Sunday Greetings: November 8, 2026
Sunday Greetings
Here we go! We are flying into Q2 full steam with plenty of excitement! As we turn the page on the first quarter, we have so much to celebrate, so many opportunities ahead, and plenty of reasons to be grateful for the people who make Greenwood such a special place.
Congratulations!
Greenwood’s Teacher of the Year, Mr. Miles!
From his love and dedication to students to serving as our new teacher mentor and 1st Grade Department Chair, Mr. Miles makes Greenwood a better place every day. His students are thriving both socially and academically, which is a reflection of the positive, supportive classroom community he creates! Help us shower Mr. Miles with love by sending a congratulations email to stmiles@henrico.k12.va.us.
Greenwood’s New Teacher of the Year, Mr. Graham!
In his first year as a full-time ESL teacher, Mr. Graham is already making a tremendous impact on our Greenwood community. He is helping our students develop their English language skills, build confidence and a strong sense of belonging, connecting families with valuable resources and support, and equipping our teachers with strategies to better support multilingual learners. He also works tirelessly to celebrate students' cultures, honor their voices, and make sure every child feels seen, valued, and capable of success. Contact Mr. Graham at awgraham@henrico.k12.va.us.
Congratulations to our Christie Award Winner, Mrs. Hal, Greenwood’s school psychologist!
The Christie Award recognizes a member of the Henrico team whose contributions have been exemplary in serving students with disabilities and their families. Mrs. Hal is an incredible member of our Greenwood team who brings compassion, expertise, and a genuine passion for making a difference. She works tirelessly to support families, make the evaluation process as seamless as possible, identify students' individual strengths and needs, collaborate with teachers to develop meaningful supports, and advocate for students so they have every opportunity to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. She is kind, patient, knowledgeable, and always willing to go the extra mile. Her ability to build relationships, navigate challenging situations, and help families and staff find the best path forward makes her an invaluable part of our school community. Send Mrs. Hal a congratulations email at kmhal@henrico.k12.va.us.
Three incredible people making a difference in the lives of our Gators. We are lucky to have them!
This Week's Big 3
1️⃣ Can Collection
Greenwood's Annual Canned Food Drive continues through November 20! Donations will benefit our local community partners, including Hunton Baptist Church and Henrico Christmas Mother. The class collecting the most donations will earn the title of this year's Turkey King or Queen! Let's work together to make a difference for families in our community. Every can counts!
2️⃣ Spilling the Tea Recording
Missed our November 6 conversation? No worries! Click Here to listen to our deep dive into the action.
3️⃣ Veterans Day Assembly
Wednesday, November 11, we will come together as a Greenwood family to honor the brave men and women who have served our country. We are proud to live in the USA and grateful to those who have sacrificed so much to protect our freedoms.
This Week at Greenwood
Friendsgiving Reminders
Please take a moment to read your child's teacher's Friday communication from last week regarding our request for families to send in three variety packs of chips and cookies. Our hope is that every Gator will have the opportunity to grab a snack and enjoy our favorite luncheon on Tuesday, November 24! We are counting on our classrooms and families to help reach their donation goals during the upcoming week.
We also want to remind families that the deadline to order a Thanksgiving lunch for Tuesday, November 24, has passed. Our cafeteria manager is placing her food order this week. A huge thank-you to the 68 families who placed a request for this special meal! If you signed up, remember to bring your $5 to the cafeteria on the day of Friendsgiving. We appreciate everyone helping us make this a special day for our Gators. It's always better when we do it together!
Monday, November 9 - No School
Monday, November 9 - RCA Store Opens for Gratos Unity Day
Students can use their house points and coins to shop at the RCA Store and purchase items in preparation for our upcoming Gratos Unity Day!
Tuesday, November 10 - Q2 Clubs Begin
Our second-quarter clubs are officially underway! Please remember to have your Gator at their club location no later than 7:25 AM. We can't wait to see what our students explore and create this quarter!
Tuesday, November 10 - Field Day Chaperone Communication
A huge thank-you to all the families who signed up to chaperone Field Day on Monday, November 23! Our teachers will be reaching out to confirm their two selected chaperones. We do have several classrooms that did not receive a parent volunteer. Therefore, teachers will reach out directly to those homerooms on Tuesday to see if anyone is still interested. If you signed up but were not selected, teachers will keep you at the top of their list for our winter party chaperones on Friday, December 18. We appreciate everyone willing to jump in and help!
Wednesday, November 11 - Veterans Day Assembly
Greenwood will come together from 8:20–9:00 AM to honor and celebrate the brave men and women who have served our country. We are proud to live in the USA and incredibly grateful to those who help keep us safe. Thank you to all our veterans and their families!
Thursday, November 12 - Indoor Recess - RCA Store
Each grade level will have an opportunity to shop at the RCA Store, making sure all of our Gators have a chance to participate and use their house coins to purchase an item they can use at our pep rally on Tuesday, November 24!
Friday, November 13 - House Achievement Gator Games
We love celebrating our Gators for meeting their academic and behavior goals during lunch! This week, we will be playing an intense game of Rock, Paper, Scissors. House points are on the line! Best of all, we celebrate our students without losing any instructional time. That's a win-win!
Friday, November 13 – Q1 Report Card Distribution
Quarter 1 report cards are coming home!
Saturday - November 14 - PTA Spirit Night at Richmond Spiders Football Game
$5 per ticket goes back to the PTA. Tickets are only $17. Purchase tickets at www.gofevo.com/event/greenwoodelementary218Coming Up
Monday - November 16 - House Happenings Week
Each class will get together with its Buddy Classroom to complete a special activity bringing the meaning and culture behind House Gratos to life. These partnerships give our older students the opportunity to lead, encourage, and serve as role models while our younger Gators build friendships and learn from students they look up to. These relationships are about more than one activity. They help create connections across grade levels, strengthen our sense of belonging, and remind everyone that we are one Greenwood family!
Friday, November 20 - READtoRUN Mentorship
We are excited to welcome our community partners back to Greenwood to motivate our 5th grade students as they read our One School, One Book selection. Mentorship gives students the opportunity to build relationships with positive role models, develop confidence, and see how the skills they practice today can open doors tomorrow. We are grateful for our community partners who continue to invest in our Gators!
Friday, November 20 - Character Trait Award Ceremony - Grateful
We look forward to celebrating students who demonstrate our Gator value of gratitude each day. Our ceremony will begin at 7:20 AM and will be livestreamed into all classrooms. Celebrating our five school values gives students something meaningful to work toward, reinforces the character we want to see throughout Greenwood, and reminds us that who we are is just as important as what we accomplish!
Friday, November 20 - House Achievement Gator Games
Another exciting lunch experience where our students can earn house points by winning a table game! Students will once again have open seating for this special lunch event. We hope our House Achievement celebrations are something your Gators look forward to each week. Celebrating growth, building friendships, and having a little fun along the way!
Friday, November 20 - RCA Store Closes
Don't miss the opportunity to use your house coins to purchase an item your child can use at our pep rally on Tuesday, November 24!
Final Thought
As we head into Q2, I want to challenge all of us to keep looking for opportunities to recognize the good in others. Send the email congratulating a teacher. Thank someone who made your day easier. Hit the appreciate button on your child's teacher's Friday communication or leave a positive comment. Open the House app and take a few minutes to read the positive comments about your child. Celebrate a student who takes a risk, tries something new, or steps outside their comfort zone. Give Greenwood a 5-star rating on Facebook and leave a positive comment so our community knows just how awesome our school is every day. Encourage someone who needs a little extra support. Celebrate the little victories that sometimes go unnoticed.
Never underestimate the power of a few positive words. Sometimes, the smallest gestures make the biggest difference in someone's day. Let's make Q2 a quarter where we go out of our way to lift one another up!
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