Preston County Schools

This week is Teacher Appreciation Week, with Tuesday specifically being National Teacher Appreciation Day. Every day, teachers transform ordinary moments into extraordinary discoveries. They turn curiosity into confidence, challenges into triumphs and classrooms into launchpads for dreams. Today and every day, PCS celebrates the magic that happens when our dedicated educators pour their hearts into helping our children grow. Thank you PCS Teachers!

If your student (or you as the student) completed the Spring Wellness Challenge, the form to be submitted for the prize drawings is now open through May 7th. Winner's will be announced on May 8th, with prizes being delivered the week of the 11th. Thanks for your participation and good luck.
https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/Q0Jxdb7uK6

Thank you PCS Principals!!!
Today, and every day, we recognize the vital role principals play across Preston County when it comes to school leadership, student success, and supporting educators. We thank OUR PCS PRINCIPALS for their dedication to fostering positive educational environments.

When we call our school nutrition professionals, (our cooks, cook managers, and cook/custodians), heroes, we truly mean it. Each spring, we celebrate their dedication, care, and hard work with School Lunch Hero Day. Please join Preston County Schools in recognizing the vital role these team members play every day—nourishing students, supporting learning, and making a difference for every child who walks through their line. Thank you for all you do. It doesn't go unnoticed.

A recording of tonight's Candidate Forum sponsored by the Preston High School Social Studies Department and the Preston County Chamber of Commerce can be found at the following link: https://tinyurl.com/3b63bjkj. Thanks to everyone for attending tonight's event and for those who helped make it a success!

Please join us this evening, either in person at the PHS Gym, or via our streaming platforms, for a student-moderated, candidate forum, hosted by Preston High School and the Preston County Chamber of Commerce. The event begins promptly at 6:00.
PCS Website LiveStream - https://live.myvrspot.com/player?udi=cHJlc3Rvbg%3D%3D&c=Y2hhbm5lbDE%3D
(Or you can go to the PCS website at https://www.prestoncountyschools.com/
and click the live stream icon at the top, or also on the PCS App)
Facebook Live - https://www.facebook.com/PrestonCountySchools

Hey Preston County...what's tomorrow going to be?
(It's gonna, gonna, gonna, gonna....It's gonna be...)

Brittany Foley Thomas Memorial - 5th Grade Track & Field Challenge Central Preston Middle School will be hosting the Brittany Foley Thomas - 5th Grade Track & Field Challenge on Wednesday, May 20, 2026. The meet will be held at the Dr. John Trenton Track & Field Facility at Preston High School. Below is the schedule of events. 9:00 a.m. - Long Jump and Softball Throw 9:30 a.m. - 100 Meter Dash 10:00 a.m. - 400 Meter Dash 10:30 a.m. - 50 Meter Dash 11:00 a.m. - 200 Meter Dash 11:30 a.m. - Lunch 12:00 p.m. - Cross Country Run 12:45 p.m. - 4 x 100 1:15 p.m. - Depart for home NOTE: Times are approximate. Girls will run first followed by the boys. Click on this link to register your child: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/ZMEKrX7Lhm Parents are welcome and there is not an admission fee. This meet is made possible by Central Preston Middle School and friends and family of the Foley and Thomas families. Students are asked to wear a shirt in the color of their school. Aurora - Red Bruceton - Maroon Central Preston - Gray South Preston - Yellow / Gold Terra Alta - East Preston - Navy Blue West Preston - Royal Blue Homeschool / Micro / etc - Black Those in attendance will be able to purchase cold drinks from the Kona Ice.

PCS and West Preston would like to thank James Sanders of Titan Roofing and his team, board member Mike Hovatter of Mike's Towing, and Preston County Schools Maintenance Department for braving the elements yesterday and safely removing some old playground equipment from West Preston School. This equipment was removed for preparations to install new playground equipment that's being purchased, thanks to the Friends of Valley District Education. We love when our community comes together to make good things happen for our kids. Thanks to all involved yesterday, especially those who donated their time and equipment.

Middle School Squires Football - There will be a parent/player meeting at 6pm at Central Preston Middle School tomorrow, Wednesday the 29th, for anyone interested in playing Squires Middle School Football for the upcoming school year.

Preston County Schools had the privilege today of awarding the County 2026 "Of the Year" to our winning Principal, Samantha Peaslee at Kingwood Elem., Teacher, Laurie Noland at Terra Alta East Preston, Service, Veronica Corbin at the Rowlesburg Opportunity Center (R.O.C.), Counselor, Crystal Pell at Kingwood Elem. and Coach, John Noah Loughrie at Central Preston.
Special thanks to Clear Mountain Bank for sponsoring the award, Modern Homestead, along with Lucas Tatham, board member, and Trellis Smith for providing the flowers, and board members Cross Kisner and Beth Noss for helping to present the awards and congratulate our winners.

Today, we are recognizing all PCS school bus drivers for taking care of our precious cargo during the school year. Today is nationally recognized as School Bus Driver Appreciation Day, but we appreciate these unsung heroes of the roads everyday. Whether they are transporting our kids to school, home, activities, or to sporting events, school bus drivers deserve recognition for the job they do. Thank you PCS Bus Drivers.

Tomorrow, more than 550 Students from across the state will present at the 2026 State Social Studies Fair. Preston County Schools will have 37 students presenting, representing 26 total projects. That means out of all 55 Counties, PCS students are representing 7% of the participants at the state level. That's very strong representation. If all counties were represented equally, each would have 1.8%, so PCS more than surpasses that. Good luck to all of our participants at States:

LILLIAN WUNDERLICH, LAUREL SHAFFER, EMERY DORNACKER, LANDRY DAVIS, LILAH KELLY, COOPER KELLY, LILLIAN CRANE AND OAKLEY GILLEY, KARA REYNOLDS & HAILEY HUNT, ROWAN VANDEVORT, OWEN CALHOUN, JUDE SQUIRES & HARRY CALE, VADA WALSH, CARTER BOLYARD & PAYTON WAGNER, SYLVIANA BITTINGER, DEREK EDMUNDS & TYLER STREET, LAYLA WATERS, IRIS NELSON, LEXI FULK, CARTER GARBART & OLIVIA KELLY, EMMA GOODRICH, REMINGTON WOLFE & ISAIAH NELSON, ALISON SCHMIDLE & WYATT BRAHAM, ISABELLA EDMUNDS, ALYSSA FRIEND, REESE STRATTON, AADEN MILLER, NATALIE JAVOSKY, KAITLYN FLORES AND KENNA BISHOFF

West bus run - This afternoon, Bus 82-18 Samantha Stone - first run elementary and middle school students will be delivered about 1 hour late today along with phs students due to bus break down.

Tomorrow the 28th, Superintendent Martin, Asst. Superintendent Varner, and other members of the PCS Central Office Staff and Board will be travelling the county to recognize the overall county winners for Teacher, Service Personnel, Guidance Counselor, Coach, and Principal of the Year for 2026. Please join us in congratulating all of our school-level nominees and winners for Teacher, Coach, Guidance and Service. Tomorrow's recognitions will be streamed live at each school.

The West Virginia Department of Education has announced the 2026 Golden Horseshoe winners for Preston County. Since 1931, students have been honored as knights of the Golden Horseshoe, having demonstrated exceptional knowledge of West Virginia history on the state administered exam. This year, 225 winners will join the ranks of WV citizens who have won this prestigious award. Preston's winners will have an opportunity to be recognized at the State Golden Horseshoe ceremony on Tuesday, June 9, 2026 at the West Virginia Culture Center in Charleston, WV. This year's winners are (in no particular order):
Myla Zinn, Central Preston Middle School
Ainsley Feathers, South Preston School
Vada Walsh, Terra Alta/East Preston School
Alexis Atkins, West Preston School
Congratulations!

...And the celebrations continued today at PHS. Our students across Preston County continue to make us all proud. This afternoon, more than 70 students in the class of 2026 were recognized, (some not in attendance), for their commitments to continue their educations beyond Preston High. Family, staff and friends were in attendance to celebrate them, along with many of our in-state school representatives. Our Preston High Students committed to continuing their education at over 20 colleges, universities or technical schools, including: Arizona State U., Berea College, Fairmont State U., Florida Gulf Coast, Garrett College, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Laurel Business Institute, Local 152 Union (Trades), Ohio U., Penn State, Pierpont Community and Technical College, University of Charleston, University of South Carolina Beaufort, Washington & Jefferson College, West Liberty U., WVU - West Virginia University, West Virginia Wesleyan, Wheeling University, WVU Tech, WV Junior College, and WVU Potomac State College

It has been a day of celebration at Preston High, as we recognized 5 more of our student athletes who will be taking both their athletic and academic talents to the collegiate level. Autumn and Delilah Myers (Cross Country/Track) have committed to Glenville State U., Conner Chappell (Wrestling) has committed to Muskingum University, and Skyler Wilson and Evan Livengood (Soccer) have both committed to WVU Tech. Congratulations to these students and we're looking forward to cheering you on at the next level. Good luck in all your future endeavors. You continue to make us Preston Proud.