|
Dear #RPSStrong Family,
Tonight's updates:
| |
| Arts in Our Schools Spotlight – Many thanks to art teacher Brenna Crawford from Ginter Park ES for sharing her reflections us with us on Tuesday. In today's story, we're sharing a few highlights from the 2023 RPS Fine Arts Festival. This past Saturday we had over 1,000 pieces of art on display from students in every grade. Visitors were also treated to performances from our All-City Elementary Band, All-City Elementary Orchestra, All-City Elementary Chorus, All-City Harp Ensemble, and All-City Marching Band. It was such a joy to be back in-person and we're already looking forward to next year. Check out some of the masterpieces below!
| |
| BGCMR Summer Camp – The Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Richmond is offering a 20% discount for families who enroll in summer camp by tomorrow, March 17. Enrollment is open to students in grades 3 through 12. Age requirements, program hours, and enrollment fees vary by location. For details, please visit the BGCMR website.
| |
| Math & Science Scholarship – The Council of Great City Schools is currently accepting applications for the Bernard Harris Math & Science Scholarship. A total of four $5,000 scholarships will be awarded to two African American and two Hispanic seniors interested in STEM. The deadline to apply is April 10!
| |
| VCU Summer Camp in Philosophy – Is your student interested in asking big questions, learning more about new perspectives, and seeing the world in a different way? Students in grades 9 through 12 are invited to attend the VCU Summer Camp in Philosophy, June 26 - 30, on the VCU campus. To register, just scan the QR code below with your phone's camera.
| |
| With great appreciation,
Jason
| |
|
- I would like to welcome back our amazing 3rd grade teacher, Mrs. Gambriel, at Broad Rock Elementary. While she was out, my student was struggling in math, but since her return he is back on track. His confidence was low during her absence and his report card reflected such. He came home one day and in conversation said he wasn't good at math and it's his least favorite subject. Mrs. Gambriel has been back in the class for about 2 weeks and it shows. He has scored great on all of his quizzes, he knows his techniques, and has regained his love for math. I am so thankful for her teaching style, her ability to grasp his attention, and for making math fun, positive, and rewarding for him again. Thank you, Mrs. Gambriel, and thank you, RPS, for providing us with loving and passionate teachers. The influence of a great teacher can never be erased.
- Note of gratitude for Armoni Johnson, CIS coordinator at Henry Marsh ES, and our newest team member Nzinga Williams, for being such a source of positivity at Henry Marsh ES. Armoni is highly organized and is always looking for ways to improve the support provided to the incredible students, staff and families of HMES. Armoni truly goes above and beyond for her school!
- Shout-out to Cameron Korb, CIS coordinator at Woodville, for stepping in mid-year to a new school and hitting the ground running! Cameron is a natural social worker, always looking for the best possible solution for her students.
- Shout-out to Suzy Blevins, CIS coordinator at Fairfield Court! Suzy is a talented clinician, always keeping students and their families at the center. She takes her time with each student to make sure they feel seen and heard, and works hard to collaborate with the rest of the FCES support team to really lift up the entire Fairfield community.
- Ashley Edmonds, CIS coordinator at Blackwell, has shown great adaptability and flexibility this year and we are so proud of her! Shout-out to Mrs. Edmonds for always having a smile on her face!
- Shout-out to Bridgette Brown, CIS coordinator at Oak Grove. Recently she intervened with a student and family in crisis and actually sat with them through the night to make sure they got the care they needed. Bridgette is empathetic, funny, and always there to lend a hand to those in need.
- Big shout-out to Mary Valenza, CIS coordinator at Oak Grove, for serving and leading with love for eight years in the OGBES community! She advocates for the students there with everything she has and we are so grateful.
- The administrative team at Cardinal Elementary School, consisting of Juvenal Abrego Meneses, Baylan Smith, and Katrina Holmes, are helping Cardinal kids soar by teaching them reading and math. It's the first time that I have seen school administrators teaching kids multiple times a day leading up to SOLs. They believe that kids can fly here at Cardinal Elementary School.
- Shout-out to our admin team at Huguenot High School – Principal Robert Gilstrap, AP Dr. Sheila Hines, AP Melissa Wyche and last but not least, AP Dr. Michael Massa. Thank you for the support you provide, not only to our students and parents, but also to the staff. Your hard work, dedication, and perseverance do not go unnoticed.
- Shout-out to Huguenot High School’s care and safety team. You may be small in number, but the support you provide is enormous. Officer Ruffin, we appreciate all that you do. Your presence makes a huge difference in the climate of our building.
- I would like to shout-out Hallway B at Summer Hill Preschool Center! Hallway B works collectively to get things done. I have never seen a team more dedicated to supporting each other. They operate as a cohesive unit to conquer unique day-to-day challenges, and ensure the safety of all students. They always have each other’s backs. They are the standard of what effective collaboration and support should look like. Way to go, Hallway B!!!!
- Shout-out to the 4th grade team at Bellevue who showed up to support their students in the Fine Arts Festival this past weekend!
- Shout-out to Blake Mogel, CIS coordinator at Fox, for her incredible small group work with students. She shows her enthusiasm for supporting students every day through creating a safe and loving environment for them to express themselves!
- Kudos to Ricky Reese, CIS coordinator at Chimborazo, for so many things! A few weeks ago he took half of his school to see the VA Black Opera perform at the Main Library as part of a whole month of Black History offerings. He gives his whole heart and soul to Chimborazo and we really appreciate him!
- Shout-out to Ms. Chamblin, Ms. Michael, Mr. Godsey, Mr. LaPradd, and Ms. Wood at Patrick Henry. They are such kind and engaging teachers, who show patience, care and a sense of humor for my sweet kindergarten dude every morning.
- Shout-out to Shams Hamid, CIS coordinator at Bellevue, who is all in for kids every day. She models grace, kindness, and optimism for her students and we're so proud of her!
- Shout-out to Sydney Capito, CIS coordinator at G.H. Reid, for being such a bright light for all of us, but especially for the students and families she serves. She teaches her students mindfulness, breathing techniques, and how to be present in the moment. Truly, she's the embodiment of leading with love.
- Lindsay Wilson, CIS coordinator at Westover, is the queen of systems! Somehow she has more time in the day than the rest of us and she spends it running SEL small groups and making sure the students and families at WHES have everything they need to be successful.
- Shout-out all of the amazing staff at Linwood Holton Elementary for all of their hard work throughout the year. The teachers are passionate, kind, and invested in building kids who will grow to be strong individuals with a love for learning. They keep learning fun by keeping students engaged and it means so much. We are a proud family of the Lion community because of the care and positive energy they bring every day!
- Shout-out to an extraordinary Amelia Street School teacher, Ethel Velasquez, who has recently published her first book. Ms. Velasquez shares her story of love and loss of her beloved dog, Simon. This is a beautifully written book dedicated to his life and a wonderful tool that promotes social emotional learning.
- Huge shout-out to Ms. Anne Wendel, MLK's reading interventionist. She goes above and beyond for our students. Students in her class consistently show growth, which directly reflects her hard work and dedication. I appreciate you, Ms. Wendel!
| |
| AP Study Sessions – This spring, we're excited to bring back the High 5 Dreams AP Institute – Saturday study sessions with our partners at the National Math & Science Initiative! See the flyer below for information, and please encourage AP students to sign up as soon as possible.
| |
| 2023-24 Preschool & Kindergarten Enrollment – Preschool and kindergarten enrollment is now open! We're thrilled to offer preschool for eligible 3 and 4-year olds, and kindergarten for all 5-year-olds living in Richmond. Please note: if your student is currently enrolled at an RPS preschool, they will still need to register for kindergarten. For more information, please email enrollrps@rvaschools.net.
| |
| MYA 2023 – Apply now for the 2023 Mayor's Youth Academy Summer Work-Based Learning program. This 6-week experience is for Richmond residents, ages 14-24, interested in career exploration, relationship building, and leadership development – all while getting paid! For more information, please call (804) 646-7933 or email MayorsYouthAcademy@rva.gov.
| |
|
Important Links – Last updated on March 16, 2023.
RPS Links
Crisis Support Links
| |
|
|
|
