Goochland Elementary School

🇺🇸 Today, many of our students and staff took part in Patriot Day activities, reflecting on the events of September 11 and honoring the heroes we will never forget. ❤️🤍💙

Earlier this morning, district leaders and school board members also participated in the 9/11 Ceremony hosted by Goochland County Fire-Rescue at Fire Station 5 to honor the lives lost and the courage of first responders.

We remember. We honor. We will never forget.

📚👮‍♂️ A special treat for our Kindergarteners today!
Officer Trey Carter, our amazing SRO, took time to share a story with our youngest learners. 💙

Building trust, kindness, and a love for reading — one page at a time! 🌟

#OtterPride #WeLoveReading #CommunityStrong

🚓🚒 Tonight, we had the privilege of recognizing two of our strongest partners—the Goochland County Sheriff’s Office and Goochland County Fire-Rescue.

Their dedication, expertise, and unwavering commitment to our schools help ensure that every student learns in a safe and secure environment. From being a visible presence in our buildings, to responding in moments of need, to collaborating with us on proactive safety initiatives—these teams go above and beyond for our community.

We are truly grateful for their service, leadership, and partnership. ❤️

🎉 Lodge Placements went home this week! If you’re unsure of your student's lodge, check with their teacher.

👕 PTA Lodge Shirts are on sale now: https://tinyurl.com/GESLodgePTA

📅 Orders due September 21, 2025!

The Goochland County School Board will hold its next regular meeting on September 9, 2025 at 5:30 p.m. at the Goochland County Administration Building (1800 Sandy Hook Road, Room 250). View the full agenda here: https://glnd.community.highbond.com/Portal/MeetingInformation.aspx?Org=Cal&Id=351
All are welcome to attend.

🤖🏺 The GES Robotics Team kicked off the FLL Unearthed season with an archaeological dig at Monticello! What an awesome way to start the year! 🔍⚙️ #GESRobotics #FLLUnearthed

🎥📰 Goochland Elementary’s Kid News team is keeping their school community informed and inspired every day with their student-led morning news show! This week, they welcomed a very special guest — our superintendent, Dr. Armstrong — who joined the broadcast to talk with students and share in the fun. We’re so proud of these young broadcasters for their creativity, confidence, and leadership on screen. Way to go, Otters! 🐾✨

Join Us for the 1st PTA Meeting of the Year! 🎉
📅 Tuesday, September 9
🕕 6:00 PM

Our PTA will host 3 Open General Meetings this year to share updates on events, volunteering, and budget. At this first meeting, we’ll:
✨ Welcome everyone back
✨ Review our brand-new Room Parent Program
✨ Share volunteer opportunities for our Halloween Family Event (Oct. 28)

💡 You do not have to be a PTA member to attend — we’d love to see everyone there!

#OtterNation #GoochlandElementary #PTAMeeting #GetInvolved

🌟 You are invited to join the GES PTA! 🌟
Click here to join today ➡️ https://goochlandelementarypta.givebacks.com/shop

Your membership helps put money right back into our school 💛—with no obligation for extra volunteering or financial contributions. Every membership makes a difference, and we are so grateful for your support! 🙌

Thank you for helping us make GES the best it can be! 💙

🎉 Birthday Reminder 🎉
At GES, we celebrate in safe and fun ways! Please remember—birthday treats should be non-food items only (think: fun pencils ✏️, stickers ⭐, erasers 🐾, small trinkets 🎁, or even a favorite book 📚 for the teacher to read aloud to the class). Sending nothing is okay too—your child will still be celebrated! 🦦💙

💧 Don’t forget your water bottle, Otters! Please send your student with a labeled water bottle each day. We have bottle refill stations throughout the building to keep everyone hydrated and ready to learn! 🦦✨

📸 Five schools. One incredible team!

After a fantastic first week, our staff are energized and ready to welcome students back on Monday. Here’s a look at the amazing teams from each of our five schools—thank you for all you do to make GCPS a place where students thrive! ❤️💛

🍎 Wondering what’s for lunch? 🥪 Our daily menu is always available on our school website! Check it out here: https://schools.mealviewer.com/school/GoochlandElementarySchool

🌟 Girls on the Run is back! 🌟
Registration is now open for girls in grades 3–5 to join this fun program that builds confidence, friendships, and fitness! https://tinyurl.com/GESGirlsontheRun 🏃‍♀️✨
💙 Don’t worry boys—your chance is coming later this year!

📱💻 Reminder Otter Families: The $20 iPad insurance fee for students in grades 3–5 is due! This fee helps cover accidental damage to school-issued devices.

👉 Pay online here: https://osp.osmsinc.com/Goochland/BVModules/CategoryTemplates/Detailed%20List%20with%20Properties/Category.aspx?categoryid=AQ004

Thank you for helping us keep devices ready for learning every day! 💙

🌊🐾 Our Otters are BACK! 🐾🌊
We’re so glad to have ALL of our Otters back in the building today. 💙 It’s been a great first day together, and we can’t wait to see how much we grow, learn, and shine this year! ✨ #GESOtters #OtterlyAmazing

🐾 Our youngest river otters are settling into school! They’re getting to know their teachers, making new friends, and starting their preschool adventures. We’re so proud of them already! 🦦💛 #GESOtters #PreschoolAdventures

📢 Staggered Start Reminder 📢
To help our youngest and newest learners get settled, we have a staggered start for the first two days of school:

📅 Monday, August 18
✅ First day for Preschool, Kindergarten, 6th grade, and 9th grade students ONLY

📅 Tuesday, August 19
✅ All students attend school

We can’t wait to see everyone back and ready for an amazing year!!

📚 Take a stroll through our StoryWalk in front of the school!
Then head inside to meet your 1st–5th grade teacher before 6:30 PM tonight — we can’t wait to see you! 🦦✨