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Henrico board recognizes Black History Month, National School Counseling Week and Ward Elementary’s Purple Star award; highlights community response to water-wo
Summary
The Henrico County School Board issued proclamations recognizing Black History Month and National School Counseling Week, presented Ward Elementary with Virginia’s Purple Star award for military-connected student supports, and highlighted the district’s role in emergency water and food distribution during a recent boil-water advisory.
The Henrico County Public Schools Board on Jan. 23 issued proclamations recognizing Black History Month and National School Counseling Week, presented Ward Elementary School with Virginia’s Purple Star designation, and highlighted the district’s recent emergency response to a countywide boil-water advisory.
Mrs. Atkins, a school board member, read the board proclamation recognizing February 2025 as Black History Month and encouraged observance and celebration across the division. Mrs. Kinsella, a school board member, read a proclamation designating Feb. 3–7, 2025, as National School Counseling Week and noted the role of school counselors in student academic and social-emotional supports.
Superintendent Dr. Cashwell introduced a recognition for Ward Elementary School: the school was selected by the Virginia Council on the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children and the Virginia Department of Education as a Purple Star School for demonstrated supports to military-connected students. "Ward was the only Richmond area school recognized this year and Henrico County Public Schools' very first Purple Star honoree," Dr. Cashwell said, and invited Ward staff to accept the recognition.
During the Henrico highlights segment, the board screened a video and heard about the division's response to a recent boil-water advisory and snowfall that disrupted services. Speakers described the division's collaboration with Henrico County to distribute bottled water and more than 2,500 food packages at multiple locations, and praised volunteers and school staff who helped operate distribution sites. One account noted that distribution sites initially included the Eastern Government Center and Eastern Recreation Center and that Tucker High School served as a temporary distribution site with staff and student volunteers who worked long shifts.
The board also recognized Linda Melton and the Henrico Christmas Mother Council for their holiday assistance partnership; the presentation included an accounting that Henrico schools' drives provided about 95% of the food and gifts distributed by the Henrico Christmas Mother in 2024, with total donations from the division reported as $133,659 (including food, monetary gifts and miscellaneous items).
These recognitions and the highlights segment were presented as part of the board's regular recognitions and community-engagement reports and did not require board action.
The board asked visitors and honorees to come forward and accepted certificates for the students and staff acknowledged.
