Pulaski County Public Schools

The Virginia School Boards Association (VSBA) has released its 28th annual VSBA Showcases for Success directory, highlighting successful K-12 programs in Virginia’s public schools. Pulaski County Public Schools is one of 43 school divisions from across the Commonwealth that has programs featured in the directory.

The program from Pulaski County that caught the attention of the VSBA was the PCHS GO program at Pulaski County High School. The PCHS GO program, now in its second year, featured student-led events where the students dedicated a full day’s time to on-campus community service projects. This year, over 80 projects were tackled to help make the PCHS campus a better place and to show their Cougar Pride.

Projects included painting, landscaping, cleaning the stadium, collecting and organizing donations for the PCHS clothing closet, and many more. Student not actively involved in these projects traveled to the elementary schools throughout the county and read to younger students, made homecoming corsages, delivered water and student-made snacks to students working on projects, and made care bags for area nursing home residents and members of the Armed Forces.

The event was so popular that it spread to other schools throughout the county, with PCMS and the elementary schools creating their own days of service and volunteer projects.

Also recognized was Critzer Elementary School for their new book vending machine. This machine was put in place to reward good and positive behavior and foster a love of reading.

The books are purchased using Title I funds and possibly local grants in the future. Each student is awarded a token card that requires 10 hole punches to earn a token. Hole punches on the token card are earned with exemplary behavior or choices, then students “purchase” high-interest books from the vending machine with a token. Students don’t need their own money and all students at Critzer have the same opportunity to visit the book machine.

Reading is the key to all other subjects. Allowing students to make choices about their reading material increases the likelihood that they will engage more in reading. Engaging more in reading will lead to more success. These books are for the students to keep, take home and build home libraries. This vending machine fosters a love for reading in our school community.

"We are excited for the recognitions that Pulaski County High School and Critzer Elementary School received in the 2024 VSBA Showcases for Success," PCPS Superintendent Mr. Robert Graham said. "These two highlighted programs are innovative, engaging and beneficial for all involved. The Pulaski County Public School system is filled with creative, hardworking and caring educators who understand the importance of strong initiatives like these programs highlighted by the VSBA. We certainly appreciate the time and effort our employees spent in bringing programs like these to our school division that exemplify excellence!"

The full VSBA Showcases for Success directory is available at www.vsba.org/showcases. It includes division-wide programs, as well as those at elementary, middle, and high school levels.

In addition to the online directory, a Special Edition Newsletter was created that features 12 of these programs, representing each region of the Commonwealth. Pulaski County High School’s PCHS Go project is included in this publication.

For more information about the VSBA Showcases for Success, contact Gina Patterson, VSBA executive director, at gina@vsba.org or 434-295-8722.

About the Virginia School Boards Association
Virginia School Boards Association, a voluntary, nonpartisan organization of Virginia school boards, promotes excellence in public education through leadership, advocacy, and services. The Association offers conferences, information, training, and counseling designed to meet the needs of the Commonwealth’s educational leaders.