October 9, 2024
Dozens of North Elementary School kindergarteners went on an exciting adventure right in their backyard as they got to meet and greet their local community helpers during a daylong field trip on Wednesday, October 9, 2024.
SEE MORE PHOTOS: PGCPS on Flickr
Just after 9:30 a.m., under crisp fall skies, six classes of North Elementary students and some parents arrived at the Prince George County Government Center along Courthouse Road to begin their exploration of a half-dozen buildings within and surrounding the complex. During the experience, each class visited the Prince George County branch of the Appomattox Regional Library System, the local post office, the Prince George County Police Department, Prince George County Volunteer Fire Department Company 1, Prince George County Courthouse, the Prince George Regional Heritage Center, and the Prince George County School Board Office. When each class arrived, they were greeted by the real-life community helpers the students learned about in class, including local police, mail carriers, firefighters, and others.
The students were able to meet a variety of Prince George County leaders, including Superintendent Dr. Wayne Lyle, Prince George County School Board members Jill A. Andrews and Michelle Crist, county sheriff R.W. “Buck” Vargo, circuit court clerk Hon. Joyce B. Jackson, and a variety of other staff across the seven different buildings they visited Wednesday.
During their visit to the Prince George County branch of the United States Postal Service, the office’s staff showed students how the mail reaches their house, and even Santa’s home, on a given day. Firefighters and police officers reminded students of helpful tips to stay safe, along with tours of their engines and squad vehicles, respectively. While at the library, students learned how checking out books worked and enjoyed a story time session, learned what it’s like to be a school board member, gavel and all, during their stop at the Prince George School Board Office.
The mid-week visit to the regional heritage center was a first for some of the kindergarteners as they experienced their first visit to a museum full of historic exhibits. Guided by their teachers and the museum educator Ann Easterling, the kindergarteners learned about the museum and what comprises a historic museum, highlighting the well-curated exhibits featuring a variety of artifacts, some dating hundreds of years.
This unique all-day experience was a fun outing and a significant educational opportunity for the young learners. It aligns with the Virginia Standards of Learning kindergarten objectives relating to community helpers. These lessons guide students as they learn about the individuals who help support their community's health, well-being, and safety. The field trip allowed the students to meet and learn about police officers, firefighters, teachers, and others they studied in class in recent days and weeks, enhancing their understanding and appreciation of these roles.
"Community Day is a fun and engaging way for our young students to learn about the men and women who support the community where they live," North Elementary School Principal Ms. Jennifer Rollings shared. "When you can create engaging experiences beyond the classroom that overlap with our Virginia Standards of Learning objectives and essential relationship and communication-skill building like we're able to do with Community Day, it creates great opportunities for our teachers to open the minds of their students further to learn about the world around them and become excited to know more about what's out there."
"I want to thank our parents, our North Elementary kindergarten team, Ms. Karlson, Ms. Rankin, Ms. Anderson, Ms. Bomba, Ms. Patterson, and Ms. Pompey, our parents who came along with their child’s class, and our community partners for supporting our children in this wonderfully memorable exploratory experience," Ms. Rollings closed.