| Thursday, November 10, 2022
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Dear #RPSStrong Family,
Tonight's updates:
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| Armstrong and TJ Football – Looking for some Thursday night lights? Support the Armstrong HS and Thomas Jefferson HS football teams at their upcoming games TONIGHT! Armstrong is at Virginia State University (tickets here) and TJ is at Huguenot HS (tickets here). Both games start at 7 pm so you still have time!
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| New Principal – Please join me in welcoming Mr. Kevin D. Olds to his new role as interim principal of George Wythe HS! Mr. Olds is coming from Huguenot HS and has over 20 years of experience in education. Here are a few words from Mr. Olds himself:
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| "I am most proud of leading with a humanistic approach and meeting students where they are. I consider myself a player’s coach or a kid’s principal and believe 'children want to know you care before they care what you know.' I plan to spend the next few months getting to know my students and learning more about their interests and personalities, all while encouraging and reinforcing the rich academic and cultural traditions here at George Wythe.
Along with teachers and staff, I will work hard to achieve great things at GWHS through strong relationship-building with parents, students, and community stakeholders. We will focus on character, rigorous learning, and community. I look forward to working with all our stakeholders to help each student at George Wythe meet their goals and have a successful school year."
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| School Application Info Sessions – Join us on Tuesday, November 15, from 6 - 8 pm, at Boushall MS (3400 Hopkins Road) for our next in-person school application information session. Come on out to learn all about the process and ask any questions you may have!
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| With great appreciation,
Jason
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- I would like to send a shout-out to the following Lucille Brown Middle School teachers – Mr. James, Ms. Redd, Ms. Diaz, and Ms. McKay – for their shining examples of what amazing instruction looks like for our RPS educators and students.
- Shout-out to Mr. Luis Martinez and his team with Language Support Services for coming to Southampton Elementary a few weeks ago. They gave a great PD and gave us the Syncroz resource. This came in so handy during conferences yesterday! Our team was able to get an interpreter within minutes and have a much more productive meeting! Much appreciated!
- Shout-out to the past three Southampton Elementary Teachers of the Year! Thank you to Ms. Stokes, Ms. Winning (hoot, hoot), and Mr. Mansaray for going above and beyond. They helped students and staff through challenging times and kept a positive attitude while doing so. You are so appreciated for all you’ve done and all you continue to do each day in education.
- A huge shout-out to Ms. Stephanie Smith, the ITRT at Henderson Middle School and John Marshall High School. She goes out of her way to make sure that the teachers have the training and resources that they need to support student learning! We are blessed to have her!
- Thank you to Ms. Coles, the interim school counselor at Patrick Henry! Your impact on our school is palpable and you will be missed. Know that you have reached the hearts and minds of our students in a profound way. We wish you well as you continue your journey as an outstanding school counselor!
- A huge shout-out goes to Coach Michael and the families at PHSSA who traveled to Pocahantas State Park with our 4th and 5th graders. They had an amazing experience learning from the Park Rangers and exploring the environment!
- Thank you to the Patrick Henry PTA for supplying the staff with healthy snacks each week! We are so grateful.
- I would like to give a shout-out to our principal, Ms. Fatima Smith at Oak Grove Bellemeade Elementary School. This is her first year at Oak Grove Bellemeade, the Home of the Teddy Bears, and she is off to an amazing start. We are so proud to have you as our leader! Way to go, Principal Smith!
- I just want to thank Ms. Eunice Turkson for her outstanding communication and assistance with my son. She has been outstanding with my son’s enrollment and treatment. I truly appreciate her work with my son. I was afraid of how he would be treated coming back from private school in another state with special needs. But she has made me so comfortable and excited about the transition. I want to thank Richmond Public Schools for hiring such a remarkable leader.
- I want to shout-out our amazing ELA coach at Lucille M. Brown Middle School, Camille Hopkins Scott! To say that she is the bread and butter of the ELA department is an understatement! Scotty, as she is warmly called, is such a support to teachers, staff, students, and the admin team. She is ready to tackle any and every task, and our teachers know that she is a support and advocate for them! She is loved and appreciated!!
- Giving a shout-out to the fantastic counseling team at Brown MS – Ms. Mayo, Ms. Henderson, and Ms. Coles are a dynamic trio. They are beyond the best, and they are invaluable to us!!
- Giving a shout-out to the most knowledgeable and action-oriented registrar ever! Felicia Harris, our SisOp extraordinaire, brings acumen and passion to her job every day. Lucille Brown MS is lucky to have her!
- Hip, hip, hooray for the main office team at Lucille Brown MS!! Ms. Spence and Ms. Farley are the hardworking faces of our main office. We are grateful to both of you for all of the work that you do to support our school community!!
- Let's hear it for the CSAs at Lucille Brown MS!! Officers Lomax and Watson are super!! They go above and beyond to keep our school safe. They both put the "care" in CSA!!
- Giving a shout-out to our library media specialist, Ms. Layne. She is simply the best, every day, all day!!! LMBMS appreciates you!!
- Shouting out the entire faculty and staff at LMBMS! When I say amazing...you say them!! Thank you for all you do!
- Thank you to Lynn Bragga for all of the expertise, quick responses, and patience with questions and inquiries. You are a gem in RPS!
- A huge shout-out goes to Judy Deichman for ensuring equity is reflected in literacy throughout RPS! We are so grateful for all you do.
- Shout-out to Ms. Simmons-Wright from Oak-Grove Bellemeade ES. Thanks for all of your assistance and observations when you bring your class in for Encore instruction. You are appreciated!
- A huge shout-out to all of our RPS psychologists, as it is National School Psychology Awareness Week! The theme this year is 'Together We Shine.' The hope this year is to connect with students and staff to highlight how each person's contribution to the collective can lead us forward – and how working together we can shine hope and healing among our communities, schools, families, students, and colleagues (NASP, 2022). So thank you again to our school psychologists for all they do each and every day to make a difference!
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| Honoring the Memory Fund – Our "Honoring the Memory Fund" is always accepting donations to support families following the loss of a child. Through the RPS Education Foundation, the fund helps families with funeral costs, co-pays for mental health support, and any expenses incurred for taking time off work to grieve. Just be sure to select "Honoring the Memory Fund" in the designation pull-down menu. Thank you.
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| Child Tax Credit – Households with low or no income may be eligible for the Child Tax Credit, even if they've never filed taxes before. Check out this free, quick, and simple tax filing tool to claim your credit before November 15!
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| Important Links – Last updated on August 26, 2022.
RPS Links
COVID-19 Links
Crisis Support Links
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