Staff at North River Elementary School, Augusta County Va

News Leader education reporter Megan Williams will be visiting all public schools in Staunton, Augusta County and Waynesboro over the next eight weeks. Follow her progress online at newsleader.com or on Twitter @NL_Learn.

MOUNT SOLON — North River Elementary School in Mount Solon is just a few miles from the Rockingham County line and about 25 minutes from Staunton. With only about 250 students, it's one of the county's smallest schools, but with an extremely tight community. It's not unusual for grandparents, parents and residents to frequent the school and recount tales of their time as students, said Principal Lori Cox.

What is now an elementary school, was once the county's first consolidated high school. Early in 1929 the Augusta County School Board decided it would be feasible and more practical to consolidate the small high schools in Parnassus, Towers, Spring Hill and Centerville into one centrally located, larger high school. North River became a junior high school in 1962 and finally in 1969 it became an elementary school. The school had a substantial renovation and expansion in 1999 but certain areas of the original school — including the cafeteria and second and third grade wing — are still standing.

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A tour of the school revealed many interesting facts about North River and the students and staff that it serves:

• About 15 percent of the student population are of Russian or Hispanic decent. The school has a full-time dedicated English Language Learner instructor.
• Lori Cox has been the principal at North River for four years. She's been in education in Augusta County for 26 years. She spent 10 years in central office but returned to the classroom because she missed the kids. During her time in central office she worked with Longwood University to train new librarians when the school division was facing a shortage. One of the librarians trained was Susan Senger who has been with the school now for 13 years.
• The North River Ruritan Club has been active in the school community since it became North River Elementary School. The club purchased the school's first 25 Chromebooks and charging cart — an expense of nearly $10,000.
• Two art teachers spent a year painting an extensive mural of the galaxy and Earth in the fourth and fifth grade hallway.
• North River is one five county elementary schools to offer free breakfast. About 70 percent of students take advantage of it.
• Cox is an avid "rockhound" and her office is covered in rocks, minerals and geodes that she's found and purchased over the years. Cox started the "you rock" award as an homage to her rock interests. Each day one or two students are recognized during morning announcements and they receive a certificate and a rock, and their name is added to a growing rock wall in the lobby of the school.
• Each year students give Cox candy hearts that say "you rock." She has them in an oyster shell in her office. Some are years old and fading.

Tomorrow Megan Williams will visit Berkeley Glenn Elementary School in Waynesboro.

Staff at North River Elementary School, Augusta County Va

Source: https://www.newsleader.com/story/news/local/2016/03/07/were-pretty-county-out-here-and-we-like-35in35/81437900/

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