Looking for the next future chef!
If you are in grades 1-5 and interested in cooking, please submit your favorite recipe by January 31, 2025 for a chance to be the next future chef!
Clays Mill announces Students of the Month for December. These students have actively engaged in learning, followed class and school rules and are honest, trustworthy, and respectable: Katlyn Wooden, Cayden Tucker, Zeah Canada, Jern'Ne Smith, Isabell Alvarado, Alaina Brooks, Racheal Fields, Carrington Powell, Aria McDowell, Logan Henderson, Dottie Harvey, Bentley Glass, Ariana Shue, Aubree Penick, Reid Nichols,
Ella Lipscomb, McKennon Crute
HCPS will open on time, tomorrow, Friday, January 24, 2025.
The Special Education Advisory Council meeting scheduled for January 27, 2025 has been cancelled. The next meeting will be February 24, 2025, at 5:30 PM at the Special Education Department's side of PACE
Due to the road conditions in parts of the county, HCPS will be closed tomorrow, Thursday, January 23, 2025. Twelve month employees follow Code 2, report two hours late.
UPDATE:
Due to the road conditions and the Cold Weather Advisory, HCPS will be closed tomorrow, Wednesday, January 22, 2025. Employees follow Code 0, do not report to work.
Due to the Cold Weather Advisory and the very cold wind chills in the single digits, HCPS will open on a two-hour delay tomorrow, Wednesday, January 22, 2025. Employees follow Code 2, report two hours late.
Fifth grade students visited the South Boston Museum. The kids had a great learning opportunity and came away with valuable information.
As a reminder, all schools and offices will be closed on Monday, January 20, 2025 in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday.
Due to remaining black ice on roads, HCPS will be on a two-hour delay, tomorrow, Wednesday, January 15, 2025. Twelve-month employees are to follow Code 2, report two hours late.
Due to road conditions, HCPS will be closed tomorrow, Tuesday, January 14, 2025. Twelve-month employees are to follow Code 2, report two hours late.
Due to road conditions, HCPS will be closed tomorrow, Monday, January 13, 2025. Twelve-month employees are to follow Code 2, report two hours late.
Mark this date on your calendars. The presenters at this event will provide a lot of valuable information for students and parents about secondary education. A general session will be offered that includes information about courses, diploma types, graduation requirements, certifications, and much more! Tables will be set up for guests to visit for content areas and electives. Staff including teachers, school counselors, and administrators will be available to answer specific questions about courses, career pathways, etc. Selected students will also be in attendance to share course highlights and other information they feel is valuable for other students. This night is going to be very informative and exciting for all!
Due to the forecasted weather and the Winter Storm Warning, Halifax County Public Schools will dismiss early tomorrow, Friday, January 10, 2025. South Boston Elementary School and South Boston Early Learning Center will dismiss at 12:30 PM. All other schools will dismiss at 1:00 PM.
Second nine weeks report cards are available for viewing on the parent portal. If you need a paper copy of the report card, please contact your child's school.
Mrs. Cassada's Kindergarten students recently enjoyed an exciting STEM challenge centered around trees! 🌲 During the lesson, students learned about different types of trees, including Christmas trees, evergreens, and deciduous trees. They explored the differences between trees with leaves and those with needles, sparking curiosity and discussion. After the lesson, students had a blast applying their knowledge in a hands-on challenge to build the tallest tree! The activity combined creativity, critical thinking, and teamwork, making it both educational and fun. A big thank you to the Halifax County Public Schools Education Foundation for providing this wonderful opportunity to our students!
Mrs. Cross's 5th-grade students at Clays Mill Elementary embraced a festive STEM challenge, led by Mrs. Lewis, the school’s ITRT, to engineer Santa’s parachute for toy delivery! 🎁✨
The project required students to design and build parachutes and baskets using specific materials while meeting set criteria. Before tackling the hands-on challenge, students watched an informational video to learn how parachutes are made and how drag affects their performance. They applied their newfound knowledge to create innovative designs and test their creations, blending creativity with problem-solving and engineering skills.
This engaging activity brought holiday cheer and valuable learning opportunities to the classroom. A heartfelt thank you goes to the Halifax County Public Schools Education Foundation for making this incredible experience possible!
Our 4th-grade students had an absolute blast creating jingle bell mazes before the holiday break! 🛠️✨ They designed intricate mazes with clever challenges, complete with dead ends to keep things exciting. Classmates then took turns navigating the mazes, guiding their jingle bells to the finish line!
A huge thank you to the Halifax County Public Schools Education Foundation for making this festive learning experience possible! 💝Your generosity is appreciated!!
Excitement and creativity filled the classrooms of Mrs. Cross, Mrs. Harvey, Mrs. Mele, and Mr. Martin at Clays Mill Elementary as 4th and 5th-grade students took on an exciting STEM challenge: building the tallest tower using LEGOs!
With guidance from Mrs. Lewis, the Instructional Technology Resource Teacher (ITRT), students began by learning about the art and science of engineering. They explored pictures of some of the tallest and most famous towers in the world, like the Shanghai Tower (2,073 feet tall!), the One World Trade Center, the Makkah Royal Clock Tower Hotel, and the Dancing Towers. The students were amazed at these towering creations and had interesting discussions about the types of jobs needed to design and build such structures. Some students even expressed interest in these exciting careers!
The challenge was clear: build the tallest LEGO tower that can stand on its own, all within 30 minutes. Students worked together, sharing ideas and trying different designs to create stable and tall towers. The towers were measured using Metric and Customary systems, and when towers fell, they quickly rebuilt them, showing teamwork and resilience.
The room was full of energy, with students cheering for their successes and laughing through the challenges. By the end of the activity, the tallest towers measured 54.5 inches, 49 inches, 48 inches, and 44 inches tall! Even when some towers tumbled right as the timer went off, everyone agreed the activity was fun, exciting, and educational.
The 2nd-grade students at Clays Mill Elementary recently took on an exciting STEM challenge, combining creativity and engineering skills. Led by Mrs. Lewis, the school’s Instructional Technology Resource Teacher (ITRT), the students were tasked with building LEGO bridges that could span "water"—laminated pictures of ponds, streams, lakes, and more—all while standing independently!
Mrs. Lewis began the lesson by introducing students to different types of bridges, including beam, arch, and suspension bridges, and explained how they are designed and built. Students also learned about the various careers involved in creating bridges, such as engineers, architects, and construction managers. Many students were inspired by these roles and expressed interest in these exciting fields.
Working in pairs, the students had 35 minutes to design and construct their bridges using LEGOs. The bridges had to cover the entire "water" area and stand on their own. Throughout the challenge, students collaborated to solve problems, test their designs, and improve their structures.
Each pair of students crafted a unique and functional bridge, demonstrating their teamwork and perseverance.
This hands-on activity not only introduced students to engineering and design concepts but also allowed them to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills—all while having fun!
