjfrancis@henrico.k12.va.us
Akeela Tyson (Assistant Principal, 8th Grade): altyson@henrico.k12.va.us
Blake Carrey (Assistant Principal, 6th Grade): abcarrey@henrico.k12.va.us
Jorli Swingen (Director of School Counseling):jkswingen@henrico.k12.va.us
Kendra Amis (Athletic Director): kdamis@henrico.k12.va.us
Jennifer Jenkins (Administrative Aide): jrjenkin@henrico.k12.va.us
Torre Siler (Administrative Aide): tsiler@hennco.k12.va.us
Omar Peters (Administrative Aide):orpeters@henrico.k12.va.us
Jocelyn Woodson (Administrative Aide):jrwoodson1@henrico.k12.va.us
Kristina Harris (Administrative Aide): kvharris@henrico.k12.va.us
If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact the Community Engagement and Partnerships Coordinator, Chris Wade, at rcwade@henrico.k12.va.us.