| Martin Luther King, Jr. Day – This weekend, Richmond is honoring Dr. King's legacy with lots of great events and volunteer opportunities. Check out the flyers below for more information. Please note that the events at RPS schools on January 19 will be livestreamed to classrooms so all students can watch. And don't forget, all schools and offices are closed on Monday, January 17.
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| COVID-19 Community and Staff Town Hall – At 6 pm this Sunday, January 16, School Board Chair, Dr. Shonda Harris-Muhammed, and Vice-Chair, Ms. Kenya Gibson, will be hosting a Community and Staff Town Hall about the current COVID-19 surge. You can join via Zoom or phone using the information provided below.
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| 2022-23 Open Enrollment Applications – The deadline for families to submit open enrollment applications for the 2022-23 school year is Tuesday, February 1, at 4:30 pm. Students can apply to up to 3 out-of-zone schools, plus Patrick Henry School of Science and Arts, if eligible, via the lottery. Please note that we will not accept late applications for any reason. Please plan accordingly. Visit our website for more information!
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| With great appreciation,
Jason
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- I'd like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the central office staff who have filled in for our T. C. Boushall teachers since we've been back from break, especially Christie-Jo Adams, Judy Deichman, Diane Flemming and Lynn Plevich. Your commitment to our scholars does not go unnoticed. We appreciate you!!!
- I'd like to shout out Ms. Simpson, who has come in mid-year to teach our scholars dance at T. C. Boushall Middle School. She has fit right in as one of the TCB family. She has everyone up and moving, and every time I walk by, the students are having so much fun – even I want to get up and dance! Thank you, Ms. Simpson, for your enthusiasm!
- I would like to give a huge shout-out to the principals at Henderson Middle School: Mr. London, Mr. Eley, Ms. Mccloud, and Mr. Parker. They are so awesome. The cafeteria was short on staff, and they jumped in to help serve lunches. I also would like to recognize Mrs. Hanley for all that she does for the students at Henderson! What teamwork!
- I would like to shout out our awesome principals at T.C. Boushall MS! Every day I see fantastic things happening at Boushall and it is due to their leadership. Thank you, Principal Waller, Assistant Principal Dr. Aldridge, and Assistant Principal Ms. Kenneth.
- Shout out to Principal David Peck and Assistant Principal Nicole Gross! We are grateful for all they do to make Chimborazo ES the best school in the district. It has been a very challenging year and having their support and leadership has made a positive difference. Thank you!
- I want to share a huge shout-out to our administration at Henderson Middle School. Principal London, Assistant Principal McCloud, Assistant Principal Eley, and Assistant Principal Parker are the best of the best. They do so much on a daily basis and are always ready to support. It is a great feeling to know I have them in my corner as a teacher!
- Shoutout to the Henderson administration. Today, the kitchen was short-staffed and, Ms. Hanley, the cafeteria manager, shared that she needed help. Within an hour, all three of the assistant principals, Ms. McCloud, Mr. Parker and Mr. Eley, rolled up their sleeves and jumped right in to save the day. This was truly leadership at its best – when a leader can jump in and help out no matter what the task may be. The most rewarding moment was when the students came to lunch and saw the principals serving them their lunch. The students were excited and asking all kinds of questions. Thanks again to Mr. Antoine London and his administration team for all of the love displayed today.
- I'm writing to shout out our wonderful administrators at Broad Rock Elementary. Mrs. Teya Green, Mrs. Rebecca Petrey, and Mrs. Lisa Williams are an amazing trio who lead with love in a fun and fearless fashion. They've supported us at every turn during these often chaotic times, and it's clear how devoted they are to our students. They rock - whoop whoop!
- Woodville Elementary would like to say congratulations to Nurse Smith on her promotion. Nurse Smith has been great to work with during these challenging times of navigating Covid-19. We will miss her at Woodville, but we wish her the best! She’s forever a Woodville Bear!
- A big shout out to Brenna Crawford, our fabulous art teacher at Ginter Park Elementary School. Thank you for always being supportive, not only of our students, but of me. You never say no, wait, or I don't have time. I'm not sure where I'd be without you on our team. Thanks for being you!!
- Shout out to the amazing faculty and staff of Ginter Park Elementary School. Every day you demonstrate passion and purpose in all that you do. Our students are blessed to have you as educators. You continue to be resilient, encouraging, and supportive during this very difficult and stressful time. I acknowledge, appreciate, and value your hard work. Thank you for always rising to the challenge!!!
- I would like to give a shout to Ms. Waller, principal of Boushall MS. She has been passionate and supportive to our scholars and staff at a time that is challenging to us. She listens to her staff and is open to different ideas. She offers great feedback and leads with grace. Thanks for your ability to provide strong leadership and guidance.
- The School Counseling Department and School Social Worker from Boushall Middle School would like to shout out Principal Waller for being amazing and Eagle Excellent every single day. Thank you, Principal Waller, for all of your hard work and dedication to our staff, scholars and school community. You are truly an inspiration to us all!
- Sending a huge shout-out to the Transition Mentor Team! Thank you, Kaitlynn Rollins, Darlene Slade, Selina Wilson, and Karen Young, for supporting the students and staff members at Henderson Middle School. Your contribution to the district is invaluable. Thanks for all you do!
- Is there a better principal than my own? I doubt it. She is here for our scholars 360 degrees. I have seen her go over and way beyond the call of duty in these last several months dealing with staff, scholars, parents, and central office, and has done so with grace and a loving heart. I would truly like to shout out to Principal Latonya Waller at Boushall Middle School. RPS and Boushall are lucky to have her and her caring spirit.
- I would like to give a huge a thank you to Lily Mirjahangiri for her love and dedication to Richmond Public Schools. She works effortlessly to support the LIEP team. Richmond Public Schools is blessed to have her.
- An enormous shout out to the Exceptional Education Transition Mentor Teachers for being so gracious and willing to support another school that had many absences today. Each of them dropped everything at a moment's notice and jumped right in! They all served RPS with an extra bit of love today! Thank you to Darlene Slade of Huguenot High School, Kaitlynn Rollins of Armstrong High School, Karen Young of George Wythe High School, and Selina Wilson of John Marshall High School. You ladies are greatly appreciated!
- Nurse Kathryn Beaton at MLK Jr. Preschool rocks. She not only makes sure our children and staff are healthy and safe but she participates in all of our activities. Thank you so much, Nurse Beaton, for being so special and caring.
- Chrystal Hartsfield, principal at MLK Jr. Preschool, is so attentive and supportive of her children and staff. She is the calming force during the storms that may come. Thank you for everything that you do for us, Ms. Hartsfield. Happy Principal's Week!!!!!!
- Shout out to Mrs. Waller of team Boushall for her resilience and pride at T.C. Boushall Middle School.
- Shout out to Principal Gordon of Oak Grove-Bellemeade Elementary School for his positive attitude and incredible energy each day to assist our students and teachers. He starts out with greeting all colleagues, then monitors bus and car drop-offs. He is also present at afternoon parent pick-up. Principal Gordon shows such grace and understanding to parents with concerns; he lets each student know they are loved and can succeed. Thanks, Principal Gordon, for your leadership each and every day!
- I'd like to applaud Principal Waller at Boushall Middle School! Not only is she caring and considerate to our students, but our staff as well. Ms. Waller is an amazing mentor and I appreciate all she does each day! I'm so thankful to have a leader like her as a principal! She is the epitome of #EagleExcellence!
- I am a new teacher and I would like to shout out my principal Ms. Waller at Thomas C. Boushall and her administration for always not only keeping our school safe but also never hesitating to jump in and support our teachers! They have truly helped my first year feel like I made the right decision to career change into teaching.
- A huge thanks to Luke Hostetter who has helped with the division’s COVID response efforts in many behind-the-scenes way (his ability to create systems to make workflows more efficient and pull/examine data is truly unmatched). Thank you, Luke!!
- Testing can be a tough and tedious process, but thanks to Felecia Artis, we were able to get our sessions entered in early and correctly! We are set and ready to go and only because of the expertise and patience that Ms. Artis was able to provide. Kudos, Ms. Artis – John Marshall HS appreciates you!
- There are many things that can be said about Principal Monica Murray of John Marshall HS, as she is simply phenomenal. She has made this very stressful time (Covid & test preparation), so much easier to deal with by just being compassionate, supportive and appreciative of her staff. Testing planning has been smooth as Principal Murray has jumped in to assist and even complete many tasks herself. We are truly fortunate to have such an astonishing person to lead our family here at the Joy and Pride of Northside.
- I would like to give a shout out to Sonya Shaw, principal at Miles Jones Elementary, for providing the leadership and direction we need during a very stressful school year. Thank you, Mrs. Shaw!!
- We have the best principal in Richmond Public Schools. Principal Murray values her staff and students and it is evident in how she always goes above and beyond the call of duty. We love and appreciate your undenying commitment to the students and staff of the Joy and Pride of Northisde!
- I would like to send a shout out to Principal Monica Murray at John Marshall High School. Principal Murray builds leaders among her staff and students, reminds the Jayem family how much they are loved daily, and does it all with a smile. It is always inspiring to see her leadership in action. We appreciate you for all you do, Principal Murray!
- The testing team at John Marshall HS wants to give kudos to Felicia Artis for providing superb customer service. She is the consummate professional and is always willing to help when needed.
- Ms. Freeman is an outstanding member of the John B. Cary ES family. She goes to great lengths to sanitize and keep care of our classrooms as she knows this is one way we can protect and support our students and staff. She goes above and beyond to help our students, finding them cups to use at the water fountain, talking to them everyday! We are so lucky to have such a humble and hard worker in our school!
- Ms. Letitia Johnson is willing to help out however, whenever, and wherever she can. She pops into my classroom regularly to ask what she can do to help and if I need anything. She truly makes John B. Cary a better place - thanks for all you do, Ms. Johnson!
- Mrs Jody Campbell is definitely the glue that holds J.B. Fisher ES together everyday. It's truly a pleasure to work with Mrs. Jody Campbell!!! Congratulations, Mrs.Campbell!!!
- Shout outs to Mr. Lomax and Ms. Watson, our care and safety officers at Lucille Brown Middle School! We have the kindest and most down-to-earth individuals keeping students and staff safe! They work hard every day getting kids off and on the bus, making sure kids are getting to class on time, helping teachers when things get rough and de-escalating situations that are high energy. We love you both! Thank you for all that you do!
- Shout out to our janitorial staff who are stretched thin! They have been doing their best to keep up with their regular duties. Our janitors are awesome people. A few of them have been at Lucille Brown for a long time. We appreciate them so much and feel their pain. We love you!
- I'd like to give a huge shout-out to Principal Ivy at Albert H. Hill Middle School. She is always present in the halls, making sure her staff feels supported and the students feel her presence. She truly leads with love and always has her door open. She is a constant beacon of light and joy and brings that into the school with her every day. I am so grateful to be a Tiger and have her as our leader!
- This shout out is for the amazing team at Barack Obama Elementary School for the prayers, support, acts of kindness and love during my time of bereavement. Special thank you to Ms. Jacqueline Drye, Mrs. Thomas-Moore, Mrs. Duncan and Ms. Thomas for stepping in to support the staff. Barack Obama Elementary School is a special place because the BOES family (the faculty and staff) makes it so!
- The entire custodial team at John B. Cary ES is phenomenal. I want to especially thank Mr. Kenny and Mr. Davis for their willingness to always be helping hands. We appreciate you!
- Happy Virginia School Principals Appreciation Week to Principal Powell at Cary Elementary School! We appreciate your unwavering commitment to the mission and vision at JBC. Thank you for your leadership.
- This shout out goes to Principal Dabney at MLK Middle School for her professionalism and leadership traits. She is a pleasure to work with.
- This shout out goes to Nurse Scales at MLK Middle School for all she does to keep us safe. Thanks for your hard work, Nurse Scales!
- I'd like to give a shout out to Crystal Hartsfield, the principal of Martin Luther King, Jr. Preschool. Last week, we watched together as a child returned to the school after break and enthusiastically announced, "This is a new year!" Principal Hartsfield's reply was equally enthusiastic, "Yes it is! And have a great day!" She turned to me as they rounded the corner and commented, "Preschoolers are amazing!" This is the attitude she brings to her work every day. She supports the staff to provide a nurturing learning environment for all the amazing preschoolers.
- I can’t let this week go by without a shoutout to Mrs. Holeman at Overby-Sheppard ES. She epitomizes leading with love and grace, and her leadership has had a profound impact on how welcoming it is to be a member of Hive Nation. In addition, our assistant principal, Mr. Samuels, greets us with a smile every morning and helps us all get through the difficult transition our kid has at drop-off. And I can’t let a shout-out go by without calling out Ms. Foster who comes out every day to be a buddy to our kid and help him get his day started.
- Shout out to Mrs. Tobe for all she does for the students at Summer Hill Preschool Center. Happy Virginia Principal Appreciation Week.
- Shout out to Principal Sonya Shaw at Miles Jones Elementary! We are grateful for her leadership and how she goes above and beyond for the students! She is supportive and cares deeply for our boys and girls. The staff and students are extremely appreciative of all she does for our school!
- I would like to shout out Principal Wright and Assistant Principal Mrs. Henderson at Fairfield Court Elementary, thank you both for your hard work and dedication to the students and the staff. Thank you for the measures you take everyday to help keep the students and staff safe. Thank you, Principal Wright, for changing the narrative at Fairfield, we are #missionpossible.
- I want to shout out the elective team leader Mrs. Gonzalez! She is a superwoman! She is out right now due to illness and we miss her tremendously. Ms Gonzalez does it all! She teaches two classes at the same time, leads our team, checks in all the text books for every department, and makes sure her students get the most out of her Spanish classes. She even makes custom masks and shirts for colleagues! Lucille Brown MS isn't the same without her, but we are holding things down until she is better! We love you, Mrs. G!
- Another shout out to Ms. Crump! As long as I have known Ms. Crump, I have seen her put her heart and soul into her students. She was a long-term Spanish sub and stayed late grading and making sure students had everything they needed, parents were updated, and the classroom was cozy and calm. Now she is in charge of the restorative room and has created a zen space. You can find her every morning greeting students and making sure everyone is abiding by COVID standards. She is kind, genuine and loved by all. Thanks for being you, Ms. Crump!
- Mrs. Scott and Ms. Diaz!!!!! You ladies are amazing!!!! These ladies handle an enormous workload at school. They are helping students, teachers, admin, and behind the scenes, they are even advocating for teachers through the REA! We are so lucky to have you here at Lucille Brown MS! Thank you!
- I would like to shout out Principal Ryan of J.L. Francis Elementary School. In the midst of ever changing COVID protocols, she handles situations calmly and with incredible diligence. I truly believe that she is trying her best to keep staff, students, and parents calm and informed of information.
- I would like to give a shout out to Ms. Bibby and Ms. Darby. After school hours, Ms Bibby, Linwood Holton's Math Coach, has given of her time and expertise to support Linwood Holton's newest team member, Ms. Darby. Ms. Darby's energy, passion, and enthusiasm as a kindergarten teacher is such a joy to have at our school.
- Kudos to Nurse Alicia Thomas at Linwood Holton. This week, she has navigated the consistently changing Covid protocols to answer the many questions from staff and parents. She has done so with such professionalism and patience.
- A big shout out to the first, second, and third grade teams at G.H. Reid for being so welcoming and supportive to substitute teachers. Everyone I asked was more than willing to lend me a book, offer curricular advice and suggestions, and help me out with the schedule. Sorry if we invaded your playground zone :). Thanks to Mr. Gavier for the AV support and to Ms. Delaney for leading such a welcoming and supportive school.
- A tremendous shout out to Na-Keisha White, Candiece, and every member of our nursing teams at schools. These individuals are the front line support of our COVID response – whether it’s daily contact tracing or answering questions from staff, students, and families about COVID. And they do all this above and beyond the normal ways they ensure the health of our students every day in school. Nursing team – you are more than amazing and we can’t thank you enough!
- Sending a three cheer shout out to our Talent Office COVID response team – Donita Jackson, Michael Bourne, Dan Nelson, Sahdee Watkins, and Betty Stephens. These remarkable folks are the ones following up with staff members regarding their COVID status and getting staff members' leave squared away so they can focus on rest/being well. Thanks to each of them for getting everything set for everyone behind the scenes!
- Many, many thanks to Deborah Jones who leads our substitute teacher/staff efforts. During this recent COVID surge, with an unprecedented numbers of absences, Deborah has worked tirelessly to help get subs and coverage set up. You are appreciated, Deborah!
- A huge thanks to Maria Hardwick and Rachel Mines who each week organize our division level PPE distribution at Arthur Ashe. Because of their efforts, schools have all the PPE they need to keep staff and students safe. Couldn’t do it without you, Maria and Rachel!
- Big congratulations to Meredith Hertel, art Teacher at G. H Reid Elementary, for recently becoming a National Board Certified Teacher! Congratulations!
- Sending this shout out in tribute to Principal Waller of Boushall Middle School for her dedication to the staff and students. Last but not least, this is to acknowledge her outstanding leadership and ability to motivate her staff to achieve greatness.
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| R.E.B. Awards for Teaching Excellence – Don't miss the opportunity to nominate your teacher for the R.E.B. Awards for Teaching Excellence. Award winners receive grants up to $15,000 to support any professional learning adventure they wish to pursue, anywhere in the world! Nominations are open until February 22.
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| Vaccination Clinics – Please see the flyers below for updated information about our school-based vaccination events. Though Omicron is causing more breakthrough cases, the risk of serious disease in vaccinated individuals appears to be very low. So please make sure to get vaccinated if you haven't already done so!
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| In-Home Vaccination – The Richmond City Health District is offering to bring vaccinations to your home if you can't get to a clinic (amazing!). See the flyers below for more information.
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| Testing Site at Richmond Raceway – The Richmond Raceway is serving as one of the state's COVID-19 Community Testing Centers (CTC). To make an appointment, click here and enter zip code 23222. The CTC operates at Gate 7, 4690 Carolina Avenue, and is open Saturdays - Tuesdays, from 9 am - 6 pm.
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| Important Links – Last updated on December 15, 2021.
RPS Links
COVID-19 Links
Crisis Support Links
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