Westwood Hills Elementary School will be closed on Friday, and then next Tuesday, after the Labor Day holiday, according to a release from Waynesboro Public Schools issued Thursday evening.
“In the coming days, we will share additional information with Westwood Hills families regarding the reopening of school on Wednesday, September 9, 2026,” read the release, which was issued under the signature of Ryan Barber, the assistant superintendent.
The other five schools in the city will operate on a normal schedule tomorrow and Tuesday, Barber noted in the release.
“Out of an abundance of caution, there will be an increased law enforcement presence at all Waynesboro Public Schools locations,” Barber said.
Per sources, a key factor in the decision to delay the reopening at Westwood Hills is concerns expressed by staff over safety, with one person telling us flat out that “teachers said they weren’t going.”
Which is understandable, on the parts of all, given what so many teachers and students saw and heard.
To that end, the release from the school system included a list of counseling supports that are being made available to the Westwood Hills community.
ARROW Project, Staunton
Details: free sessions, free group processing, trauma-informed, play-based narrative therapy
Contact: [email protected], 540-255-0972
Bloom & Belong Therapy LLC, Waynesboro
Details: free sessions, play therapy, trauma-informed
Contact: [email protected], 540-324-8787
Compass Behavioral Group, Waynesboro
Details: Sessions at no-cost, trauma-informed, play-based, parent support
Contact: Cynthia Leon, Psy.D., LCP, compassva.com, 434-269-0302
Cross Keys Equine Therapy, Port Republic
Details: free sessions, free group processing, trauma-focused, equine-assisted psychotherapy, nature-based therapy, EMDR
Contact: [email protected], 540-255-0903
Riverside Family Support, Harrisonburg
Details: EMDR, trauma-focused therapies
Contact: Carrie Landis, LCSW, riversidefamilysupport.com, 540-217-2311
Rockbridge Wellness Group LLC, Lexington
Details: free services for all impacted
Contact: Erica Wilson, LPC, rockbridgewellness.org, 540-572-0667
Shenandoah Creative Counseling for Children and Adolescents LLC, Waynesboro
Details: free sessions
Contact: 540-471-9022
Transcendia Healing Services, Staunton
Details: free sessions, group processing, first responders, trauma-informed, attachment-based, vicarious trauma, crisis intervention, acu-wellness for collective crisis response to reduce acute stress emotional trauma and agitation following disasters
Contact: Ashley Hallman, LPC, CCTP-II, [email protected], 540-416-1884
Valley Community Services Board, Staunton
Details: services in schools, EMDR and trauma-focused therapy, groups and individual support.
Contact: To schedule an assessment, call 540-887-3200. For more information about services, call Sarah Neilson, LPC, 540-213-7377
Wildly Rooted Counseling, Harrisonburg
Details: Openings Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday with interns at no charge. Trauma-informed
Contact: [email protected] or call 540-578-3691 and press 6 and leave a message.
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Chris Graham
