Shout-Outs!

• I would like to send a shout-out to the River City Middle School security team, Mrs. Murphy-Braxton, and all team members involved to ensure the safety and security of our students. My child said she felt safe while in Mr. Davis’ class when the lock and hide occurred. Big thanks to you all!
• Shout-out to the River City Middle School crossing guards, Mr. Evangelista and Mrs. McCowin. They always ensure that our car riders and walkers are safe. Thank you for doing your best to make sure everyone is staying safe.
• There's no better person to work with and work for than Ms. Jennifer Ponton. She goes above and beyond to provide support to everyone she comes into contact with.
• Shout-out to Charles Paige, director of Family and Community Engagement, for continuing to do good, professional work.
• I wanted to send a shout-out to Ms. Turnage and all the other teachers and parent volunteers at Linwood Holton Elementary, who produced the wonderful Willy Wonka Jr. play last week! It was an amazing production, and thank you for everything you do at Holton!
• Shout-out to Ms. Craig for helping the LHJ Elementary PTA on Saturday clean up a whole dumpster worth of gum balls off the playground! 
• I would like to give a huge shout-out to Miles J. Jones physical education teacher Ms. Carmya Dorsey for executing an extremely organized field day. We had a live DJ, a huge bounce house, hotdogs, a popcorn machine managed by our school counselor, Mrs. Judith Stallings, and long-term substitute, Ms. Sandra McKinnon. Our popsicles, water, and cold treats station was managed by our school counselor, Ms. Monique Evans, and music teacher, Ms. Courtney Cunningham. I would also like to shout-out Mrs. Vanessa Deyoung, our amazing art teacher, Mrs. Pamela Jackson, the best cafeteria manager on the Southside, and the numerous volunteers that made the marvelous Miles J. Jones Elementary School field day extremely memorable for all. 
• Shout-out to Mrs. Cumberbatch, Mrs. Hunt, and all the other teachers at Summerhill Preschool and in the aftercare program. You guys are awesome and I appreciate every single one of you. Mrs. Doxey is the most caring and kind principal I've met in a long time and you can tell by her staff that everyone exhibits the love and experience needed for the children to thrive and grow. Thank you, Mrs.Cumberbatch, for always being a blessing in aftercare.
• Shout-out to Dr. Marlene Gooding, lead school psychologist, and Ruth Loepp, school psychologist, for their willingness to help a colleague, and for their generosity in lending out their personal materials.
  Dr. Gooding and Ms. Loepp, thank you so much for your kindness and flexibility. You both are greatly appreciated!
• Although Breanna Smalley (Cardinal Elementary School) may be small, she definitely has a giant-sized impact when it comes to working with kindergarten students!
• A huge shout-out to Ms. Torrie Lashley, Mrs. Pam Mines, the cafeteria staff, the transportation team, the exceptional education team, the support staff, the administrative team, parents, the Huguenot family, student partners, Richmond City Sherriff's Office, and last but not least, the amazing student-athletes who showcased their talents and skills during the Big Feet Meet.
• I wanted to shout-out our Title I team at Broad Rock Elementary School: Mrs. Bates, Mrs. Scott, Ms. Hemby, Mrs. Clark, Mrs. Hardison, Ms. DeBrill, Mrs. Bialt, and Ms. Brown meticulously planned out and put on an awesome reading, math, and STEM night for our community on Thursday. Our families had so much fun engaging in their children's learning. One of my students had such a good time that she cried when she had to leave. The amount of love they pour into our students, their support for teachers, and dedication to the success of our scholars is incredible.
• Shout-out to the Southampton Tigers for hosting a fantastic Career Day last week. Thank you to the students, staff, and community partners for making sure our students can begin thinking about their postsecondary opportunities as early as preschool. Thank you to the following organizations that participated in our in-person and virtual career day opportunities: City of Richmond-Office of Community Wealth Building, Lenore Coaching, RPS School Counseling, Richmond Fire Department, Richmond Police Department, RPS CTE Program, Virginia Credit Union, The Hive, City of Richmond-Department of Social Services, People's Advantage Federal Credit Union, Truist Bank, RVA Financial, Royal Excellence Barbering and Cosmetology, Muslim Chaplain Services of Virginia, Loughridge and Company, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, Virginia Commonwealth University, GRTC, United States Army, Henrico County Public Schools, Conflux Dance Theater, Xtreme Hip Hop with Ashley, and multiple doctoral students from institutions across the state. Thank you for creating great experiences for our students!
  
• Shout-out to all of the Encore teachers at Cardinal Elementary School for working the book fair this week and making it such a success!
• Thank you goes out Ms. Anderson and Ms. Weaver for the beautiful performances last night at their spring concert at Henderson Middle School. The students performed wonderfully well! The energy of the performers filled the room with positive vibes. Job well done!
• Great job, Ms. Singleton, on motivating and organizing Huguenot High School's Student Council.  Kudos to the entire HHS family for a fun spirit week.
• A huge shout-out to the Title I Ram team for putting together an amazing bilingual math and reading Title I night for our students and families at Broad Rock Elementary!
• This is a shout-out to the theater and art students at Lucille M. Brown Middle School. Yesterday, they presented a duo of an amazing production of "Treasure Island" in tandem with an extensive visual arts display. What a talented group of students!
• Here's a shout-out to Mr. Chad Ownby, theater teacher at Lucille M. Brown Middle School. Last night was the production of "Treasure Island" by his theater troupe. He is to be commended for the creative staging and engaging dramatic rendition of the classic story. Kudos!
• Taking a moment to send a shout-out to Ms. Wilson, Ms. Wayne, Mr. James, Ms. Diaz, Ms. Whitmire, Ms. Gadams, and Mr. Stahl from Lucille M. Brown Middle School, as well as Ms. Adams and Ms. Suder from the RPS Fine Arts department. Thank you for taking the time to attend the theater and art event yesterday that Lucille M. Brown Middle School students worked so hard to produce. Your presence, support, encouragement, and applause meant the world to them. They'll treasure the memories of this event for a long time to come. Thanks again for being there and for cheering on the students!
• Maggie Ann Wilson is absolutely fantastic! From the moment she stepped into the classroom, her teaching abilities have shined like a pro. She brings a fresh perspective and energy that's truly infectious. We would be thrilled if she decided to make RPS her long-term home.
• Shout-out to Broad Rock Elementary School, under the excellent leadership of Principal Teya Green, for hosting a successful and engaging math & literacy night! All signage and materials were provided in English and Spanish, and ample bilingual staff created a welcoming environment for all families. Thank you, Broad Rock team, for everything you do for your students, families, and the community!
• Special shout-out to the fantastic Family & Consumer Science CTE teachers and students from Richmond Technical Center, Huguenot High School, Franklin Military Academy, and Richmond High School for the Arts who competed in the state FCCLA Leadership Competition in Virginia Beach. Each school walked away with students winning gold, silver, or bronze in a variety of competitions and some RTC students walked away with scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $3,000. Great job!
• A huge shout-out of gratitude to our extraordinary AP, Mrs. Graham, at the marvelous Miles Jones Elementary. Every day, Mrs. Graham leads with love whilst taking care of business nonstop. Her professionalism is exemplary, and her hard work and dedication to our students and faculty literally makes everyone's life better. We love you, Mrs. Graham! Thank you for everything!
• I'd like to shout-out Mrs. Ricks, math coach at T.C. Boushall Middle School. Here are just a few reasons that I love Mrs. Ricks: she's a professional; she knows her content; she's on time, organized and pleasant, even when the going gets tough; she's smart; she not only teaches math, but she's also great with data and can figure out any problem; she's kind; she's the first person to recognize that you're having a bad day; and her smile is genuine! I'm so grateful to work with such a hard-working educator – you make all of us better educators! Thank you very much, Mrs. Ricks!
• I'd like to take a minute to thank Mrs. Atkins, school counselor at T.C. Boushall Middle School, for everything she does for our community. Many of the hats she wears are invisible unless you are paying close attention. She runs our extended day programs with finesse and grit. She coordinates testing with grace and diligence. And that's on top of her counseling responsibilities. In addition, she put together an extraordinary yearbook to recall all the amazing things we did this year. I know we don't say it enough, but we love you, Ms. Atkins – thank you for always being there for your Eagle family! I'd like to shout-out Mrs. Steele-Williams, math teacher at T.C. Boushall Middle School. She is single-handedly prepping the 6th grade scholars for their math SOL. The way she commands a room full of 11-years-olds is something to behold. Not only are they learning, they are engaged and excited to be there. You are truly an exemplary educator and I learn just as much from you as our scholars do! Thank you! Lastly, thank you doesn't seem enough when it comes to Ms. McPherson, the LIEP coordinator at T.C. Boushall Middle School. She gives so much of herself to her scholars. In addition, she is a resource to her teachers. Not just a "here's a chart" resource, she's an actual "I've got you" resource! I hope that she knows how much we appreciate her!
• Wow, Carla Wood, edtech integrator, is truly incredible, single-handedly stepping in to prevent our district from facing chaotic technological meltdowns. She must be working tirelessly behind the scenes, selflessly sacrificing her own time and energy to ensure everything runs smoothly. We are so grateful for Carla Wood and her invaluable contributions.
• Shout-out to Dr. Gaines, our amazing principal at LMBMS for the past 7 years. She truly is an unsung hero and we are so grateful for everything she has done for us. As sad as it is to say, she will be moving on at the end of the year and she will definitely be missed. Let's make sure to show her our appreciation and send her off with lots of love and best wishes for the future!
• I would like to send a shout-out to Ms. Tracy Cady, the IB coordinator at Lucille M. Brown Middle School and Thomas Jefferson High School. This week is the culmination of work preparing for a site visit by the IB assessment team. She has worked tirelessly to develop the paperwork and arrange for the faculty needed to share all that makes the programs in these two schools so special. Thank you, Ms. Cady, for all you do!
• Huge kudos to J.L. Francis School Counselors Antuane Ramon Moore and Lafawndra Stith-Russell for a stellar and inspiring career day. The students were able to hear from VA Supreme Court Justice Cleo Powell, licensed pilot Justus Cooper, 9th District School Board Member Shavonda Dixon, 9th District Council Member Nicole Jones, Principal Director Dr. Indira Quarles, and their very own principal Ms. Kecia Ryan. While Mr. Kym Grinnage, general manager of Channel 12 served as the emcee, the morning was opened by the Franklin Military Color Guard and capped off with the landing of the VCU helicopter right on the school grounds. The Francis Eagles had a great day exploring all that they can be as the toured the Lit Limo, ambulance, fire truck, a trolley and even an airplane! So exciting to see students see it – to dream it – to be it. Outstanding job, Ramon and Lafawndra!
  

• Special shout-out to the expanded core team at Henderson Middle School who successfully hosted their second cultural event for students in the 6th, 7th, and 8th grades. Students enjoyed a concert, sponsored by Ms. Anderson and Ms. Weaver. They also engaged in a self-guided art museum on Mexican artists and motifs, created by Ms. Sudduth’s students. In addition, they received VIP treatment at a Mexican restaurant, hosted by students in Ms. Barnes’s class. Thank you goes out to the expanded core teachers – Ms. Anderson-Jenkins, Ms. Bennett, Ms. Drew, Ms. Ellwanger, Mr. George, Ms. Grant, Ms. Hill-Green, Mr. Johnson, Ms. Morris, and Ms. Roye – for pitching in to help with logistics. Another very heartfelt thank you goes to Ms. Shepherd and Ms. Elliott, our parent volunteers, for making sure the servers catered to their customers in a timely manner. Their positive vibes ensured that students would enjoy learning about Mexican culture through music, dance, and cuisine. A huge debt of gratitude also goes to Mr. London, Ms. McCloud, Ms. Lawson, and, Mr. Cobb, Ms. Rozier, Mr. Moorer and his team, along with Mr. Williams, Mr. Lovett,  Mr. Tucker, and Ms. Adams. You all are awesome!
  

• I would like to give a huge shout-out to Mr. Ramon Moore and Ms. Lafawndra Stith-Russell, school counselors at J.L. Francis Elementary School, for organizing an amazing Career Day. I overheard a student say, "This is the best day of my life!" It doesn't get any better than that! Well done, Mr. Moore, Ms. Stith-Russell, and the J. L. Francis team!
  

Reminders from Previous RPS Directs

Important Links

• RPS Website
• Family Support Line: (804) 780-6195
• Enrollment Portal
• RPS Love Store
  
• RPS Opportunities Hub
• Breakfast & Lunch
  

• Richmond Behavioral Health Authority (Child/Adult Mental Health) – (804) 819-4100
• ChildSavers Immediate Response Helpline (Child Mental Health) – (804) 305-2420
• YWCA Greater Richmond (Domestic Violence) – (804) 612-6126
• Virginia Child Protective Services (Child Abuse) – (800) 552-7096
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – Send a text to 988 or call (800) 273-8255
• Financial Navigators (Resource Contacts for Various Needs) – (804) 646-6673
• Latinos in Virginia Empowerment Center (24/7 hotline in Spanish) – (888) 969-1825

• Richmond & Henrico Health Districts (Immunizations & Physicals) – (804) 205-3501