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November 21, 2025
Hello, Hollymead Families!
This week at Hollymead, we celebrated the dedication and the hard work of all of our Teaching Assistants! The caring and effort of this group of professionals cannot be understated. There are over twenty teaching assistants in various roles here at Hollymead, serving in general education classrooms and special education settings. These people work extremely hard to support all the children at Hollymead, in classrooms, at recess and at lunch. Our Teaching Assistants are truly terrific!
Below is information from the Art room and Square One Art, the Spelling Bee, a new member of our school community and more!
We wish all of you the very best for the upcoming break!
Joe McCauley & Kim Gentry
Hollymead Administrative Team
From the Art Room at Hollymead:
Hopefully you got to see the AMAZING art your child made for our Square 1 Art Fundraiser. Thank you to those who have already purchased items with their child's art printed on it. You support helps fund our art room supplies!
✨ If you haven't ordered, there is still time!
🗓 Order by December 2nd (our order deadline has been extended!)
Visit the Art Search page to find your child’s art or upload additional artwork. Thank you for supporting our young Hollymead artists! 💛
— Mrs. Foster & Mrs. Rapp
Spelling Bee
This week, students in grades 3-5 are completing their Classroom Spelling Bee. Top scoring students from each grade level will be invited to participate in the School Spelling Bee on Tuesday, December 16th. Families of invited students will receive detailed information the week of December 1st. The winner of the School Spelling Bee will go on to represent Hollymead at the Division Level Spelling Bee on Thursday, February 5, 2026. Reach out to Kim Gentry with any questions!
Introducing a New Member of Our School Community
We'd like to acknowledge the commitment to community demonstrated by Officer Robert Hamblin of the Albemarle County Police Department. In order to support and connect with our school, he is very invested in forging positive connections with students and families. He came by today on his day off to visit our School Wide Morning Meeting. He will be visiting our school throughout the year. These informal visits help our students see police officers as trusted adults who care about their well being and our school community. Welcome, Officer Hamblin!
Calendar Dates
NO SCHOOL - Fall Break: November 26
NO SCHOOL - Fall Break: November 27
NO SCHOOL - Fall Break: November 28
5th Grade Field Trip to AHS Performing Arts: December 4
Fall Picture Make-Up Day: December 5
School Wide Morning Meeting Calendar
SWMM Schedule - Last Friday of Every Month
November 21 - Hosted by 4th Grade
December 18 - Thursday Dec 18th SWA(afternoon)M - Collaborative Winter Holiday Sing-Along
January 30 - Hosted by 1st Grade
February 27 - Hosted by the Specials Team
March 27 - Hosted by 2nd Grade
April 24 - Hosted by Kindergarten
May 28 - Hosted by the Intervention Team
Resources for Families
At Hollymead, our school community is built on care, support, and ensuring every student and family feels secure.
We are aware that many of our families are currently facing unexpected challenges. We wish to share this special message to help connect families with local resources that can assist with immediate needs such as food assistance or urgent financial aid.
If you need help accessing resources for your family or simply need someone to talk to, please reach out to our School Counselor, Megan Kopley at 434-973-8301 or via email at mkopley@k12albemarle.org. All conversations are confidential.
Where to Find Help:
Where to Find Help:
School Support:
Contact Megan Kopley about our Hungry Hearts No More food pantry. All inquiries are handled with care and confidentiality.
434-973-8301 OR mkopley@k12albemarle.orgSchool Lunch Program:
Families affected by the shutdown—or any family experiencing financial hardship—may apply for the free/reduced lunch program anytime. Enter “0” for income if you’re currently not receiving pay.
Free & Reduced Meal Information – Albemarle County Public Schools
(All applications are confidential and only accessible to cafeteria staff.)Community Resources:
Virginia 211 – Call 211 or visit the site for local food pantries and assistance programs.
Virginia Fresh Match – Double your SNAP dollars on fresh produce at participating markets.
Holiday Assistance:
Apply for Toy Lift holiday support by November 12:Comprehensive Community Resource Lists:
Ways to Support Our Community
Ways to Support Our Community
Donate:
Contributions to local food banks directly help families in need. Hollymead and Lakeside partner with Hungry Hearts No More (HHNM) at Peace Lutheran Church. Donation bins are available outside our doors year-round.
Gift cards for Sam’s Club, Kroger, or Food Lion may also be donated through Megan Kopley for pantry use.Volunteer:
Local food programs rely on volunteers to sort, pack, and distribute food. Loaves & Fishes is one of our key partners supporting the HHNM pantry.Give to Toy Lift:
Learn more or donate at toylift.org.
We are grateful for our strong community and we thank you for all that you do to help.
Golden Apple Nominations are Now Open
The Golden Apple Award is established to honor some of our most outstanding teachers in ACPS. The work of teachers in our division and in our school cannot be understated. Each year the Golden Apple Foundation chooses one teacher form each school for this recognition. Linked here is the website to nominate a teacher for this year's award.
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.
Visitor Sign-in System for ACPS Schools
NEW UPDATE!!! - RAPTOR PASSPORT SAFE QR CODE PHONE FEATURE
Here is a linke to the Raptor PassPort Safe app, which will allow you to put a QR code from Raptor on your phone and then each time your come in you just scan your code off your phone on the Raptor Visitor System. It is faster than scanning your license and taking a picture each time you come in. It uses your picture that you have scanned in the system already from previously being at Hollymead. It is user friendly and easy to do. You just need to remember to bring your phone with you when you visit Hollymead.
Here is a video to get you started so you know what to do. Create a Raptor Safe Passport
You may have noticed that Hollymead, along with all schools in ACPS has begun using VisitorSafe, a new visitor check-in system from Raptor Technologies. VisitorSafe helps us keep our school safe and makes check-in faster for families and guests.
Directions for Visitor Sign In:
Directions for Visitor Sign In:
When you visit during the school day:
Check in at the front office or kiosk. If you have a government-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license or passport, scan it. The system will take your photo, ask you to choose your reason for visiting, and print a personalized visitor badge.
If you do not have a government-issued photo ID, our front office staff can type your information into the system and print your badge.
How VisitorSafe Helps Keep Our School Safe
How VisitorSafe Helps Keep Our School Safe
VisitorSafe checks all visitor names against sex offender registries in all 50 U.S. states and any safety lists set by the school or division, such as custody orders or banned visitor lists. If a visitor is flagged as a safety risk, school officials are notified immediately.
Additionally, VisitorSafe helps our school by keeping accurate records of who is in the building in real time and making check-in faster and easier for families, volunteers, and guests.
Sign-In for School Wide Events -
In addition to regular sign-in, VisitorSafe technology allows for an efficient and secure sign in for school events where multiple families arrive at the same time. Families will be provided a link in a school communication that allows you to register in advance for an event. Once signed up for the event, you will be provided a barcode. When arriving at the school the day of the event, families will simply scan their barcode to sign and and sign out. This process will allow for continued safety of our school community during larger school wide events such as concerts and assemblies when families are invited. Here is a Digital Walkthrough of how registering for an event works! Note: We will not use this system for School Wide Morning Meetings.
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!
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
PTO CORNER
Click here for the latest edition of Hornet Happenings: Hornet Happenings - 11/19/25
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