LFK on Virginia First Lady’s tour of schools meeting COVID challenges

Pam Northam, the wife of Virginia Governor Ralph Northam, stopped by Warren County Public Schools Leslie Fox Keyser Elementary School on Friday, March 12, as part of a tour of Northern Shenandoah Valley schools. She was accompanied by Doctors Lane and Harris, of the Virginia Departments of Education and Health, respectively. She was greeted by LFK Principal Danelle Sperling and Assistant Principal Shamika McDonald and students sporting greeting signs. Also, on hand were WCPS Superintendent Chris Ballenger, Assistant Superintendent Melody Sheppard, and School Board member Jim Wells.

The first lady acknowledges her greeting. Below, having mingled with her student greeting line, Virginia First Lady Pam Northam is greeted to Front Royal’s Leslie Fox Keyser Elementary School by Principal Sperling, left, Asst. Principal McDonald, right, and other public-school officials. Royal Examiner Photos by Roger Bianchini

After a brief tour of the school, Mrs. Northam stopped in on the Pre-K classroom to read to students. According to county public school officials, Mrs. Northam’s visit was part of a tour to see how schools are meeting and overcoming challenges presented by the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic and social distancing guidelines mandated in the commonwealth by her husband to try and stem the spread of the highly contagious viral disease that has claimed over 527,000 lives nationwide in just over a year.

Of particular interest to the state visitors are schools that have successfully implemented a relatively high percentage of in-person learners during the trend to virtual instruction.

Let’s hit the book – Mrs. Northam in Pre-K classroom unveils her reading selection after a series of hints.

Mrs. Northam and her party arrived just before 11:30 a.m. after stops in Winchester and Frederick County. After lunch in downtown Front Royal, the Virginia First Lady’s party was slated to visit the 15th Street gymnasium and Valley Health’s Coronavirus vaccination center in the County Health & Human Services Complex before returning to Winchester and Handley High School.

See additional photos of the Commonwealth’s First Lady’s visit below:

Among those hints were bunny ears, because there is a bunny in the book, among other creatures.

Do we see a theme emerging here at the end of a week with temperatures in the 60s and 70s? But is Spring really here yet?

Mrs. Northam’s mask comes down momentarily, properly socially distanced from her class, to taste one of her topic clues – spring greens.

A kitty puppet helps Mrs. Northam introduce her reading material – cats like Spring temperatures too.

LFK – a NICE place to visit

Since their guests were running a tad late on way from Frederick County, LFK students and Principal Danelle Sperling, right, and Assistant Principal Shamika McDonald, left, practice their greeting of the First Lady’s party with help of photographer.