Accomack County SRO's

🍎 Teacher Appreciation Week 🍎

This week, we want to recognize and thank all of the incredible teachers we work with throughout our Accomack County public schools.

Whether we are teaching D.A.R.E. lessons in your classrooms, working alongside you in school buildings as School Resource Officers, helping with events, or simply supporting students together day to day, your dedication and hard work do not go unnoticed.

Teachers play a vital role in shaping the lives of young people, and they make our jobs easier every single day. The relationships, teamwork, and support we receive from school staff are a huge part of what makes our programs successful.

To all of our teachers, thank you for your patience, leadership, compassion, and commitment to the students of Accomack County. We truly could not do what we do without you.

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week! 🍎

D.A.R.E. Graduation Season is here, and D.A.R.E. Day is coming!

Our Accomack County students have worked hard over the past several months learning important lessons about good decision making, responsibility, peer pressure, and living safe and healthy lives through the D.A.R.E. program.

Families are invited and encouraged to attend our D.A.R.E. graduations as we celebrate our graduating 5th grade students. During each graduation ceremony, essay awards will be presented, and guests will hear the first place D.A.R.E. essays from each class.

📍 Chincoteague Elementary
🗓 May 14, 2026
⏰ 2:00 PM

📍 Kegotank Elementary
🗓 May 15, 2026
⏰ 2:00 PM

📍 Pungoteague Elementary
🗓 May 20, 2026
⏰ 9:00 AM

Official invitations will be sent home with students this week.

☀️ D.A.R.E. Day ☀️

D.A.R.E. Day for graduating students will be held on May 27, 2026, with a rain date of May 29, 2026.

Please note that D.A.R.E. Day activities are for D.A.R.E. graduates only. We appreciate everyone’s understanding as we work to provide a safe and organized event experience for all participating students.

Lunch, water, and Gatorade will be provided for students attending D.A.R.E. Day.

Parents are reminded that:
• No phones are permitted during D.A.R.E. Day activities in accordance with school rules and Virginia law
• Students should wear weather appropriate clothing
• Sunscreen is strongly recommended

We are proud of all of our D.A.R.E. graduates and look forward to celebrating with our students and families!

The Accomack County D.A.R.E. Program Food Drive is officially underway, and Metompkin Elementary has come out swinging 💪

They’ve already filled their barrels so fast that they had to be emptied and reset. That’s the kind of energy and community spirit we love to see.

Metompkin students, staff, and families are setting the bar high and showing what it means to give back and take care of our community.

Now the question is… who’s next?

Other schools, it’s your turn. Let’s see who can match or beat Metompkin’s momentum. Every can, every box, every donation makes a difference for families right here in Accomack County.

Last day to drop off donations is May 20th. Let’s finish strong.

This morning, our trained K-9 units conducted routine drug detection searches at Nandua Middle School and Arcadia High School as part of our ongoing school safety efforts. In addition to the searches, deputies provided an educational opportunity for students at Arcadia High School, demonstrating how our K-9 teams are trained and explaining the important role they play in keeping schools safe.

We value our strong partnership with Accomack County Public Schools and will continue working together to promote a safe, positive environment throughout our community.

🚨 D.A.R.E. FOOD DRIVE CHALLENGE IS ON! 🚨

The Accomack County Sheriff’s Office School Resource Officers are proud to kick off a county-wide D.A.R.E. Food Drive Competition across all elementary schools!

🥫 Barrels will be delivered THIS WEEK — get ready to start collecting!

🏆 THE CHALLENGE:
Each school will compete to collect the most food to help families in our community.
👉 Donations will be WEIGHED
👉 The TOP 3 SCHOOLS WIN TROPHIES
👉 And of course… BRAGGING RIGHTS!

📅 IMPORTANT DATES:
• Last day to donate: May 20
• Donations will be collected: May 21

💥 This is your chance to show what your school is made of! Clean out those cabinets, bring in non-perishable food items, and help your school rise to the top.

❤️ Most importantly, every item donated helps support families right here in our community.

Let’s make this BIG. Let’s make it FUN.
Let’s see which school comes out on top!

🚗 Day 5: Teen Driving & Fatigue

When we talk about teen driver safety, we often think about speed, distractions, or seatbelts.

But there’s another major risk that often gets overlooked:

👉 Driving while tired

⚠️ Why it matters:

Drowsy driving can:

Slow reaction time
Reduce awareness
Affect decision-making

In fact, being extremely tired can impair driving similar to alcohol.

Teens are already at higher risk behind the wheel,and lack of sleep makes it even more dangerous.

📊 What the research shows:

Drowsy driving is responsible for thousands of crashes each year, and young drivers are among the most affected.

💡 What families can do:
• Make sleep a priority, especially before driving
• Watch for signs of fatigue (yawning, drifting, slow reactions)
• Set expectations about safe driving habits
• Encourage teens to speak up if they’re too tired to drive

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Parents: Don’t just ask if your teen is ready to drive. Ask if they’re well-rested
🧒 Teens: If you’re tired, don’t drive. It’s not worth the risk

📊 Learn more from the CDC:
https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/features/drowsy-driving.html

Getting enough sleep isn’t just about school, it can save lives 💙

🚔 TRAINING NOTICE 🚔

This week, local law enforcement and first responders are conducting emergency response training for active shooter situations at Arcadia High School.

We would like to thank Accomack County Public Schools for allowing us to use their facilities. Partnerships like this are essential in helping us prepare for real world situations.

This type of training is critical to ensure that law enforcement and first responders are ready to respond effectively to protect our community in the event of an emergency.

You may notice an increased presence of emergency vehicles in the area during this time. This is only a training exercise, and there is no cause for concern.

We appreciate the continued support from our community as we work to stay prepared and keep everyone safe.

🧠 Day 4: Sleep & Mental Health

Sleep doesn’t just affect how tired kids feel—it plays a major role in their mental and emotional health.

When kids and teens don’t get enough sleep, they are more likely to:

Feel anxious or overwhelmed
Experience mood swings and irritability
Struggle with stress
Show signs of depression

📊 What the research shows:

Children and teens who don’t get enough sleep are at higher risk for poor mental health, emotional difficulties, and behavior problems.

💡 What families can do:
• Keep a consistent sleep schedule
• Limit screen time before bed
• Create a calm, predictable bedtime routine
• Pay attention to changes in mood and sleep

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Parents: Sleep is one of the most powerful tools for your child’s mental health
🧒 Kids & Teens: Better sleep helps you handle stress, emotions, and everyday challenges

📊 Learn more from the CDC:
https://www.cdc.gov/physical-activity-education/staying-healthy/sleep.html

Good sleep supports a healthy mind, not just a rested body 💙

📱 Day 3: Phones in the Bedroom

One of the biggest reasons kids and teens aren’t getting enough sleep?

👉 Phones in the bedroom at night

Even when kids say they’re going to sleep, phones often lead to:

Late-night scrolling
Texting and group chats
Gaming or social media

⚠️ What the research shows:

Using phones and screens near bedtime is linked to poorer sleep quality, less total sleep, and more daytime tiredness.

Screen exposure at night can also:

Delay falling asleep
Reduce sleep quality
Keep the brain more alert when it should be winding down

And the light from screens can interfere with the body’s sleep cycle by affecting melatonin (the hormone that helps you fall asleep).

💡 What families can do:
• Keep phones out of bedrooms at night
• Set a “phone cutoff” time
• Create a central charging spot
• Encourage 30–60 minutes of screen-free time before bed

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Parents: What happens at night matters more than you think
🧒 Kids & Teens: Better sleep = better mood, focus, and energy

📊 Learn more (research-based):
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5839336/

Small changes at night can make a big difference during the day 💙

🚨 BIG NEWS FROM YOUR SROs 🚨

We’re excited to announce that your School Resource Officers have made a BIG decision. We recognize that students and staff could really use a well-deserved break, so…

🎉 ALL Accomack County Public School students are getting the REST OF THE WEEK OFF… ON US! 🎉

No classes
No homework
No alarms

Just relax and enjoy 😎







😏 April Fools!

(…but seriously, it is Spring Break — so enjoy it and stay safe!)

— Your SROs 👮‍♂️👮‍♀️