Bucknell Elementary School

Our Early Childhood Montessori students are digging into science as they begin their study of the Rock Cycle! This week, students explored rocks they collected and transformed them into colorful works of art through rock painting.

But the learning doesn’t stop there! Over the coming weeks, students will investigate the different types of rocks, discover how rocks change over time, and add new elements to their projects as they deepen their understanding of the rock cycle.

Hands-on learning, creativity, and scientific discovery all in one lesson… just another example of how our young Bulldogs learn by exploring the world around them!

🫧✨ We’re BUBBLING into the long weekend at Bucknell STEAM! ✨🫧

Today our young scientists explored the power of surface tension and discovered how adding sugar to a bubble solution changes the way bubbles form, stretch, and move! Students experimented with creating bubbles inside of bubbles while learning how scientists use observation, problem-solving, and curiosity to investigate the world around them. 🔬💡

There were LOTS of “wait… HOW did that happen?!” moments today 💙

Hands-on learning + teamwork + creativity = the perfect way to launch into a long weekend!🎉

💙🐾 A huge THANK YOU to everyone who helped make Running is Elementary such a special experience for our Bulldogs! 🏃🏾‍♂️🏅

Events like this take a village, and we are so grateful for the incredible staff and family support that helped our students shine both on and off the track.

A special thank you to:
✨ Ms. Jones, 4th Grade Teacher
✨ Mr. Hargrove, PE Teacher
✨ Family volunteers Ms. Glisson and Mr. Chever

Thank you for your time, encouragement, organization, and support throughout the season and during the meets. Your dedication helped create an unforgettable experience for our students!

We also want to give a big thank you to Ms. McDaniels for providing shirts and snacks for our students. The Bulldogs looked amazing and felt supported every step of the way! 💙🐾

And thank you to Mr. Glisson for capturing so many great moments from the event through photos! 📸

We are so proud of the teamwork, school spirit, and community support

🏅 Running is Elementary is always one of the highlights of the year for our Bulldogs! 🐾💙

Over the past several weeks, Bucknell students have been training and preparing for the opportunity to compete against other elementary schools across the West Potomac Pyramid in this exciting annual track meet experience. From sprint races and relays to long jump events, our students had the chance to learn more about the sport of track and field while building confidence, perseverance, and teamwork along the way.

With separate meets for our primary and upper grade students, Bulldogs of all ages had the opportunity to step up to the starting line, challenge themselves, and create lasting memories. One of the best parts of the experience was watching students push past their comfort zones, stay focused on the finish line, and give their all in every event. Whether they won, cheered on teammates during a relay, or simply found the courage to race, we were so proud of the determination, heart, and sportsmanship they showed throughout the meet.

We loved seeing students encourage one another every step of the way, celebrate accomplishments, and build friendships across the pyramid. Whether on the track, at the long jump pit, or cheering from the sidelines, our Bulldogs represented Bucknell with pride and true Bulldog spirit. 💙

We are so proud of every Bulldog who participated and gave it their all from start to finish! 🏁

Last week, we celebrated Staff Appreciation Week at Bucknell Elementary School, and what a special week it was! 💙🐾

At Bucknell, the relationships between our staff and students are at the heart of everything we do. Every day, our teachers and staff lead with love, hold students to high academic standards, and create classrooms where children feel supported, challenged, and celebrated. The joy, care, and commitment they bring to our school community is evident the moment you walk through our doors… it’s a vibe everyone can feel. Our staff deserve all the celebrations 🎉

A huge thank you to the Fairfax County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and the Bucknell PTA for showering our staff with love throughout the week through the delicious continental breakfast and coffee bar treats. Your partnership and generosity mean so much to our school community

Thank you as well to all of our Bucknell families who participated, sent notes, gifts, and helped make our staff feel appreciated all week long. Our staff felt the love, and we are grateful for a community that always shows up for one another 💙

One of the sweetest surprises of the week was welcoming back one of our former kindergarten teachers, Ms. Stevenson, for a visit. What a treat to have her back at Bucknell and a reminder that once you are part of the Bucknell family, you are always part of the Bucknell family. 💙 .s_____

Today Bucknell celebrated our 5th Annual Chalk It Up hosted by our amazing PTA!

Students, families, and staff came together for an afternoon filled with colorful sidewalk chalk art, music, free popsicles, delicious food from El Paso, and so many smiles 💙🤍

While the chalk drawings were beautiful, the best part of the evening was the laughter, conversations, dancing, and time spent together as a school community. Events like this remind us that Bucknell is so much more than a school …we are a family.

Thank you to our PTA for continuing to create opportunities that bring our community together 🎉

Today we celebrated someone very special at Bucknell… our Head Night Custodian, Mr. John 💙🐾

While today was his last day at Bucknell due to a well-deserved promotion, we could not let him leave without showing just how much he means to our school community. From the moment he joined Bucknell, Mr. John made an immediate impact. His professionalism, kindness, and positive spirit could be felt by everyone - staff, students, and families.

And if you know Mr. John… you KNOW he loves to dance 🎉From salsa to bachata to merengue, the front lobby was filled with music, laughter, and dancing as we sent him off in true Bucknell spirit. It was beautiful watching students from PreK through 6th grade come together with hugs, autograph signing, dancing, and so much love for someone who has poured so much into our school. Every single child at Bucknell loves Mr. John, and today that love was in full effect.

Mr. John, thank you for caring for our building and for caring even more for the people inside of it. Your impact at Bucknell is undeniable, and while we will miss you tremendously, we are beyond proud of you and excited for this next chapter.

Once a Bulldog, always a Bulldog 💙

Last night, Bucknell Elementary came alive for an unforgettable Heritage Night! It was an evening filled with excitement, laughter, and meaningful connections. 💙

Families, students, and staff came together to celebrate the rich cultures that make our school so special. From delicious foods to engaging activities and shared traditions, every corner of the gym told a story.

One of the highlights? Our students LOVED traveling the world right here at Bucknell… passport in hand, collecting stamps from each country they visited 🌎 With maps to guide their journey, they explored with pride and joy.

It was more than just an event. It was a powerful reminder of who we are. A community that celebrates, uplifts, and learns from one another

Thank you to everyone who helped make the night so special. This is community. This is Bucknell.

This week, we celebrated the creativity, talent, and imagination of our Bucknell artists!

Our West Potomac Pyramid Art Show was an incredible success! It was packed with students, families, and beautiful artwork from across our pyramid. It was truly an amazing celebration of student voice and creativity in our community 💙

Back at school, our artists got hands-on during art class by designing and decorating birdhouses as part of our Get2Green initiatives. From bold colors to thoughtful designs, our students are using art to care for the environment and make a difference🌿

We also loved seeing some of our Montessori students create beautiful artwork in class in celebration of Earth Day, highlighting their creativity and care for our planet 🌎

And another HUGE congratulations to our very own 4th grader, Sebastian Pedroza Nares, for being recognized in Washington, DC as a winner of the Metro Earth Day Art Contest! 🚌🎉 He had the exciting opportunity to see his artwork displayed on an actual Metro bus and meet other young artists! This was such an unforgettable experience!

Kudos to our art teacher Ms. Parnell for making magic happen each day! This is what it looks like to Build. Empower. Succeed.
💙

Spring clubs are officially in full swing at Bucknell ES! 🎉 From Tuesday through Thursday, our Bulldogs have so many amazing options to explore, create, and grow after school.

Our Garden Club is blooming with over 30 students 🌱 and they’ve been hard at work designing their perfect gardens! Students spent time measuring, studying, sketching, and dreaming …bringing their ideas to life with creativity and purpose. 🌷

Even more impressive, our young gardeners are thinking like environmental stewards by highlighting the importance of native plants and pollinators to help attract bees 🐝 and butterflies 🦋

This is what hands-on learning looks like at Bucknell…curious minds, growing ideas, and a whole lot of joy. 💙