| Thursday, February 1, 2024
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| Dear #RPSStrong Family,
Tonight's updates:
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| Black History Month – Happy Black History Month! Throughout February, we'll be honoring the Black history and Black excellence in our classrooms with the theme "Teach. Create. Celebrate!" We'll be amplifying the stories of Black students, teachers, and community partners; showcasing how our schools bring Black history to life; highlighting educational programs that interrupt historical cycles of oppression and racism; and celebrating initiatives that support Black excellence in our schools and our community.
Visit our website for a list of events celebrating Black history all month long. To start, the Children's Museum of Richmond will host Culture Fest tomorrow, February 2, from 3:30 - 4:30 pm. This event will celebrate African cultures through performances, food, and art.
On Sunday, February 4, from 1 - 3 pm at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, artist Hamilton Glass will lead a collaborative workshop to design a quilt-inspired paper collage. This collective project will later be displayed alongside a quilt by Unicia Buster. Buster’s creation will weave together the stories and passions of the 2024 honorees of RVA Community Makers, using a timeless medium in African American history – quilting.
Also happening on February 4 at 2 pm is the Virginia Museum of History and Culture's screening of the film The Central Lunatic Asylum for the Colored Insane. Written, directed, and produced by Dr. Shawn Utsey, chair of African American Studies at VCU, the documentary explores the intersection of race and health, and examines the history of the first mental institution in the nation for African Americans, Central State. Registration is required and seating is limited. Both events are free and open to the public.
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| Also, make sure to check out the new Black history designs in the RPS Love Store! All proceeds will support the Richmond Black History Museum.
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| School Board Appreciation Month – February is also School Board Appreciation Month! Serving on the Board is not easy – especially in today's highly politicized environment. It takes an enormous amount of time and energy (physical and emotional), often at the expense of one's family and friends. So please join me in thanking all members of the Richmond City School Board for their service, dedication, and unwavering support of our students, staff, and families!
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| Farm-to-Table Monthly Market – All RPS families are encouraged to come out to Cardinal ES tomorrow, February 2, from 2:30 - 4:30 pm, for our Farm-to-Table Monthly Market. Stop by and pick up free, fresh produce for your family to enjoy at home.
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| Calendar Reminder – Tuesday, March 5 is Primary Day in Virginia! We're proud that more than 30 of our schools will serve as polling places, but we know that means increased disruptions for students and teachers, as well as plenty of foot traffic in and out of our buildings. With those considerations in mind, and out of an abundance of caution, we have changed March 5 to a Teacher Work Day (no school for students). Thank you for your understanding!
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| Voter Registration – Anyone who is currently 17 years old and will be 18 at the time of the next general election (this November) may register in advance and vote in the primary on March 5. To learn more, visit the Virginia Department of Elections.
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With great appreciation,
Jason
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| Shout-Outs – Please help us continue to inspire and uplift the RPS community by submitting shout-outs to shoutouts@rvaschools.net. Entries can be submitted in Spanish or English!
- Shout-out to Gail Baker at Thomas Jefferson High School for being a superstar and consistently ensuring smooth and timely responses to meet the needs of our students and office. We truly appreciate you and all your efforts!
- A big shout-out to Tori Griffin at Miles Jones ES for her continued two-way communication with our office and families to provide consistent updates and appropriate support. The time and effort you put into ensuring the needs of our families are met and we are in the loop at all times is appreciated!
- Huge shout-out to Mr. Jackson, Principal Crews, VCU, Bricks 4 Kidz, Ms. Kielty, Ms. Herndon, and all the teachers, parents, and students who came out for STEM night. There was so much learning and fun happening! We definitely could have done this for hours! We’re looking forward to the STEM Fair!
- Shout-out to Ms. Goode at Frances McClenney, who is amazing! She is very responsive and responds immediately when called on. Ms. Goode has a true heart for helping our students! We appreciate you!
- Shout-out to Ashley Akrie, speech-language pathologist. Ashley is one of the kindest, most compassionate, and most knowledgeable professionals I know. She made time out of her incredibly busy schedule to share her expertise with me. She is such an amazing resource for all of us here at RPS!
- I would like to shout-out the counselors at River City Middle School: Ms. McClendon, 6th grade counselor, Ms. Woodson, 7th grade counselor, Dr. K. Olds, 8th grade counselor, and the lead school counselor, Ms. C. Hines. These ladies are always available for the students, teachers, and administration. Let's give a huge shout out for these counselors! We love you at River City Middle School!
- Shout-out to the Henderson Middle School exceptional education teachers: Mr. Watts, Ms. Pleasant, Ms. Norfleet, and Ms. Trent, as well as their ICC, Ms. Vinson! I had the opportunity to present a PD to them, and they were all an absolute joy to work with! This group of educators is thoughtful, engaging, and dedicated, and I can't wait to work with them again! Thank you all for being so positive and welcoming, and for leading and teaching with Love. You are appreciated!
- Shout-out to Pam Ragin, ICC at Huguenot High School! Pam follows through on any requests for help or support in a nanosecond! Her supreme dedication to her students, their families, and her team is unparalleled. Pam is an RPS gem and is much appreciated!
- Shout-out to Mr. Jackson and all who helped organize and put on STEM night at Southampton Elementary. All of the students who attended looked to have a great time with bridge building, magnets, paper airplanes, robots, and Legos.
- I would like to give a huge shout-out to Mrs. V. LaVerne Ballard, the instructional specialist at the Richmond Adult Technical Center. She is a true pillar of support to the staff and students at RATC. Her networking stretches into the community where she provides resources, scholarships, and programs for students. She has been featured on 12 About Town, National Night Out, and several other community events to increase enrollment and expose the community to the opportunities we have here at RATC. We are so grateful for this leader who continues to lead with love.
- Shout-out to the wonderful cafeteria staff at Thomas Jefferson High School. They prepare delicious meals each day with pride and a smile. They are a great team under the leadership of Mr. William Adams. Keep up the good work!
- SAST at ED Redd ES had a special celebration to recognize perfect attendance, most improved attendance, and the new Attendance Academy graduates for the first semester. Parents received thank you gifts for their ongoing support. Congrats to all!
- I would like to shout-out Mt. Vernon Baptist Church for donating a truckload of items for the students at William Fox Elementary – clothing, coats, hats, socks, snacks, tissues, paper towels, and supplies. The Mt. Vernon community came through with some much needed items for our community – that is what it is all about – working together to make the world a better place! Thank you!
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| Reminders from Previous RPS Directs
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| Mental Health Support – I want to remind everyone – students, staff, and families – that your mental health continues to be a top priority. Please note the resources below and remember that we love you here and you are not alone.
- Students who need emergency mental health support should call the Richmond Behavioral Health Authority at (804) 819-4100 or the ChildSavers Immediate Response line at (804) 305-2420 (or send a text to 741741).
- RPS employees in need of emergency support should contact the Cigna 24/7 Crisis Line at (833) ME-CIGNA, or (833) 632-4462. Additional counseling and support services are also available through the Cigna Employee Assistance (EAP) program by calling (800) 544-6931.
- Latinos in Virginia Empowerment Center provides education, advocacy, and support to Spanish-speaking individuals affected by violence. The 24/7 hotline in Spanish is (888) 969-1825.
- The Trauma Healing Response Network is a coalition of grassroots, community-based organizations and mental health partners that provide support services to families and communities impacted by gun violence. The network can also facilitate the distribution of emergency relief funds to help those in crisis. For more information, email traumahealingresponsenetwork@gmail.com.
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| Road to Licensure Fair – Join us on the RPS Road to Licensure on Saturday, February 10, from 9 am - 2 pm at River City MS. Learn about the requirements for teacher licensure, participate in onsite interviews, and speak with representatives from RPS and local universities. To sign-up for this wonderful opportunity, scan the QR code below with your phone's camera. Also, if you know of a great teacher who might like to join the RPS team, please tell them to apply now. We have positions available in several content areas. Help spread the word!
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| Tutor Recruitment – Are you a retired teacher, college student/recent grad, or community member interested in supporting the academic success of our students? We're currently accepting applications for academic tutors to support our high-intensity tutoring program. If you or someone you know is interested in joining the RPS team, just visit our website to apply or scan the QR code below with your phone's camera. This work is going to take #AllofUs!
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| RPS Links
Crisis Support Links
Health and Wellness Links
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