Notes on our school division

 

Bulldogs rule

Goochland County Public Schools (GCPS) have come a long way in a short time. Once a school division with a lackluster reputation, we have been rated as the best in the region by Niche.com for five consecutive years. Go to the GCPS website https://www.goochlandschools.org/ and wander around to see what how you tax dollars are being used to prepare the next generation to grab its piece of the American dream by maximizing the potential of every learner.

Educating children is a difficult task in normal times, dealing with challenges created by the pandemic shut down makes it worse. We are blessed by the dedication of  “Team Goochland,” which includes every school employee, who show up every day and do their best to help each student identify and develop their individual talents. This sounds easy in theory but could not happen with out the dedication of a creative and dedicated educators supported by a school board that values innovation.

While the quality of an education is the result of hard working people, infrastructure, buildings, vehicles, equipment, are important too. After a great many difficult, yet productive conversations between the supervisors and school board, a contract was signed last week to build the new 700 student capacity Goochland Elementary School on Bulldog Way. The special relationship between these two boards is unique among jurisdictions in the Commonwealth. GCPS Superintendent Jeremy Raley, Ed. D. said that this facility will serve the citizens of Goochland well for the next sixty years. It is expected to open in August 2024 for the start of the 2024-25 school year.

Our division and students work hard to excel at all endeavors.

GHS Senior Josh Usry, the Cadet Executive Officer of the Marine Corps JR OTC Program, was nominated for the United Staes Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut.  He plans to major in political science and government. After completion of the four-year program Usry will be commissioned as an ensign in the Coast Guard and hopes to serve in the Coast Guard’s drug interdiction mission. The service academies are among the most elite institutions of higher learning in the country. Admission is highly competitive and based on merit alone. About 300 cadets are admitted each year from a field of thousands of applicants. This is the first in hopefully a long line, of GHS graduates that go on to attend one of these fine institutions.

Seniors Tyler Black and Haden Raley signed letters of intent to attend respectively, Division I colleges Wake Forest and William and Mary to continue their football careers as they pursue higher education.

Black, a kicker and punter for GHS, is ranked 19^th in the nation by Kohl’s Professional Football camps and earned state and regional honors for his football prowess. He is also a two-time state pole vault champion.

Raley is a four year letter winner and two time team captain. He lettered in basketball and has been on the academic honor roll for his entire high school career.

A further indication of the high standards of education in GCPS is its recent selection to the Virginia High School League fall sportsmanship honor roll. Integrity is a valuable component of good citizenship on and off the field.  

The Randolph Elementary School Lego Robotics team received state level recognition at a December competition.

These are a few of the many accolades GCPS collects on a regular basis. These include being recognized by the Virginia Department of Education as a “division of innovation”; all GCPS schools are Apple Schools of Distinction; and recognition of GHS as a Special Olympics unified champion.

Our school division is hiring. Job fairs will be held in person at GHS, 3250-A River Road West, Goochland 23063 on February 25 from 9-12 and virtually the week of March 6 at goochlandschools.org/jobs. Anyone interested can find out why “Goochland is the small division with the big reputation.”

Public education in Goochland is not a one size fits all proposition. Thanks to every member of Team Goochland who perseveres every day to teach our kids.