| I'd like to begin this evening by sharing my deepest condolences with the family, friends, and colleagues of Coach Ricks from Binford MS. Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone who knew and loved Coach Ricks and his incredible spirit. If you can, please join the celebration of his life and legacy tomorrow, from 10 am to 7 pm, at Scott's Funeral Home.
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| Teacher of the Year Finalists! – I had a wonderful time this morning visiting each of our five finalists for RPS Teacher of the Year! Congratulations again to Tamara Johnson from Henry Marsh ES, Philip Canady from Fairfield Court ES, Chelsie Smith from Miles Jones ES, Kiara Thompson from Boushall MS, and Jamar Billups from Armstrong HS. We'll be announcing the 2022 RPS Teacher of the Year TOMORROW – watch the ceremony live on the RPS Facebook page!
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| Policy Pathways Summer Academy – Richmond high school students and young adults (up to age 25), if you're looking for an exciting summer experience focused on real-world policy issues, check out the Summer Academy for Policy Leadership and Public Service. Full scholarships are available for RPS high school students. Apply by May 15!
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| Decision Day Announcements – Please join me in congratulating the following seniors on their post-graduation announcements! Class of 2022, keep sharing your Decision Day news with us at outreach@rvaschools.net.
- Huguenot HS
- Syira Jones-Morina - Virginia State University
- Richmond Community HS
- Morghan Williams - North Carolina A&T University
- KeAjah Holliday - North Carolina A&T University
- Caitlyn Watson - Virginia State University
- Kai Harris-Coles - North Carolina A&T University
- Kenaiya Fountain - North Carolina A&T University
- Ja'Nay Worsley - Wilberforce University
- Janiyah Epps - North Carolina Central University
- Jaliyah Harris - Virginia Commonwealth University
- Ashley Rowlett - Virginia State University
- Moira Condit-Fox - Christopher Newport University
- Cristopher Lopez - Virginia Commonwealth University
- Heaven Cannady - Virginia State University
- Armstrong HS
- Damarious Banks - Norfolk State University
- Shaquita Evans - Virginia State University
- Chynna Terry - Norfolk State University
- Armoni Stokes - J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College
- Adrian White - Richard Bland College
- Tyquan Jenkins - Virginia State University
- Taejon Branche - Virginia State University
- Lashani Carlton - Virginia Union University
- Destini Whitby - Mary Baldwin University
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| With great appreciation,
Jason
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- I'd like to shout out three students from Linwood Holton Elementary School, Yarnai Brown, Isabella Brownlee, and Asher Ramos, who participated in Congressman McEachin's Eco Heroes program this spring. The program was concluded with a reception at the Science Museum where the students received certificates and medallions. Great job!
- I would like to give a shout-out to Ms. Alexis Evans! Ms. Evans happens to be my older sister and though we are at different schools, she is my guiding light. I thank you for everything that you do for me and I can’t wait to work alongside you next school year!
- I want to send my appreciation to the teachers of Richmond Career Education and Employment Academy. They go above and beyond to ensure that the students get the quality education they deserve. I could depend on each one of them to keep me in the loop about my child’s education. You are all blessings from above and thank you for all you do!!!
- I wanted to give my colleagues some shout outs at Lucille Brown MS. Ms. Spence is our office manager and keeps our school running! She is helpful, positive and the glue that binds us! Another shout out to our counselors, Ms. Mayo, Ms. Coles and Ms. Henderson. They do it all with love! Thank you for all of your hard work with SOLs, grades, training, first step and for the love you pour into the students and us teachers. Shout out to Mr. Ownby who is our drama teacher and drama club leader. Thank you for being supportive, kind and an amazing teacher! Mrs. Gonzalez is our elective team leader. Thank you for being our rock and for sharing your wealth of knowledge. Mr. Isom is one of our amazing Spanish teachers! Thank you for bringing our group together and allowing us to be ourselves without judgement. Mr. Del Pino is another awesome Spanish teacher! He is always ready to dance in the mornings and share his wisdom! His dedication to teaching is admirable! Mrs. Pendleton is our ESL teacher. She is not only a huge help to our Spanish-speaking students but takes the time to get to know all of the students at Brown. Thank you for being supportive, helpful and creating a positive atmosphere wherever you go! I also want to shout out Mr. Lee, our band teacher! Thank you for sharing great music in the mornings, being kind and always genuine! Mr. Hurt! You are doing a great job! Thank you for sharing your talent and calm nature! Ms. Menefee is our consumer science teacher and we love her! She has students doing “Chopt” in the classroom! They love it!! Shout out to our awesome PE teachers who work hard with students during the day and even after school! We see you! Students spent time today sharing their gratitude for some teachers, too! I thought I would pass them along! Thank you to Mr. Avery, Ms. Barnes, Ms. Waris, Ms. Gadams, Mr. Del Pino, Mrs. Bryant, Mr. Bryant, Mrs. Fanning, Mr. Dickerson, Ms. Wiles, Ms. Meadows, Ms. Diaz, Ms. Thomas, Ms. Qawassmeh, Ms. Graf, Mr. Ownby, and Mr. Muir! They see you and feel your love!
- May is Better Hearing and Speech Month! Each May we celebrate the way speech language pathologists and audiologists help children and young adults across the nation’s schools provide life altering treatment to those who in need. From treating a stutter, to providing alternative communication, to conducting a simple hearing screen, RPS speech pathologists and audiologists always provide exemplary treatment to students. Please take this opportunity to reach out to your school's speech pathologist and audiologist and thank them for all they do.
- Shout Out to our incredible intensive support mentor teachers: Keri Lagow, Charlotte Lucas, Tammy Sellers, and Amanda Dailey. Each one works diligently to support teachers across the district. Our lead, Ms. Lagow, helps our high school classes develop opportunities to learn and master post-secondary skills. Ms. Lucas assists our middle school teachers with increasing rigor in reading comprehension instruction. Mrs. Sellers continues to work with several new classrooms in setting up learning centers and implementing the adaptive curriculum. Mrs. Dailey works closely with teachers to create a cohesive learning environment so all learners succeed. Each team member has juggled these tasks while covering classes for those who have been out ill or where we have a vacancy. Thank you, team! You are priceless!
- Huge shout-out to Andre Horne, custodian at River City Middle School. Dre, as we call him, goes above and beyond to make sure the building and the counselor suite are fresh and clean every morning. We love coming into the building and it smelling so fresh. Dre, thank you for all you do!!!!!!!
- I would like to take this time to recognize a phenomenal group of educators who work tirelessly as they teach and serve the students at Albert Hill. They all put forth the needed effort and time to live up to their department motto of "exceeding expectations." Ms. Bridges, Ms. Bradford, Mrs. Fortune, Ms. Z, Ms. Medley, Mr. Jones, Ms. A. Russell, Mrs. Shenk, Ms. West, Mrs. Shepard, and last but not least, Ms. Newkirk, you are all amazing and we appreciate all that you do!
- A huge shout-out to the amazing assistant principals at Cardinal Elementary, Mr. Smith and Mrs. Holmes! You both are amazing examples of leading with love! Thank you for what you do for the students and staff of Cardinal every day!
- Thanks to Dr. Abrego for the amazing outpouring of love to the staff at Cardinal Elementary this week and also for your support and guidance to the exceptional education team today! You always step right in as a servant leader! Thank you!
I appreciate Mr. Cannon at Fairfield Court Elementary because he is kind, respectful, and patient with my child. He has good communication and is open about details that can help my child. - This shout-out goes to Michelle Hudacsko and colleagues for compiling evidence and strategies to support the now approved rezoning plan!! Also, a huge shout-out to community members and River City MS staff for showing up and speaking up!
- A huge shout-out to Señor Vargas at G.H. Reid ES. It is not just his bilingual skills we need to get through the day, but it is also his sense of humor in the most unexpected moments, laughs, empathy, insight, and genuine commitment to the betterment of our students' well being that make every moment at G.H. Reid that much better.
- I want to shout-out to the planning committees of RVA for planning engaging activities for the Richmond Virtual Academy scholars. Way to go! Hoot Hoot!
- I want to shout-out to Ms. Scruggs from RVA and the creative way she included Stars Wars in her sight word review to highlight "May the fourth be with you!" Way to go! Hoot Hoot!
- I want to shout-out the Black History Museum for an owlstanding virtual tour with the RVA intensive support classes.
- I want to give a shout-out to Ms. M. Westfall of RVA for her service to RVA as a sign language interpreter. Hoot Hoot!
- I want to shout-out to the intensive support classes at RVA for granting grace and remaining positive this year.
- I want to shout-out Ms. K. Harris, D. Turner, C. Hayer, and Mr. Young-El of REA for their continued advocacy for teachers, administrators, and staff. You are appreciated.
- Shout-out to all RVA staff, teachers, and administrators for their innovative teaching, and for being servant educators with caring hearts for our RVA scholars and families.
- During Teacher Appreciation Week, my family would like to give an enormous RPS shout-out and a huge hooty hoot to the exceptional staff of Richmond Virtual Academy. We are very thankful for all of your efforts to make virtual learning a permanent option for every student in Richmond Public Schools. Your advocacy on behalf of students is priceless. Thank you, RVA staff!!!
- Shout-out to Ms. Frances Rudd, intensive support teacher (elementary) at Richmond Virtual Academy, whose classroom project – "Virtual Resources Needed!" – was recently funded through Donors Choose!
- Shout out to the Richmond Virtual Academy interpreter, Ms. Peggy Westfall! She has helped the Owl Nest become a beautiful place as every RVA Owl learns American Sign Language during our morning announcements show. Her warmth and kindness is a tremendous asset to our entire school community!!
- Huge shout out to everyone that helped to make our 1st Annual Poetry Slam a success. Thank you to Principal Sears who brought the idea to the district; Victoria Garrenwho worked with all the ELA department leads to organize the poetry coaching; the team of poetry coaches that worked directly with our students to both write and perform their poems, the teachers that supported our students over the past 9 weeks in preparation; Stefanie Ramsey, Carla Wood, and Alex Alexson who made the live streaming possible; Erin Brown and members of the engagement team who supported the event; and finally Roscoe Burnems, our RVA Poet Laureate, who brought this vision to life from the first meeting to the final poem.
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| Happy Teacher Appreciation Week! – To help celebrate our amazing educators, community partners across RVA are providing a myriad of discounts for RPS teachers! Enormous gratitude to all the businesses and organizations that have stepped up to recognize our life-changing educators. Thanks also to those of you who have sent in video shout-outs for your favorite teachers. Please keep sending them to outreach@rvaschools.net throughout the month of May. Thank you!
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| George Wythe Reimagined – We're still seeking community input about the Passion4Learning theme – arts or STEM – at the new George Wythe. Attend an upcoming community meeting to share your thoughts!
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| RPS Preschool and Kindergarten Enrollment – RPS preschool and kindergarten enrollment is happening now! Enroll your 3 and 4-year-olds in our free, high-quality preschool program, and your 5-year-olds in kindergarten. Please also remember, if your student is currently in RPS preschool, they will still need to enroll for RPS kindergarten.
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| Important Links – Last updated on April 12, 2022.
RPS Links
COVID-19 Links
Crisis Support Links
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