Thanks to Stacey Johnson for this photo : RRES administration and faculty members dance on the roof Friday morning to celebrate the excellent results of their SOL scores. Click to enlarge.

Afton
Nelson County, Virginia
If you were anywhere near Rockfish River Elementary School this past Friday morning, you no doubt, saw an unusual sight! About a dozen people were dancing on the roof of the school to the Cha Cha Slide!

Members of RRES’ faculty and administration danced on the roof for the student body to celebrate the best ever SOL scores!

Way to go Rockfish Eagles, and congrats!!

Photo By Tommy Stafford : ©2010 www.nelsoncountylife.com : Youngsters from RRES prep along Glenthrone Loop for this Saturday's race.

Afton
Nelson County, Virginia
Rockfish River Elementary will host Nelson County’s first ever Earth Day 5K and 1 Mile Fun Run at RRES! this Saturday morning starting at 8:30 AM. The purpose of this event is to encourage active and healthy lifestyles and activities for the children and families of Nelson County and to raise money for a new county playground on the RRES campus. We expect to make this event an annual event which will draw runners and families from all over Nelson Country. It is our hope that we can make this inclusive of all Nelson County Schools and create a fun and rewarding community experience for all the students and families in our county in support of healthy lifestyles.

RRES hereby challenges Nelson Middle, Nelson High and Tye River, in the first ever Nelson Cup! This award will be presented to the school which brings the most student runners in either the 5K or 1 mile fun run. Like the Americas Cup, the trophy will be engraved with the winning school’s name and reside in their foyer or trophy case until the next year’s race. Our hope in this challenge is to encourage broad participation from our students and their families and to level the playing field for the elementary students to compete in some fashion with the older students from middle and high school. Of course there will also be traditional awards for the fastest runners overall and in each age group. This race will be open to any age runner from any of the surrounding counties and we expect to draw a significant contingent from the active running community in addition to our local school families.

5K at 8:30; 1 Mile at 9:30
Start/finish at RRES

Email RRESPTA@gmail.com for registration form or download from event website.

Event Date: Saturday 24th of April 2010 08:30 AM

Location/Address: 200 Chapel Hollow Road

Contact Telephone Please call 434-361-1791 for more information

RRES will be looking for sponsors to help support this event and raise money for our new playground. One of the best ways to do this and to encourage students to get out and run is to make an incremental pledge per student runner with a cap you are comfortable with. If a sponsor can give $1 per running student for example, the numbers will really add up. If every child knows that their running will help raise and additional $10-20 dollars in total sponsor contributions towards the playground, we believe we will be able to inspire them to get out and get training!

See you there!

Photos By Tommy Stafford : ©2009 www.nelsoncountylife.com : Students present the flags in front of veterans gathered at the school Wednesday morning. Click any photo for larger view.

Afton
Nelson County, Virginia

As part of their dedication to honoring veterans, Rockfish River Elementary School held their Veterans Day Program Wednesday morning.

Veterans stand as The National Anthem is played by The Nelson County High Marching Governors Band.

This makes several years running that RRES has honored veterans.

Students displayed flags in honor of veterans.

Alonzo Taylor, Wintergreen Police Officer, and member of the armed service, is one of many in the military that stood up during an armed services medley played by the band.

In the above photo Alonzo Taylor stood during the medley. We told you about his return back in May of 2008 here.

Retired Marine Staff Sgt. Goldie Tomlin (right) presents a flag to the parents of Major Michael Martino. Major Martino, a chopper pilot, was killed in a November 2nd 2005 attack on his aircraft.

The NCHS Marching Govs and Color Guard provided entertainment for the veterans and their families.

A veteran waves thank you to the students at RRES Wednesday morning.

©2008-2009 www.nelsoncountylife.com : Students at Rockfish River Elementary wave American flags in honor of veterans at the 2008 Veterans Day Program in Afton, Virgina

Afton
Nelson County, Virginia
Today is Veterans Day. As part of a long standing tradition, the faculty, staff, and students of Rockfish River Elementary School invite ALL veterans and their families to join them on Wednesday, November 11, 2009 at 9:45a.m. to be honored at our annual Veterans Day program.

Call 434-361-1791 for information.

Event Date: Wednesday 11th of November 2009 09:45 AM

Location/Address: Rockfish River Elementary School – Afton, VA

Contact Telephone Please call 434-361-1791 for more information

©2009 NCL Magazine : Photo By Tommy Stafford : Nelson County Sheriff David Brooks (left) and Helene Dodge, a Special K-9 Deputy, along with Orso at RRES.

Afton
Nelson County, Virginia
As the school year winds down and summer vacation begins, young minds are on being outside. To help keep children safe while being outdoors, Helene Dodge, a special K-9 deputy with NCSD along with her search dog, Orso, talked to students at Rockfish River Elementary School about safety tips if they should become lost in the wilderness.

Sheriff Brooks demonstrates how a bright orange garbage bag can be used to stay dry and help search teams locate a missing child in the woods.

The program is a cooperative effort between the Nelson County Sheriff’s Department and Saunder’s Brothers, Inc in Piney River to teach children what to do if they ever become lost.

Sheriff Brooks tells one of the students at RRES to have a safe and fun summer!

Students say so long to Deputy MacDonald and his dog.

A similar program will be held on the 1st of June at Tye River Elementary School.

Have a safe summer!

©2009 NCL Magazine : Members of The RRES Ski Club pose for a group shot before hitting the slopes Thursday afternoon at Wintergreen Resort. Click any image for a larger view.

Wintergreen Resort
Nelson County, Virginia

For the forth time this season, students in grades 3,4 and 5 at Rockfish River Elementary in Afton, took to the slopes at Wintergreen Resort. “The whole reason behind doing it is to get the kids in the snow to give them the opportunity to enjoy skiing. And to learn to ski,” says Jodie Bruguiere who took over coordinating the group about five years ago. The program first started at RRES about 10 years ago.

A member of the RRES Ski Club checks out the gear before heading down the slope.

“A lot of the kids are beginners that have never been on skis or a snowboard. They learn to ski and it gets them out in the fresh air to enjoy the snow,” Jodie continues.

Part of learning is falling now and then, unfortunately!

Wintergreen Resort helps out the school ski club by giving them great cuts and discounts off of the regular rates. Hopefully through the student’s introduction to the slopes they will continue with the sport later in life.

Usually by the 4th to 5th time out, most club members are pretty much getting the hang of it.

Photos By Tommy Stafford : A RRES youngster waves his American Flag as Veteran Paul Saunders of Piney River speaks in the background from the podium.

Afton – Nelson County, Virginia
By Tommy Stafford
At a time when most schools across the nation seem to be curtailing patriotic ceremonies, not Rockfish River Elementary (RRES) in Afton, Virginia. For years they have put on their annual program to honor veterans of past and present battles. “It’s important for youngsters to meet these men and women, and to hear their stories,” Nita Hughes, principal at RRES told me as the ceremony was about to begin.

A RRES student studies the flag as the ceremony starts.

Students march out onto the gym floor with the American and Virgina State Flags.

The Nelson County High Marching Govs Band put on a special performance at the event.

A trumpeter with the band plays taps to the crowd.

Students wave flags at Tuesday's ceremony.

A WWII Veteran takes the opportunity to embrace a fellow service member in today's military.

David Snyder from Nelson County, a U.S. Coast Guard veteran, looks on as a youngster hugs another vet at the RRES ceremony.

Veterans from all branches of the military were on hand for the ceremony at RRES.

The NCHS band performed their regular half time show for the crowd.

Paul Saunders greets the crowd after the ceremony.

By Tommy Stafford : Members of Wintergreen Fire & Rescue show students at Rockfish River Elementary how they use a ladder truck to fight fires.

For about five years teachers at Rockfish River Elementary School have held their Community Helper Day to show youngsters all of the different people in the area that help in their jobs. Wednesday morning they got the chance to learn about firemen, policemen, electric company lineman, and many many more!

Helene Dodge shows how her K-9 dog is used in search and rescue.

An employee of Central Virginia Electric Company demonstrates the equipment used to climb a utility pole.

A deputy with The Nelson County Sheriff's Department talks about all of the equipment in his car.

And how the highway department uses heavy equipment like this road grader in their jobs.

A member of Wintergreen Ski Patrol demonstrates how snowmobiles are used in their job.

See you at next year’s Community Helper Day!