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| Dear #RPSStrong Family,
As I shared yesterday, we'll be rolling out the 2nd generation of our online learning plan, which we're calling "RPS@Home," on Monday. In preparation for that, I want to clarify expectations for our teachers during the closure.
First let me say how thrilled I am that so many of our educators have taken it upon themselves to leverage YouTube, FaceTime, ClassDojo, and so many other online resources to stay connected with their students and support them academically and emotionally. Because of their efforts, I am prouder and more inspired than ever before to be a part of the RPS Family!
I do want to be clear that these efforts – while laudable – are not required. Many of our teachers have children of their own and/or other family members to care for all day; some are sick themselves; and some are struggling with economic insecurity because their partners just lost their jobs. On their behalf, I am humbly asking for grace from our families during this very difficult time.
I also recognize that our parents/caregivers are struggling with the very same issues, not to mention the challenges of overseeing their children's learning at home. That is why we have designed RPS@Home to be much more structured than our current online materials. Put simply, we've tried to take a lot of the guesswork out of homeschooling. Of course, pre-packaged lessons of this type will always pale in comparison to those provided by a skilled teacher. But these are truly unprecedented times and we feel this approach is the best way to help our students continue to learn given all the constraints that they, their families, and our staff face.
To those teachers who do have some capacity, I humbly ask three things:
- Please call your students to check in on them, and find out if they need information about our meal program, our laptop program, or anything else.
- Please provide any instructional support you can, through whatever medium you feel most comfortable with.
- Please check your RPS email daily to make sure you're getting the latest updates and information.
Let me reiterate that I am not requiring all teachers to take the steps above given the reasons I have already outlined. I am simply encouraging those who have capacity right now to do so.
I also want to note that some school-based staff will be asked to help fulfill certain federal and state requirements that remain in effect (e.g., special education compliance). Of course, we'll take into account everyone's unique circumstances when we make these asks. I'll be sending a communication with more details about this to the relevant staff next week.
My final request is that we all extend grace to one another right now. Everyone is stressed. Everyone is anxious. Everyone is scared. Empathy for each other's unique pain is the only way we'll make it to the light at the other side of this – and emerge even stronger.
With the deepest appreciation,
Jason
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- I would like to shout out Ms. Waller and the Boushall volunteers for their dedication and willingness to do what is beneficial for not only our students but the community at large. Boushall is full of selfless individuals and we are grateful for all of them. From the food service volunteers to the community site volunteers, THANK YOU!
- My kids would love to give a shout out to Ms. Bailey and Ms. Simmons at George Mason Elementary. They miss their friends and teachers and hope everyone is staying safe.
- Maymont Preschool - I want to give a great big shout out to Ms. Watts and Ms. China. Thank you for calling me daily and keeping my mind smart. I miss you!
- I’d like to give a shout out to Melanie Brown and Angela Meccia at Amelia Street School/REAL/13 Acres Cluster for their willingness to collaborate with me on ways to continue to outreach and provide support to our students. It’s all about relationships! Also, a shout out to Dr. Phillips for being a thoughtful leader and hosting a staff check in with us on zoom this afternoon.
- I would like to shout out everyone at RPS for helping all of us navigate this crisis. You are all doing a wonderful job. I also would like to thank Mrs. Mallory at Mary Munford. I am so thankful for her words of encouragement and tips on what we can do at home to make every day a sunny day! And thank you to Ms. Christal Bacon who has been posting positive messages in the Mary Munford parent group on FB. Her positivity brings a smile to all of us! We miss the school and classroom but we love the communication that everyone has been giving. Thank you all so much!
- All of the staff at Aspire Academy are caring and giving, from their heart - even before the coronavirus!
- I would like to send a shout out to Ms. Sims the SPACE teacher for Holton. She has organized weekly sessions to keep the 5th graders engaged. I would also like to thank Ms. Rockwood for her daily Class Dojo updates. She posts videos and worksheets to go along with the videos. To keep the class book going she has recorded herself reading and posts new chapters daily. RPS has some amazing teachers.
- I want to give a shout out to Ms. Haney & Ms. Ayers, my daughter’s 1st grade teachers at Holton Elementary. They have been leading a Zoom call twice a week with the entire class to check-in on the kids. My daughter loves seeing all of her friends. They post resources on ClassTag. Last week when they were allowed back into the school they grabbed all of the class school supplies and workbooks for all the kids, separated them for each child and delivered them to our porches. Today my daughter received a post card from them; that made her day. We’ve even talked about organizing a class reunion once everything goes back to normal. This dynamic duo is really amazing.
- Shout out to Kate Lainhart, the Holton garden educator, for not only tending the gardens for when students return but also rinsing, bagging and delivering salad mix to the Ginter Park distribution center. Special thanks also to all the teachers, parents and students who helped it grow. She’s also posted pictures of tree blossoms for identification and seedlings that are now growing. Shout out to all RPS for pulling together. You got this!
- Not only has Mrs. Kawugele at Fox been an amazing influence in my son’s life prior to the schools closing, she remains an important person in his life now. She has given multiple resources for learning and sent the day-to-day physical work he would be doing in the classroom, as well as Zoom chats where he can read with her and his friends from class. She has also been great about checking in to see what families might need from her, independent from the class as a whole. Lastly, she reminds us that playfulness and crafting and creating is just as important as math and reading and writing.
- This shout out is to Mrs. Watts, teacher @ Maymont Pre-K Center. She has really impacted my grandson's life. He wanted to send her a video so she could see his face. Mrs. Watts is talking to the kids several times a week as well as doing story time with friends! I am so saddened...that our kids didn't get to say goodbye. Thanks again for all you do everyday!
- I would like to shout out Jamie Espinal of Elkhart Thompson. This man has and is going above and beyond, making sure the kids are still learning the lessons as if school was in session. I appreciate him sending emails to the parents of what was assigned and steps to follow. HE ROCKS!!
- Shout to Mrs. Pierson at Elkhardt-Thompson Middle School for translating a message for me to send out to my ELL students and parents.
- Special Shout Out to the Administrators (Dr. Phillips, Dr. Chandler, Mrs. Gilmore and Mrs. Morris; and all the Staff at: Amelia Street, The REAL School and Thirteen Acres!! Keeping in touch with families and students. Being a special advocate to those that are unable to get out and need a helping hand, or an uplifting phone call!
- Shout out to Mrs. Robinette Cross, a teacher @ Maggie L. Walker. She has been teaching my children and other children virtual lessons in history, English and foreign language (French and Arabic). I'm excited because she asked where they left off to catch them up so they can be prepared for next year. They are using their phones as we are waiting for laptops. I'm also excited because I was teaching my children and working from home with my special needs son. I want to thank the Binford staff as well in keeping us up to date with work changes etc. Thanks for RVA@home. LET'S ROCK RPS.
- I want to take this opportunity to give BIG kudos!!! to Mrs. Sears for hosting a virtual town hall meeting with the entire TJ school - staff and students - to answer questions, chat and stand with our students during these trying times today. Tears were shed..and the kicker was students did not want to hang up, and one said "Can we just stay online all day?" This is why we do what we do..it's all about engagement in the MOMENT....it made a lot of the teachers cry.
- Five points kudos for Mrs. Sears at TJ: 1. Is so intentional about supporting her staff with open access, at times communicating 4am in the morning. 2. Does magic...she is so resourceful...says the staff. 3. Has put students FIRST...in everything she does and it's not just in words, it's in action. 4. During this shut-down she is constantly touching base with the team 24/7 and going over the RPS Direct communication. 5. Mrs. Sears Leads with Love!
- Special thanks to Ms. Sales at Broadrock Elementary School for her love and support in providing work for my grandson. Special thanks to Ms. Walker and Ms. Cumberback from Summerhill Preschool for their love and support, and providing work to my granddaughter.
- RPS Transportation Dept. North Compound - George Taylor, Jason Wallace, Starlett Rowland, Kevin Patterson, Cynthia Patterson, Tyrone McBride, Joyce Brown, La'Trayale Scott, Brenda Rogers, Valerie Young, Tianda Jefferson, and Sonny Randolph
- Shout out to my friend Julie Fay who teaches Kindergarten at Greene Elementary. She’s been posting great daily videos for her students! She’s another great example of an energetic, devoted, and thoughtful teacher of RPS. I’m floored by the dedication of our educators and am so grateful for all the resources they are sharing with all of RPS!
- I'm a 3rd grade student in Ms. Bowry's class at Reid Elementary. She does classes online with zoom, class dojo, and remind!
- I would like to give a big shout out to Mrs. Lucas and Mrs. Worsley at Bellevue. Although the transition hasn't been easy, they both remain dedicated to making sure my daughter and son are still learning. They are reaching out by phone, email, class dojo, Remind, and Zoom. They also are using learning tools such as Google classroom and Epic books. Thanks to them both! They ROCK!
- Shout Out to Tomeka Liggans, ICC for Elkhardt-Thompson! Ms. Liggans has led the work of our Exceptional Education Team valiantly! Her focus is on the needs of our students. ETMS has not missed a beat since the close of school. We couldn't do this without her!
- I would like to commend Natasha Thomas, Instruction Compliance Coordinator, for the thorough job she is doing in managing compliance tasks at Southampton. She set up ZOOM to meet weekly with exceptional education teachers and the Child Find/Eligibility Teams. Ms. Thomas also arranged conference calls for case managers to hold their IEP meetings. Her "Get 'er Done" attitude shines brightly during this time. Thanks, Ms. Thoma,s for going above and beyond in your role as our compliance coordinator.
- Shout out to: Daniella White, music teacher at Franklin, for continuing to use music to reach her students; Melody Reives, business teacher at Franklin, for continuing to encourage her students to complete their assignments through on line lessons; Ms. Clark, PE teacher at Franklin, for uploading various health and PE activities to keep kids minds engaged and active; Ms. Terrell, English teacher at Franklin, for reaching out and ensuring all of her students continue to work to complete all work and are successful; Dr. Bannister, Media Specialist at Franklin, for continuing to send reading materials and online resources to staff and students; SSG. McCray, Instructor at Franklin, for continuing to send out emails to cadets to keep them motivated and letting them know they are not alone.
- Shout out to Ms. Dabney, Principal at MLK, for always being a leader to those inside and out of her building. I appreciate you.
- Shout out to all of the educators that are staying home and taking care of their loved ones...We are here for you.
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| Food – We need additional volunteers to help with our food distribution program. If you can help, please sign up here. Thank you!
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Learning at Home – As a reminder, you don't need to figure this out on your own. We have a TON of resources on our website. Big thanks to the entire academic team for pulling everything together so quickly. Check it out here!
"Mr. K's 30 Minutes of Math!"– Check out my math lessons at 2 pm every weekday. All you have to do is click here! I'm focusing on fractions, but every lesson also includes a Math Joke of the Day and a Math Riddle of the Day (see below). If you can solve today's riddle, feel free to email me your answer. And if you'd like to watch today's full episode, just click here!
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Wishtree Read-Aloud – I promise; we'll be back tomorrow!
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Note: Newly added questions are in orange.
Coronavirus/COVID-19 in Richmond
Closure
- How long are we closed? For the remainder of the school year.
- Will we need to go to school in the summer, and will next school year start early or end late? Possibly. We're exploring these options now and we'll be seeking your feedback very soon.
- Are events run by external organizations that rent space at schools (like churches for Sunday services) cancelled? Yes. ALL activities are cancelled.
- When can students/families and staff pick up personal items from school buildings? Principals will be reaching out to their school communities about specific days/times when individuals can come to retrieve essential personal items.
Food
- Which schools have food available for pick-up? Southside: Boushall MS, Broad Rock ES, George Wythe HS, Miles Jones ES, Reid ES; East End: Armstrong HS, MLK MS; Northside: Ginter Park ES; West End: Binford MS, Carver ES
- Is RPS also delivering food directly into neighborhoods? Yes! We are using our buses to deliver food to 34 locations around the city. Click here for all the details.
- Can students pick up food without their parent/caregiver being present? Yes.
- Can parents/caregivers pick up food without their student being present? Yes.
- If I want to help in some way, what should I do? Please fill out this Google Form so we can follow up with you. Thank you!
Academics – Online Learning
- Where do I find the "Learning at Home" section of the RPS website? Just click here.
- What should I do if I don't have internet access? Please call Comcast at 855-846-8376 (English) or 855-765-6995 (Spanish) to get 60 days of FREE internet.
- What should I if I don't have a computer for my child or can't get internet access? Please fill out this survey. We are working to provide computers and internet access to any RPS student who needs them.
Academics – Graduation
- Will current high school seniors who were on track to graduate when we closed still get their diplomas this year? Yes! The Virginia Department of Education has just clarified that these students WILL graduate this year.
- What about graduation ceremonies? Prom? Unfortunately, we will not be able to hold these events when they were scheduled. That said, we're exploring rescheduling them for the summer or fall, as we know how important they are to our students and families.
Academics – Other
- Will students be held back a year because of the closure? No. But we may need to start next school year early and/or end late.
- How will grades be calculated for the 3rd marking period? We're looking at a number of options, which we'll share soon for feedback.
- Will students need to take SOLs? No.
- Where do I go to find all the Wishtree read-aloud videos? Right here!
Communications
- What is the RPS website address? www.rvaschools.net
- Can anyone receive my daily RPS Direct emails? Yes. ANYONE can sign up here.
- Are these messages available in other languages? Yes. They're all posted on our website, which has an auto-translate function for dozens of languages. The translate button is on the top right of the menu bar.
- Does RPS have any guidance on how to talk about the coronavirus with children? Yes. Please click here for a number of resources.
Other
- If I want to volunteer, what should I do? Please sign-up here. Thank you!
- If I want to donate, what should I do? Click here to go to the donation page of the Richmond Public Schools Education Foundation. Thank you!
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Note: Newly added questions are in orange.
Health
- What should I do if I have a question about my benefits? Please call 804-780-7859. And if you have any other concerns, please reach out to me directly at jkamras@rvaschools.net. I want to make sure you have all the information and support you need during this difficult time!
- Where can I get mental health support? Mental health support is provided through our Cigna Employee Assistance Program. To access it, call 877-622-4327 or visit www.mycigna.com. “RPS” (without the quotes) is our Employer ID.
- Where can I get mental help support for someone not covered by our plan? The Richmond Behavioral Health Authority (RBHA) provides support to anyone in Richmond. Please call 804-819-4000 for assistance.
- What should I do if I know someone who is thinking about harming themselves? Please immediately call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 or visit www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org.
Pay
- Who will be paid during the closure? ALL RPS employees will continue to be paid during the entirety of the closure. That includes full-time, part-time, and hourly employees.
- Are long-term subs included? Yes!
- What about contracted personnel, like 1:1 aides? We are working to make sure these individuals get paid as well. It's just a little tricker since they're not RPS employees. I should have more information on this soon.
- Will teachers still get "spread pay" this summer? Yes. Just as always, our 9.5 and 10-month employees will receive their “spread pay” during July & August, and our 11-month employees will receive theirs in July.
Other Matters
- Will I get back the leave I was scheduled to take after we closed on March 13? Yes! In fact, we have already returned all of it.
- Since we aren't having an in-person transfer fair, what should I do if I want to transfer to a different school next year? We are working on a virtual solution.. As soon as we have the details worked out, I'll share them in my RPS Direct.
- What should I do if I need to renew my license? Though we are technically closed, you can still send in your licensure renewal paperwork to Deborah Dailey, our Licensure Specialist. Use this address: Talent Office – 15th Floor, Attention Deborah Dailey, 301 N. 9th Street, Richmond, VA 23219. You can also email Deborah at ddailey@rvaschools.net.
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