| Thursday, January 25, 2024
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Dear #RPSStrong Family,
Tonight's updates:
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Student Artwork – Make sure to stop by Art Works tomorrow, from 6 - 8 pm, for the Manchester Fourth Friday celebration. Work by students from Blackwell ES, Overby-Sheppard ES, and Richmond Community HS will be on display!
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Virginia Opera Performance – This week, students at Oak Grove-Bellemeade ES received a special performance from the cast of Frida Kahlo and the Bravest Girl in the World, presented by the Virginia Opera. Based on the book by Laurence Anholt, the opera tells the real-life story of Mariana Morillo Safa, a young girl living in Mexico City and her friendship with the famous painter Frida Kahlo. Enormous gratitude to the talented group of actors for bringing this story to life!
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2024-25 School Applications – We're officially one week away from the deadline – February 1 at 4:30 pm – for families to submit open enrollment applications and applications to the Governor's STEM Academy for CTE at RTC for the 2024-25 school year.
A few important notes:
- We unfortunately cannot accept late applications for ANY reason.
- As long as your application is submitted before the deadline, the timing of your submission will have no impact on the outcome.
- If you have additional questions, please email us at enrollrps@rvaschools.net.
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Moving Meditation – I'm excited to share that RPS has partnered with the RichmondYDN
and VCU Division of Community Engagement to bring Moving Meditation to RPS teachers, staff, and administrators. Facilitator Matthew Thornton will guide participants to access their own presence, peace, and power through dance, movement, and mind-body practices. Sessions will be offered on the last Wednesday of each month – beginning January 31 and going through June 26 – from 6:30 - 8 pm at the Mary and Frances Youth Center (120 South Linden St). Registration for each session is limited. To register, email Vaughn Garland.
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Future Leaders Forum – Capital One will host the 18th annual Future Leaders Forum for Young Women on Saturday, March 16. This year's theme is Dare to Dream, and will provide students with the opportunity to hear from inspiring and engaging speakers, discover common interests and passions, and get advice on career goals and finances. This is a limited capacity event so don't wait to register!
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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!
- Big shout-out to the incredible Mr. A. J. Sam for doing an absolute rockstar job in opening up doors of opportunity for my students as they make their way back into society after incarceration! It's not just our students who are winning – their families are leveling up too, thanks to the amazing connections Mr. Sam is forging with other community partners. Major salute to you, sir! Keep rocking those positive vibes!
- I just wanted to give a shout-out to Jaspreet Singh at River City Middle School. Not only is she a great speech therapist that is always wanting to do the best for her students, but she is also an incredible mentor to her fellow SLPs. Jaspreet is always willing to answer any questions and to give guidance/feedback to help me grow into a stronger school speech therapist. I am forever grateful for her knowledge and kindness.
- I want to shout-out Ms. Jasmine McKay, our math coach at J.L. Francis! She continuously supports us as teachers to make sure that our students are fully learning and applying all that they learn! I genuinely appreciate her perspective and how she is always willing to jump in!
- I'd like to shout-out Principal Jones at Woodville Elementary. She was very hands-on today! She tested some students for PALS. It's nice to see a principal be hands-on and willing to help her students and teachers!
- Positive shout-out about Principal Smith at Henry L. Marsh Elementary School. His ability to be available for his staff on personal and professional level, his humor during stressful times, upbeat morning announcements, and his overall ability to make the staff feel supported is impeccable! We appreciate his great leadership.
- I would like to shout-out Ms. Cumberbatch at Summer Hill Preschool for always going above and beyond for my baby girl. She treats her like her own child and really supports her with her day to day care. I'm really appreciative for everything she does and the values she instills in my daughter.
- Thank you to Mrs. Estrada-Williams and Mrs. Weisser for being the best administrative team. They are always here for the teachers and always work their hardest to fix problems. I appreciate them so much for helping me daily with situations out of my control. Got to love the 7th grade admins at River City Middle School!
- Shout-out to Mr. Barnes and Mr. Davis from our custodial team at Oak Grove-Bellemeade Elementary School for supporting literacy. They keep book vending machine tokens in their pockets to give to students when they see them helping clean up or being kind and helpful to someone else. The students are so excited to be rewarded in such a positive manner! One student told me, "I got a magic gold coin to get a book!" Thank you, Mr. Barnes and Mr. Davis, for helping nurture a love of reading!
- I would like to shout-out Ebony Thomas at Albert Hill. She is rocking it with her data collection for her special education students. She also facilitates meetings with parents with grace and ease. Keep up the great work!
- Karey Calhoun, Ms. Robinson, and their 3rd grade at J.L. Francis are super great. One of the district focus areas is mathematical discourse and that is truly happening in their classrooms. I absolutely love the fact that when you walk in you hear the students talking about math. Students feel comfortable to even make mistakes and their peers respectfully agree or disagree. Students also have opportunities to openly correct themselves and see where they may need to make a minor adjustment. Way to go, Mrs. Calhoun and Ms. Robinson!
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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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| School Immunizations – RPS Health Services has scheduled a series of school-based immunization clinics. If you would like for your child to be vaccinated at this or any of our upcoming events, please return the completed consent form to your school nurse in English or Spanish. These immunizations are mandated by Virginia law so please make sure to take care of them ASAP. See flyer below for locations and times.
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| Legislative Priorities – We're thick in the middle of this year's General Assembly session. Every day, lawmakers are debating new ideas and policies that will impact Richmond Public Schools' students, families, and staff. The Division has six legislative priorities this year, including school funding, new construction, and support for English learners. To learn more about our priorities and how you can advocate for public education, be sure to check out the Advocacy Hub on our website!
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| Let's Keep Dreaming! – Our strategic planning community meetings are ramping up across the city. To help frame the conversations, we've put together an Outcomes Report covering the last five years. Check out the report and find a meeting in your community to come dream with us!
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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 Huguenot HS. 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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