Attendance Matters
#GoGilmer #LoveMyWVSchool
As part of Red Ribbon Week, Mrs. Rhoades' 4th grade class celebrated the theme “Life is a Puzzle—Solve It Drug-Free!” by working together to solve puzzles and practice teamwork. 🧩❤️🚫 #GoGilmer #LoveMyWVSchool
🎶🧟♂️ It’s time to Monster Mash! 🧟♀️
Mrs. Moyers’ and Mrs. Louden's kindergarten class took a fun brain break to dance and move along to the Monster Mash! 👻💃🕺
Glenville State University, Gilmer County High School and Gilmer County Elementary School are working in collaboration to hold a county Veterans Assembly on Friday, November 7, 2025 at 9:30-11:00 a.m. at the GSU Waco Center. We would like to invite all Gilmer County Veterans to join us in honoring your service to our Country. A charcuterie brunch board created by Foodie Momma (compliments of United Bank of Glenville and Calhoun Banks) will be provided to Veterans in the Waco Center Vantage Box from 8:00-9:30 a.m. prior to the Assembly. Any Veteran wishing to attend can RSVP by calling GCHS at 304-462-7960 or emailing pknicely@k12.wv.us. We want to open the Assembly to the Gilmer County community to join in honoring our Veterans.
This year’s Guest Speaker will be Colonel Jonathan M. Townsend, United States Air Force. Colonel Townsend is the Director, Department of the Air Force Continuity of Operations, Secretary of the Air Force Office of Administrative and Management, Pentagon, Washington D.C. He is responsible for contingency planning, continuity training and crisis relocation for the Secretary of the Air Force, Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Chief of Space Operations, and key Headquarters of the Department of the Air Force personnel. He also oversees the daily operations, maintenance, and readiness of critical relocation sites and equipment in support of the Headquarters Department of the Air Force Continuity of Operations mission.
Colonel Townsend enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1998 and served as an Air Traffic Controller before earning his commission from Officer Training School in 2002. As a senior Airfield Operations Officer, he has served in various leadership and staff positions across five major commands as well as four deployments, in support of Operations ENDURING FREEDOM, IRAQI FREEDOM, and INHERENT RESOLVE. He commanded the 78th Operations Support Squadron at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, and the 441st Air Expeditionary Squadron at Kobani Landing Zone, Syria. Prior to his current assignment, Colonel Townsend studied at the Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, before serving as the Operational Training Infrastructure Plans and Policy Branch Chief, Directorate of Training and Readiness, Headquarters Air Force, Pentagon.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
* Bronze Star with one oak leaf cluster
* Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
* Air and Space Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters
* Air and Space Achievement Medal
* Meritorious Unit Award with one oak leaf cluster
* Air and Space Outstanding Unit Award with four oak leaf clusters
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
* Airman First Class – September 1998
* Senior Airman – January 2001
* Staff Sergeant – August 2002
* Second Lieutenant – December 2002
* First Lieutenant – December 2004
* Captain – December 2006
* Major – November 2012
* Lieutenant Colonel – September 2017
* Colonel – August 2023
Colonel Townsend is originally from Glenville, WV, and is a 1994 graduate of Gilmer County High School as well as a 1997 graduate of Glenville State College. He and his wife, Tara, who is also from Gilmer County, currently reside in Fairfax Station, VA, and are the parents of three daughters: Brenley, Madison and Brooke.
This year’s Guest Speaker will be Colonel Jonathan M. Townsend, United States Air Force. Colonel Townsend is the Director, Department of the Air Force Continuity of Operations, Secretary of the Air Force Office of Administrative and Management, Pentagon, Washington D.C. He is responsible for contingency planning, continuity training and crisis relocation for the Secretary of the Air Force, Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Chief of Space Operations, and key Headquarters of the Department of the Air Force personnel. He also oversees the daily operations, maintenance, and readiness of critical relocation sites and equipment in support of the Headquarters Department of the Air Force Continuity of Operations mission.
Colonel Townsend enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1998 and served as an Air Traffic Controller before earning his commission from Officer Training School in 2002. As a senior Airfield Operations Officer, he has served in various leadership and staff positions across five major commands as well as four deployments, in support of Operations ENDURING FREEDOM, IRAQI FREEDOM, and INHERENT RESOLVE. He commanded the 78th Operations Support Squadron at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, and the 441st Air Expeditionary Squadron at Kobani Landing Zone, Syria. Prior to his current assignment, Colonel Townsend studied at the Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, before serving as the Operational Training Infrastructure Plans and Policy Branch Chief, Directorate of Training and Readiness, Headquarters Air Force, Pentagon.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
* Bronze Star with one oak leaf cluster
* Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
* Air and Space Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters
* Air and Space Achievement Medal
* Meritorious Unit Award with one oak leaf cluster
* Air and Space Outstanding Unit Award with four oak leaf clusters
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
* Airman First Class – September 1998
* Senior Airman – January 2001
* Staff Sergeant – August 2002
* Second Lieutenant – December 2002
* First Lieutenant – December 2004
* Captain – December 2006
* Major – November 2012
* Lieutenant Colonel – September 2017
* Colonel – August 2023
Colonel Townsend is originally from Glenville, WV, and is a 1994 graduate of Gilmer County High School as well as a 1997 graduate of Glenville State College. He and his wife, Tara, who is also from Gilmer County, currently reside in Fairfax Station, VA, and are the parents of three daughters: Brenley, Madison and Brooke.
🎄 GCES Families! 🎄
Be on the lookout — Holiday Luncheon forms are coming home tonight in student folders/backpacks! 🥰
Please return the form by Friday, November 7th.
We can’t wait to celebrate the season with you!
#GoGilmer #LoveMyWVSchool
🐾GCES WILDCATS: Week At-A-Glance🐾.
It’s Red Ribbon Week at our elementary school! 🌟 We’re celebrating making healthy choices and saying NO to drugs. Check out the flyer for our fun Spirit Week dress-up days!
🌟At Gilmer County Elementary, we’re helping our youngest Wildcats build strong math skills through hands-on learning — and you can do it at home, too!
This short video shows simple ways to help your child practice counting, sorting, patterns, and problem-solving in everyday routines. Whether you’re cooking, playing, or cleaning up toys, there are easy ways to make math meaningful and fun.
👩👦 Try these strategies at home and watch your child’s confidence grow!
📹 Check out our video below to see these ideas in action.
https://youtube.com/shorts/9PiPVyVDiqc?feature=share
This short video shows simple ways to help your child practice counting, sorting, patterns, and problem-solving in everyday routines. Whether you’re cooking, playing, or cleaning up toys, there are easy ways to make math meaningful and fun.
👩👦 Try these strategies at home and watch your child’s confidence grow!
📹 Check out our video below to see these ideas in action.
https://youtube.com/shorts/9PiPVyVDiqc?feature=share
🧡 GCES Stands United Against Bullying! 🧡
Yesterday, our Wildcats celebrated Unity Day by wearing orange and joining together to promote kindness, acceptance, and inclusion.
A huge thank you to Mrs. Goodnight for organizing this meaningful event and reminding us that when we stand together, we can make a difference! #GoGilmer #LoveMyWVSchool
Yesterday, our Wildcats celebrated Unity Day by wearing orange and joining together to promote kindness, acceptance, and inclusion.
A huge thank you to Mrs. Goodnight for organizing this meaningful event and reminding us that when we stand together, we can make a difference! #GoGilmer #LoveMyWVSchool
🎻 JAM Returns 🎶
Our Wildcats are venturing into their second year of the Junior Appalachian Musicians (JAM) program! This unique opportunity allows students to learn traditional Appalachian string music by ear, connect with the cultural heritage of central West Virginia, and perform alongside local master musicians.
We’re proud to see our students carrying on the rich musical traditions of our region—one string at a time! #GoGilmer #LoveMyWVSchool
Our Wildcats are venturing into their second year of the Junior Appalachian Musicians (JAM) program! This unique opportunity allows students to learn traditional Appalachian string music by ear, connect with the cultural heritage of central West Virginia, and perform alongside local master musicians.
We’re proud to see our students carrying on the rich musical traditions of our region—one string at a time! #GoGilmer #LoveMyWVSchool
🎉 Way to go, Mrs. Moyers’ and Mrs. Loudin’s class kindergarten class🎉
They’ve earned a popcorn and movie party for hitting 💯% sixty times! 👏
Next goal: 100 streaks of perfection! 💪🍿🎬 #GoGilmer #LoveMyWVSchool
🎉 Way to go, Mrs. Moyers’ and Mrs. Loudin’s class kindergarten class🎉
They’ve earned a popcorn and movie party for hitting 💯% sixty times! 👏
Next goal: 100 streaks of perfection! 💪🍿🎬 #GoGilmer #LoveMyWVSchool
An Event Hosted by the Community Garden...
🏀 Wildcat Basketball Season is Almost Here! 🏀
We’re looking for 4th and 5th grade students to join our GCES Wildcat Basketball teams!
Players will be placed on co-ed teams, with 2–3 practices each week and games on Saturdays.
Students must maintain a C average or higher to participate, and a current sports physical (dated May 1, 2025 or later) is required before practicing.
If your child is interested, please return the basketball form by Friday, October 24 to receive the full packet of paperwork.
Let’s get ready for another great Wildcat season! 💙🐾🏀 #GoGilmer
Families of GCES, please note that we will be have a lockdown style drill taking place tomorrow, 10/23/2025. We hold school and student safety as our number 1 priority, and we appreciate your support.
🐾GCES Wildcats: Week At-A-Glance🐾
🎉 We’re proud to celebrate our September Award Winners! 🎉
Students were recognized for showing outstanding character (Responsibility), academic excellence, hard work, and achievements in band, art, and music — plus our Cleanest Room Awards!
Way to go, Wildcats! #GoGilmer #LoveMyWVSchool
🎃👻 Join us for GCES’s 5th Annual Boo Bash! 👻🎃
Get ready for a spooktacular evening of fun at Gilmer County Elementary School on Thursday, October 23rd from 4:30–7:00 PM!
There will be games, treats, and tons of Halloween fun for the whole family. 🎯🍬
Be sure to stop by the welcome station to pick up a wristband for your child so they can participate in all the free activities!
🕸️ Sponsored by Communities In Schools and the GCES PTO 🕸️
#GoGilmer #LoveMyWVSchool
📚 Mrs. Rhoades’ 4th Grade Readers Showcase Their Own Literature Fair Projects! ✨
Mrs. Rhoades’ fourth-grade reading classes at Gilmer County Elementary recently created their very own literature fair projects, inspired by some of their favorite stories — My Father’s Dragon, James and the Giant Peach, and Because of Winn-Dixie. Students worked in small groups to analyze story elements such as setting, plot, conflict, and theme, then brought their learning to life with colorful display boards and creative props. 🍊🐉🐶 Their hard work and attention to detail truly made these classic stories leap off the page! #GoGilmer #LoveMyWVSchool
Mrs. Rhoades’ fourth-grade reading classes at Gilmer County Elementary recently created their very own literature fair projects, inspired by some of their favorite stories — My Father’s Dragon, James and the Giant Peach, and Because of Winn-Dixie. Students worked in small groups to analyze story elements such as setting, plot, conflict, and theme, then brought their learning to life with colorful display boards and creative props. 🍊🐉🐶 Their hard work and attention to detail truly made these classic stories leap off the page! #GoGilmer #LoveMyWVSchool
🎉 October is National Principals Month! 🎉
We want to take a moment to recognize Mr. Price and Mrs. Hartshorn for their outstanding leadership at Gilmer County Elementary. Their dedication, encouragement, and commitment to our students and staff make GCES a wonderful place to learn and grow.
Thank you both for all you do each and every day to support our Wildcat family! #GoGilmer #LoveMyWVSchool
We want to take a moment to recognize Mr. Price and Mrs. Hartshorn for their outstanding leadership at Gilmer County Elementary. Their dedication, encouragement, and commitment to our students and staff make GCES a wonderful place to learn and grow.
Thank you both for all you do each and every day to support our Wildcat family! #GoGilmer #LoveMyWVSchool
What a beautiful sky over GCES this morning! 🌈 We think we’ve already found the pot of gold — right here with our Wildcats. #GoGilmer #LoveMyWVSchool
