Tuesday, November 22, 2022
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Dear #RPSStrong Family,
Happy Thanksgiving Break! Tonight's updates:
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| Calendar Reminder – All RPS schools and offices will be closed tomorrow, November 23, through Friday, November 25, for Thanksgiving Break. You can view the 2022-23 calendar to see all upcoming holidays.
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| Free Thanksgiving Meals – If you need a little help with your Thanksgiving meal this year, please take note of the options below:
- Branch's Baptist Church – Pick up a Thanksgiving meal on Thursday, November 24, from 12 pm - 5 pm, at 3400 Broad Rock Boulevard. Call (804) 276-5000 for more information.
- UGRC / Black Pride RVA – Gather for a meal at Diversity Richmond on Thursday, November 24, from 12:30 pm - 3:30 pm, at 1407 Sherwood Avenue.
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| River City Food Drive – Sending a big shout-out to the members of the National Junior Honor Society at River City MS who collected and donated 400 pounds of food to Feed More yesterday. What a way to #ServeWithLove!
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| Thanksgiving Baskets for RPS Custodians – Southside Baptist Ministries spent the day hand-delivering Thanksgiving baskets to 15 RPS custodians in honor of the incredible work they do to support our schools. Thank you so much to Southside Baptist Ministries, our custodial services manager, Mary Gresham, and our community partnerships coordinator, Grady Hart, for making this happen!
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| Thanksgiving Celebrations Around RPS! – The short week was filled with celebrations, feasts, and gratitude – from Fairfield Court ES welcoming over 60 families for a meal, to a spaghetti dinner at Henry Marsh ES, to fun crafts at Barack Obama ES!
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| Finally, I said "flood" my inbox with shout-outs – and flood you did! Thank you for sharing so many beautiful messages of appreciation for the RPS family.
I, too, want to express my profound gratitude to our teachers, principals, APs, bus drivers, nurses, custodians, nutrition staff, counselors, social workers, librarians, related service providers, instructional assistants, care and safety associates, central office staff – and so many others – who give their heart and soul to RPS every day. We are profoundly grateful to you and wish you a peaceful Thanksgiving filled with light and love.
With great appreciation,
Jason
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- Hats off to Principal Mitchum and the entire faculty and staff at the Richmond Technical Center for hosting the Recognition Celebration of Outstanding Students on Friday. Also, cheers to Ms. Thompson of RTC and her extraordinary team for hosting the planning event for the STEM Parents Advisory Board on Saturday morning. The Governor's School STEM Program is alive and well at RTC!
- Joyce Callahan at Henry Marsh is a wonderful person. If I bring any situation to her, she automatically comes back with, “No problem, what do you need? We will get it done!" She is an exceptional person and always helps with anything to improve the School Nutrition Service Department! Every department needs a Joyce Callahan!!
- Chimborazo ES hosted an amazing Thanksgiving dinner for all of our families and staff. Thank you to Chrissy Valentine for all of her hard work in putting this together; as well as for her time and talents in the kitchen spent on the event. It was wonderful and came together flawlessly!
- Shout-out to Oak Grove-Bellemeade Principal Smith, Brittany Wilkins, office staff, Dr. Joyce Otey, and our admin support team for a wonderful staff Thanksgiving celebration! The food, fellowship, and fun was truly appreciated.
- Shout-out to Mr. Sanford and Mr. Darnell Williams at Oak Grove-Bellemeade, who both support bus duty daily with friendly goodbye smiles for our students and handle any problems with ease. We see you and appreciate your help.
- Happy, happy shout-out to the kindergarten team at Mary Munford Elementary School for truly understanding the youngest members of this caring community! They see the learning happening inside, outside & upside down. An extra sparkly blast of gratitude to Mrs. Jones for really, truly knowing how to help with big feelings! You are all treasured!
- Shout-out to the Richmond Virtual Academy Teacher of the Year, Ms. A. Winning. Ms. Winning is a selfless, quiet hard worker who deserves this award! Way to go, Winning! Hoot Hoot! Mr. J. Baber, Ms. Winning, Mrs. Janacone, Dr. Barnes-Robinson, Mrs. Terry, Teacher Carreras, Coach Woolridge, Ms. Woodson, Ms. Hamilton, Dr. Otey, Ms. Braxton, Mrs. V. Carter, Mrs. McGann, Mrs. Davis, Ms. D. Winston, Ms. S. Pillard, Dr. Cyndi Robinson, Ms. Copeland, Ms. Schilling, Ms. Woolridge, and Mr. P. Laurenz of RVA. This team, along with other team members, are amazing! Each one of them continues to step in wherever they are needed with no questions asked!
- Shout-out to Mr. D. Gail at MLK! Thank you for all that you do! Hoot Hoot!
- Shout-out to Mrs. A. Davis at RVA! You are appreciated! Continue to support our scholars as you have always done! Ms. S. Pillard and the homebound heroes at RVA! Keep doing the necessary work to get the job done! You are appreciated! Shout-out to all stakeholders in RPS that continue to put their best foot forward for our scholars! Enjoy your time off! Shout-out to Ms. Coleman at RVA! Thank you, Ms. Coleman for all that you do and are doing to support the scholars! Dr. Otey at RVA for being an "owl"standing Kindergarten teacher! Way to go, Dr. Otey! Mrs. McGann at RVA for being an "owl"some first grade teacher! Thank you, Mrs. McGann! Dr. Barnes-Robinson and Mrs. Woodson at RVA for providing "owl"cellent instruction to RVA 2nd graders! Way to go! Mrs. Janacone and Mr. Baber of RVA for being "owl"solutely the best third grade teacher duo in RVA! Hoot Hoot! Shout-out to the magnificent RVA fourth grade team...Mrs. Davis and Ms. Gordon and the incredible fifth grade teacher at RVA, Mrs. Terry! Thank you! Shout-out to the "owl"standing middle school teachers at RVA...Ms. K. Jones, Mrs. A. Winning, and Mr. D. Mistler! Thank you!
- Shout-out to all stakeholders and partners of RVA! Thank you for your support! You all are "owl"mazing! Shout-out to all bus drivers, nutrition staff, office associates, maintenance workers, instructional assistants, OTs, PTs, SLPs, interpreters, and custodians! Thank you for your service! Hoot Hoot!
- Shout-out to Principal Hartsfield of Martin Luther King Jr Preschool. She is here in the morning to greet us with enthusiasm, "We're going to have a great day!" She is here as we are leaving with gratitude, "Thank you for all you do!" She has a patient, grounded and loving way with our children, even those in great distress. She supports the school to be a community with a big heart.
- Ms Smith, principal of Oak Grove-Bellemeade Elementary, is an asset to the school by displaying excellent leadership skills.
- Mallory DeWind, speech-language pathologist, is not recognized enough for the work she does at multiple locations across the district. She is amazing at her job, commits to each student she works with, and still finds time to lend a hand (or an ear) whenever someone is in need. Thank you for everything you do, every day!
- Shout-out to the teachers at Henry Marsh Elementary for doing all they can to get their students to come to school every day. I heard lots of teachers in the bus loop yesterday reminding students that we did have school today and we want to see them there!
- Shout-out to Ms. Jennings at Miles Jones ES! She has a special way to connect with her students and is making an incredible difference in their lives! You are appreciated, Ms. Jennings!
- I was recently tasked with leading the effort to replace two damaged slides that are part of our playground structure at Holton...Throughout this process, we experienced some issues with the contractor, related to general customer service as well as timing on labor and parts. In the middle of my efforts, I reached out to Bobby Hathaway for assistance. He was extremely helpful and pleasant to work with. He was available by phone and email (and text!) and was quite responsive. At one point, the slides mistakenly got delivered to the school and Bobby sent a team to ensure they were secured in a safe area (they were supposed to be delivered to the installer). He coordinated this with very little notice all the while being so positive and helpful! I am grateful he partnered with me on this and provided us much-needed support!!
- Shout-out to the Chimborazo teachers, staff, and East End community partners for an incredible Thanksgiving dinner! I’m in awe of the staff and volunteers who chose to give their time and energy during this busy holiday week to put on such a generous event. It was a gift!
- Shout-out to Principal Jones and AP Allen-Miller at Woodville ES for leading our school with excellence, love, and dedication.
- Super shout-out to Dr. Williams and Mr. Owens from Overby-Sheppard. We have two new students with significant special needs. They have welcomed them and provided support, encouragement, and modeling to the children as well as Mom. Mom has been excited when showing what she's learned and using visual cues with her children. It truly is amazing to watch!!
- During this month of Thanksgiving, the Overby-Sheppard staff and students would like the world to know how grateful we are for our principal, Mrs. Shayla Holeman. We are taking this month to celebrate her. Mrs. Holeman, we see all that you do every day. You are loved and appreciated. You deserved your own month of celebration. We love you.
- My daughter and I are so thankful for Ms. Wilson, 2nd grade teacher at Holton Elementary. She took time out of her busy schedule to make a special Thanksgiving slide presentation for her students. Each student has their own slide with a sweet message showing how she is thankful for them. This is something that they will each treasure for a lifetime. We are thankful for your love and dedication, Ms. Wilson!!!
- I would like to give a big shout-out to my friends and colleagues at Blackwell Preschool Center. We are a special close-knit family. We get to school at 6:45 am and leave at 5:30pm just to be ready to give that smile, a hug to our students, and a word of encouragement to their families. No matter what is going on in our personal lives, as teachers, we manage to drop it at the door and some of us in the parking lot, to give 110% of ourselves each day. Now if that is not dedication then what is it? I am ending this shout-out with a praise not only to the Blackwell Preschool Team but to all teachers of RPS. If nobody told you today you are doing an amazing, excellent, and awesome job, thank you for what you do each and every day.
- On behalf of 1708 Gallery and the InLight Team, I would like to thank Ms. Barnes, Ms. Bacon, and Ms. Johnson (now at MLK Middle) for meeting with 1708 last spring and encouraging our vision to engage middle school students in creating an artwork for InLight, 1708's free annual exhibition of light-based art. And I would like to thank Ms. McCloud for shepherding it along this summer and fall. We are honored to work with Henderson MS for the pilot year of InLight InSchool and were excited to present the participating students' artworks last weekend at InLight in Bryan Park.
- Grateful shout-out to all the Oak-Grove Bellemeade staff who organized and set up the Thanksgiving Potluck event! We all work so diligently to help our students, so it was wonderful to gather for fellowship, food, and fun amongst the staff. All dishes were amazing – no counting calories for that meal! Thanks to all who prepared delicious food. I wish my OGBES colleagues a restful and rejuvenating break.
- Shout-out to Ms. Phipps at Blackwell Preschool for working so hard and taking the lead in her class! Shout-out to Ms. Taylor at for being such a great help to others! Shout-out to Ms. Odom-Winston for being such a team player! Shout-out to the dismissal teamfor working so diligently and ensuring the safety of students! Shout-out to Ms. Thomas for being such a great lead! Shout-out to Ms. A. Wilson in the ECSE classroom for supporting the General Ed classes and giving so many great tips! Shout-out to Raven Archer for supporting all classes and being such a great help! Shout-out to Ms. Lashley for her kindness and help! Shout-out to Ms. Simmons for working so hard to plan field trips for the teachers! Shout-out to Ms. Gilbert-Greene for being awesome! Shout-out to Ms. Tisdale for being so supportive to her fellow colleagues! Shout-out to Mr. Taylor for being a great team player – whenever we need help, we can count on him to support! Shout-out to the encore team – they are amazing and the kids always enjoy their activities! Shout-out to Principal Dr. Probst, Ms. Boldin, and Ms. McClaine for all of their support to staff! We appreciate you all! Shout-out to the entire Blackwell Preschool staff for being amazing and working so hard each day!! I would like to shout-out Ms. Thomas for all of her hard work with the staff newsletter and for assisting the new teachers on staff! Shout-out to Ms. Antoinette Wilson for everything you do here at Blackwell Preschool. Thank you!
- This shout-out goes to Samara Booker for co-facilitating our math coaches meeting with so much knowledge and expertise. Her presence and professionalism were right on time. She is always ready to support and coach anyone and everyone around the three C's (communication/relationships, collaboration, and content) and more. Thank you for the last-minute assist.
- Huge shout-out to our CIS team at Boushall Middle School, Ms. Taylor Bono and Ms. Hannah Martin. The amount of love, dedication, and commitment they show to our scholars daily does not go unnoticed. They never miss an opportunity to give our scholars support, encouragement, and a safe space to reset if needed. Thank you, Bono and Martin, for demonstrating Eagle Excellence!
- Shout out to Blackwell Pre-School Center!! You all are the best co-workers!!
- This shout-out is for Ms. Julien and Ms. Adams at Blackwell Preschool! Their thoughtfulness, care, and generosity turned a very hot day into a pleasant one. The staff at Blackwell PreK is amazing, but these two ladies along with their counterparts turned my day around!
- This shout-out is to Fairfield Court Elementary School staff! Thank you for working as a team to impact our students on the academic, behavioral and physical health levels. It truly takes a village to support everyone!
- Shout-out to Kari Teagno, Holton PTA President, for opening the door to become partners with Fairfield Court Elementary School. We are excited about the amazing things we have planned to support the whole child and our Fairfield Court Community!
- Shout-out to Luke who monitors the Enroll RPS email account! His responses to our questions have been so prompt and so kind.
- Shout-out to the encore team at Cardinal Elementary for all of their hard work. They always pull together to ensure that every student receives the most equitable and thorough instruction possible. They totally rock and are the epitome of a team that does what is needed and always makes things work!
- Special thanks to the staff and parents for participating in today's special Thanksgiving lunch at Linwood Holton Intensive Support Class, Room 102.
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| 2023-24 School Applications – The application window for families to submit open enrollment, specialty school, and governor’s school applications for the 2023-24 school year is now open via the Enroll RPS Portal. Students may apply for:
- Any specialty school for which they are eligible (specialty schools include Franklin Military Academy, Open High School, Richmond Community High School, Governor’s STEM Academy at Richmond Technical Center, and the IB Diploma Programme at Thomas Jefferson High School (for rising 11th-grade students))
- Out-of-zone schools via the open enrollment lottery (maximum of three school choices)
- Patrick Henry School of Science and Arts (charter school) via a separate open enrollment lottery (if eligible)
- Appomattox Regional Governor’s School and/or Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School (the application for CodeRVA is managed separately by that school)
A few important notes:
- Families will have until 4:30 pm on December 1, 2022, to submit specialty and governor’s school applications, and until 4:30 pm on February 1, 2023, to submit open enrollment applications.
- We unfortunately cannot accept late applications for any reason. Please plan accordingly.
- As long as your application is submitted before the deadline, the timing of your submission will have no impact on the outcome.
- For more information, visit our website or email enrollrps@rvaschools.net if you have additional questions.
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| Mindfulness Opportunity for RPS Staff – The Innerwork Center is offering another series of free mindfulness courses exclusively for RPS staff beginning December 6. See the flyer for additional information and register today!
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| Important Links – Last updated on November 14, 2022.
RPS Links
COVID-19 Links
Crisis Support Links
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