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It’s a “jeans” kind of day for Louisa County Schools
A divisionwide fundraiser for Louisa County Public Schools, co-sponsored by VBCPS and the Virginia Beach Education Association (VBEA), is raising hundreds of dollars for this small school division which was extremely hard hit by the earthquake that occurred in August. You may be aware that the earthquake was actually centered in Louisa County and it demolished two of the division’s six school buildings.
Because of this disaster, schools are sharing classroom space so that students can continue with the school year. However, it is not easy. The division has had to engage in “creative” scheduling, with students attending school on alternate days, six days a week. VBCPS has provided Louisa County Schools with portable classrooms to help relieve some of the overcrowding.
In an effort to help the division, the VBEA came up with an innovative fundraising idea fully supported by Superintendent Merrill. In short, during the week of December 12-16 school employees had the opportunity to donate $5 to the LCPS (Louisa County Public Schools) Disaster Relief Fund in order to wear jeans to school that day. Many schools took the idea further, offering staff the option of donating more money to be allowed to wear jeans for several days. VBEA Building Reps collected the money and provided stickers that employees wore to show their support of Louisa County Schools.
Once again VBCPS showed extreme generosity in participating in this great fundraiser. Here is a snapshot of some of the schools participating and the money they have raised. Keep in mind this is but a small sampling since schools have scheduled their fund raisers for various days and times.
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In an effort to help Louisa County Schools, Hermitage Elementary School held its holiday fundraising event on Wednesday, December 14. Teachers were asked to donate $5 to the LCPS Disaster Relief Fund for the privilege of wearing jeans, but there was one more stipulation: staff members were also encouraged to wear their most festive or tackiest holiday sweater/shirt. At day’s end during the staff holiday reception, principal Holly Coggin awarded the winner with a festive plaid Santa hat as the grand prize. ‘Tis the season of giving, and the jolly Hermitage Viking staff members generously donated almost $200 to assist Louisa County Schools. Pictured left to right are Barbara Powell (teacher assistant & VBEA representative) and Jeff Riggs (security assistant). |
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Brookwood Elementary School held its fundraiser for Louisa County Schools on Monday, December 19. Staff donated $5 or more to wear their favorite jeans and raised $110. Music teacher Joy Stasiuk and art teacher Janet Mikluschak served as the point persons for the fundraiser. Pictured are the staff members who participated: (front row, left to right) Diane Hernandez, Janet Mikluschak, Suzanne Kapetanakis,Aimee Portlock; (back row, left to right) Ashley Smith, Joy Stasiuk, Dione McTyre, Susan Kerr, Janet Garner, Nancy Crowe, Gail Roy, Debbie Koger, Stacie Maynard. Additional contributors include: Jill Blake, Sarah Chambers, Ken Garrison, Kathy Henry, Carolyn Joyner, Kerry Knighton, Alison Kucharski, Blaire Withers, and Barbara Buckley. |
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Glenwood Elementary School’s staff decided to do a fundraiser for the Louisa County Public Schools Disaster Relief Fund by contributing at least $5 to wear jeans on Thursday, December 14. First-grade teacher Kathleen Slinde coordinated the collection of the donations. Pictured are some of the 64 staff members who contributed $410 and wore their jeans in support of this relief effort. |
Cox High School held a Denim Day fundraiser for Louisa County. All told the staff raised $212. |
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The faculty and staff of Seatack Elementary School raised $225 by selling “jeans days.” Staff paid $5 to wear jeans on Monday, December 12, or $10 to wear jeans all week. Pictured are (front row from left) administrative assistant Kelly Cherry, library media assistant Michaela Waylor; (middle row from left) special education teacher Cynthia Beasley, art teacher Maggie Smith, kindergarten teacher Robin Patrick, library media specialist Cathy Wadley, Reading Recovery teacher Nelda White, kindergarten teacher Joanne Murphy, fourth-grade teacher Lynn O’Brien-Lee, second-grade teacher Michelle Hazuda; (back row from left) reading specialist TaShenna Wiggins, and reading specialist Amy Homesley. |
Princess Anne Elementary School held a Jeans Day on Thursday, December 14 and raised $175 in support of Louisa County Schools. |
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Plaza Middle School held a fundraiser on Thursday, December 14. For a $5 donation, staff was allowed to wear jeans “on the job.” Plaza Middle raised $107 for Louisa County Schools. |
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Kempsville Elementary School staff raised $175 for the Louisa County Disaster Relief Fund. Teachers and staff were allowed to wear jeans on December 14 if they donated $5. Some staff members didn’t wear jeans but still donated money anyway. |
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On Wednesday, December 14, 37 staff members at White Oaks Elementary School participated in Jeans Day for Louisa County. Staff members were asked to donate at least $5 to Louisa County in order to wear jeans. White Oaks collected $200 during this fundraiser. Pictured are Lisa Nunn, kindergarten assistant, and kindergarten teachers Nancy Flowers, Charlene Norris, and Anne Marie Dupont. |
Linkhorn Park Elementary has raised $575 for the LCPS Disaster Relief Fund. Many schools in Virginia Beach are helping fellow educators who were affected by the earthquake this summer. This is a program VBEA and Dr. Merrill are sponsoring. |
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Providence Elementary School raised $80 on a special “jean day.” Pictured from left to right are Helen Ryan, art teacher; Erin LaMay, John Conway and Christina Hanawalt, third-grade teachers. |
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Windsor Oaks Elementary participated in a Jeans Day to help raise money for the Louisa County Public Schools Disaster Fund. All staff were invited to wear jeans for a donation on Thursday, December 15. The school raised $400. |
Kempsville Elementary School (KMES) participated in a fundraising activity for the Louisa County Public Schools Disaster Fund. Second-grade teacher Gina Kinert collected five dollars from teachers who wanted to wear jeans on December 13, 14, and 15. KMES teachers donated a total of $450 and were able to wear jeans, all for a good cause, Louisa County Public Schools. |
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Staff members at Independence Middle School supported the Virginia Beach City Public Schools’ districtwide fundraiser for Louisa County earthquake relief on December 16 by donating $5 each to wear jeans with their wacky holiday-wear. The wacky holiday-wear event has been a tradition at the school. In all, the staff raised $185. Pictured are fundraiser participants Frankie Montgomery, library media assistant; Natalie Lebo, eighth-grade special education teacher and VBEA school representative; Rena Clark, clinic assistant; and Deb Scarborough, school nurse. |
Three Oaks Elementary School held a “Jeans Day” on December 15 and raised $215 for Louisa County Schools. |
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Princess Anne High School's special education teacher Luvond James enthusiastically took on the task of aiding the education community in Louisa County, a school system which incurred heavy damage in last summer's earthquake. As the building's representative to the Virginia Beach Education Association (for over 20 years!), James organized a "Jeans Day" on Friday, December 16, asking each staff member to make a contribution of at least $5 in return for the opportunity to dress down for the day, a comfortable arrangement for all! The event netted over $400 for Louisa County Schools. PAHS staff is confident that this and similar fundraisers across the division will provide an emotional boost to our Louisa colleagues, proving again that Virginia Beach educators have “giving” natures. Pictured left to right are just a few of PA's "generous jeans-wearers," special education teacher Gloria Gatling, office manager Tracey Ronkowski, office associate Sandra Jacobs, special education teacher and VBEA representative Luvond James, date technician Susan Barnes, and office associate Susan Anderson. |
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Third-grade teacher and VBEA representative Lisa Foley organized Green Run Elementary’s “jeans day.” A total of $75 was collected from staff so that they could wear jeans to school on Wednesday, December 14. Pictured left to right are preschool special education teacher Molly Searfoss, special education assistant Jenny Mason, and library media specialist Becky Atkins, all of whom are wearing jeans to support for the Louisa County earthquake victims. |
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Beverly Felder, special education teacher and VBEA representative, collected $5 from faculty members wearing jeans to the Holiday Breakfast at Bayside Middle School. Felder organized the Jeans Day to benefit the Louisa County school system which suffered major destruction at two of their six schools during the August earthquake. The breakfast, a treat from the school administrators, was held before school Friday, December 16. The faculty raised $164. Pictured left to right are Beverly Felder and Barbara Hook-Scott, also a special education teacher, wearing the Jeans Day stickers. |
Landstown Elementary School has scheduled its jeans fundraiser for January 11. Teachers who want to wear jeans that day will contribute $5 or more for the privilege. |
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