Hollymead Buzz

April 22, 2026

Dear Hollymead Families,

We are well into the fourth quarter, which is actually one of the most exciting times for student learning. This is the time of year when all the foundational work comes together. We see your children demonstrating more ownership of their learning than at any other time of the year. The learning continues through the last day of school and we are thrilled to see the amazing things your children bring to their classrooms each day!

This edition of the Buzz is packed with lots of information! You will see items about SOL Testing, our Student Showcase, Art Show and SEL Family Night on April 30, Kindergarten Registration, the Panorama Family Survey and much more! 

Sincerely, 

Joe McCauley & Kim Gentry

Hollymead Administrative Team

Red Nose Day

Get your NOSES on! It’s that time again! Red Nose Day is coming to Hollymead!

Red Nose Day is celebrated to raise funds and awareness for children and families facing poverty, hardship, and injustice worldwide. Using humor and fun, the campaign aims to create positive change, supporting projects that provide safety, health, and education to those in need

Fundraising for Charity: The main goal is to generate funds for Comic Relief, which supports various charities and community projects.

• Fighting Poverty: It focuses on tackling poverty and empowering communities.

• Supporting Children: Many initiatives supported by Red Nose Day are designed to help children facing hardship.

• Using Humor for Good: The iconic red nose is used to bring joy, promote laughter, and encourage people to come together for a good cause
  
  

The event encourages everyone to take part in fun challenges and acts of kindness to make a difference. (This is also why we do our Everyday heroes! It comes from this program.)

The theme of Red Nose Day 2026 is helping people get what they need to eat, sleep and feel safe.

Hollymead has been celebrating and participating in Red Nose Day since 2017, and we are excited to be able to continue this big event! This year 2nd grade will be hosting and we will be holding our big day on May 21st. We will be collecting monetary donations for a couple of weeks as well as holding a school-wide bake sale on the 21st. We will be looking for our community to help us with food donations to sell that day for a small fee (25-50 cents each). A sign-up for the bake sale will be coming home in about 2 weeks so look in the take home folders and on Remind from your child’s teacher. This year Second Grade will be hosting the event. Thank you for your support and get your noses on!    

~ Hollymead Second Grade Team

Common Sense Media
Empowering Our Digital Citizens
Our school has been working to renew their Common Sense Media Certification. To achieve this, our teachers have completed specialized professional development, and our students are engaging in hands-on lessons in the library and in the classroom designed to help them. Click the link below to learn how families can partner with us!

Common Sense Technology Resources for Families 

Bike & E-Scooter Safety Reminders 

With warmer weather, more students are riding bikes and e-scooters in the neighborhood. We have observed unsafe riding near our school and in the community. We want to remind everyone about the importance of safe riding. 

Please be sure to reinforce these important safety habits with your children:

• Always wear a helmet when riding a bike or scooter. Helmets protect your head and prevent serious injuries.

• Ride safely and follow traffic rules. Obey stop signs, traffic signals, and posted speed limits.

• Stay alert. Drivers and pedestrians may not watch for riders, so ride carefully.

• Keep both hands on the handlebars and do not carry items while riding.

• One rider per scooter or bike. Extra riders increase the risk of accidents.

• Watch for obstacles. Small scooter wheels can stop suddenly on bumps, rocks, or uneven pavement.

• Yield to pedestrians and ride respectfully on sidewalks and neighborhood paths.

In Virginia, electric scooter riders must be at least 14 years old, and scooters are generally allowed on sidewalks, bike lanes, and roads with speed limits of 25 mph or less. While helmets are not required for all riders statewide, they are strongly recommended for everyone and may be required for younger riders depending on local rules.

Thank you for helping us keep our students and neighborhood safe!

HELPme! App Info  

Albemarle County Public Schools uses the HELPme! app as it's 24/7 student support system. Whether a student is facing bullying, needs help with food or shelter or is facing a personal challenge, they can report it in the app anonymously and receive support.

HELPme! provides three options for reporting a need:

• GET RESOURCES is a safe space for users to explore essential needs and wellness resources at their own pace. It provides a confidential way to connect with local resources, ensuring privacy and dignity for those seeking assistance.

• CRISIS TEXT LINE provides users with immediate mental health support. With a network of 27,000+ trained crisis counselors, users can text with a counselor (day or night), making sure no one feels isolated in their time of need. Counselors are available 24/7, 365 days of the year.

• ASK FOR HELP is an anonymous communication channel between users and designated school personnel. It allows users to request help directly from their school without the pressure of disclosing their identity. Users may also request help for a friend or family member.

School Family Lunch Visits

At Hollymead, we have a practice that allows families to come to school from time to time and have lunch with their children. Below is an outline of the essential procedures for a positive experience for you, your children and their peers:

• Make sure to sign in at the Front Office and get a Visitor’s Badge

• Please wait for your child’s class to come to the Cafeteria

• Be sure to sit with your child(ren) at the cafe tables along the side

• Please refrain from any cell phone use (taking pictures, sharing videos, etc) due to the privacy needs of students

• At the end of lunch, please have your child line up with their peers and then exit the cafeteria.

• Please do not walk your child to their classroom as this causes a disruption to the transition and to their classroom environment.

Hollymead Lunch Schedule:

11:10-11:35 - Kindergarten

11:15-11:40 - 3rd Grade

11:40-12:05 - 1st Grade

11:45-12:10 - 2nd Grade

12:20-12:45 - 4th Grade

12:15-12:40 - 5th Grade

Family Lunchtime Visit FAQs:

Q: Can I have lunch with more than one of my children?

A: Yes! If they are in the same grade, or in grades that eat at the same time, you certainly may. If not, we ask that you eat separately and keep with the lunch schedule above.

Q: Can I invite one of my child’s friends to join us?

A: We ask that you take this as an opportunity for special time with your child. Inviting peers can often leave other peers feeling left out.

Q: Can I sit with my child at their table?

A: Please sit at the high cafe tables with your child along the side of the cafeteria.

Q: Can I bring birthday treats to lunch?

A: We do allow modest treats to be shared by parents. Please check with your child’s teacher about any potential allergies of any students in the classroom and avoid foods that may contain them.

When all are in keeping with these practices, it truly helps make lunchtime a fun and orderly time for all of our learners. We look forward to seeing you throughout the school year!

Reminder: Regular, Daily, On-Time Attendance Matters

A new year brings fresh opportunities for learning, growth, and new beginnings. Regular, on time, daily attendance plays a key role in student success. Being at school on time each day helps students stay engaged, build confidence and feel connected to their learning community. Consistent attendance ensures that students are in place to learn with their peers, with their teachers and with their learning.

Free and Reduced Lunch Applications

Families can go to the Child Nutrition Page to fill out the application (linked here). To apply for the free and reduced lunch program, you must submit a new application each school year. This is required even if your child qualified in the past. Applications, both online and in paper form, can be found on the ACPS Child Nutrition webpage. 

Student Lunch Accounts

To put money on your students lunch account, use this site to monitor and add funds as you need: www.mySchoolBucks.com

Kindergarten Registration for 2026-27 School Year

Starting kindergarten is a big milestone—and we’re excited to welcome your child to Albemarle County Public Schools! 🎉

If your child will turn 5 by September 30, 2026, it’s time to register for the 2026-27 school year. School begins on Wednesday, August 12, and we encourage families to register early.

Not a kindergarten family? Please share this message with others who may be getting ready to register.

You can find everything you need to register at:
k12albemarle.org/kindergarten

Who can register?

Your child must:

• Be 5 years old by September 30, 2026

• Live in Albemarle County

How to register:

1. Find your child’s school
   Your assigned school is based on your home address.

2. Gather required documents
   You will need proof of identity, residency, and health records. You can upload these during registration. If you are missing something, you can still submit the registration form and follow up with your school.

3. Complete the online form
   Select the 2026-27 Registration Form. You will be asked to create an account with our registration partner, PowerSchool Enrollment, using your email address.

Need Help?

📞 Contact your child’s school for questions or in-person support.

🌍 For multilingual support or help with documents from another country, call the International & English Learners Program at 434-296-6517.

Linked here is information for registration for our families of studnets with EL needs.

We can’t wait to welcome our newest learners this August!

PTO CORNER

Click here for the latest edition of Hornet Happenings: Hollymead PTO Newsletter: 4/13/26

The PTO is looking to fill positions for the 26/27 school year. There are several positions that will be opening up for the 2026-2027 school year. There are many things the PTO takes on yearly such as the dance, bingo night, yearbook, book fair, school supplies, stocking the lounge and so much more! We would love to fill positions before the school year ends to allow for an easy transition and guidance. We hope you will consider taking on a role for the upcoming year!

Co-presidents: lead the PTO, oversee programs and meetings, and serve as the main liaison to the school.

VP of events: coordinate and support school events, working with event leads on planning, logistics, and communication.

Co-treasurer: handle PTO finances, budgeting, and reporting. Works with our current treasurer.

Yearbook coordinator: oversee creation, sales, and distribution of the yearbook.

Co-volunteer coordinator: help program chairs by recruiting volunteers throughout the year to support different events as well as managing the volunteer data; help inform parents about volunteer opportunities and responsibilities.

Book fair coordinator: organize with scholastic, set up and run the book fair for one week. Works with the current coordinator and Librarian.

If you are interested in any of the roles above please reach out to the PTO President at hollymeadptopresident@gmail.com

Are you interested in joining the family council to work on advocacy efforts across ACPS?

It is time for Hollymead to recommend 2 representatives for the 26-27 school year.  Responsibilities include:

• Attending monthly ACPS Family Council meetings.  Topics include school discipline, math, wrap around services, and much much more.  Substack

• Work with Hollymead admin staff to resolve family issues impacting our community.

• Communicate with families monthly through the PTO newsletter.

Interested? Please email hollymeadfamilycouncil2526@gmail.com ASAP!