WHEREAS, Moneta Elementary School of Bedford County Public Schools, which serves the community by creating a fun and enriching learning environment in which young people may challenge themselves and thrive, celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2020; and

WHEREAS, Moneta Elementary School started in 1963 after the consolidation of area high schools; the school was formally established seven years later following the completion of a 12-unit, one-story building that had capacity for up to 300 students; and

WHEREAS, Moneta Elementary School initially served grades one through seven and added a kindergarten program in 1973; the upper grades were gradually transferred after the opening of the Staunton River Annex in 1979 and its transition to Staunton River Middle School in 1989, and the school today serves students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade; and

WHEREAS, Moneta Elementary School added a gymnasium and playground in 1992 to promote the health and fitness of its students; eight years later, a pavilion and additional playground equipment were built with support from the Moneta Lions Club and the Bedford County Parks and Recreation Department; and

WHEREAS, since 1989, Moneta Elementary School has offered a preschool Head Start program with support from the Lynchburg Community Action Group, Inc., and federal funds; in 2004, Moneta Elementary School also began providing a preschool program for four-year-olds that was made possible through the Virginia Department of Education's Virginia Preschool Initiative; and

WHEREAS, the teachers of Moneta Elementary School, many of whom have served at the school for more than two decades or are alumni of the school themselves, work tirelessly every day to encourage their students to succeed both in and out of the classroom; and

WHEREAS, staff and students at Moneta Elementary School have risen to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, embracing social distancing and other public health strategies to ensure the safety and well-being of the entire community; and

WHEREAS, with its motto "50 Years and Counting," students and staff at Moneta Elementary School are celebrating the historic anniversary with numerous events and activities, including spirit days and a "Moneta Through the Years" slideshow that is published on the school's webpage; and

WHEREAS, the 50th anniversary of Moneta Elementary School provides students, staff, alumni, and residents of Moneta with the opportunity to reflect on the important role the school has played in fostering the area's close and vibrant community; and

WHEREAS, by greatly contributing to the educational, social, personal, and professional development of countless individuals, Moneta Elementary School has helped make the County of Bedford a wonderful place to live, work, and raise a family; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend Moneta Elementary School on the occasion of its 50th anniversary; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Kevin Spaulding, principal of Moneta Elementary School, as an expression of the General Assembly's high esteem for the school's history and innumerable contributions to the Commonwealth.