| Wednesday, November 15, 2023
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Dear #RPSStrong Family,
Tonight's updates:
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Special Delivery – Enormous gratitude to Conexus for Children's Vision for delivering 82 pairs of glasses to students at G.H. Reid ES today. We are eternally grateful for your support of RPS students across the division, and judging by the smiles, they were beyond thrilled to receive their new glasses. Don't they look amazing?!
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Region Playoff Games – I'm thrilled to share that RPS has not one, not two, but three teams competing in region playoff games this week! Please come out this Friday, November 17, at 7 pm to show our student-athletes some love. Spectators are encouraged to wear their school colors and share photos. Just add a location-tag while at the game and mention RPS for the opportunity to have your photos shared on our social media channels. The winner of each game will head to the region finals with a chance to compete for the State Championship in December. Let's go, RPS!
Region 3B
- #4 Armstrong HS at #1 Thomas Jefferson HS
- Location: Virginia Union University – Hovey Field (1500 N. Lombardy St)
- Purchase tickets in advance
Region 4B
- #3 Huguenot HS at #2 Varina
- Location: Varina HS (7053 Messer Rd, Henrico VA)
- Purchase tickets in advance
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Farm-to-Table Monthly Market – I'm delighted to share that we've partnered with Lulu's Local Foods to provide fresh produce to RPS families. Families may pick up a free basket at our first distribution event on Friday, November 17, from 3 - 5 pm in the cafeteria at Fairfield Court ES. Be sure to stop by!
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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!
- I’d like to give a huge shout-out to Dr. M. Cooper and Mr. J. Johnson from Carver Elementary. They have created a calming space on the encore hall. Dr. Cooper bought the paint herself and she painted the wall. Mr. Johnson bought the television and hung it. The television shows mindfulness videos, art work from students, and the many wonderful things the students are doing in art and music. They created mindfulness activities for the students to do daily and had each of the staff members send an encouraging word to the students. Mr. Johnson edited all of the videos and they both did a phenomenal job bringing that hallway to life. Dr. Cooper and Mr. Johnson are a huge asset to our school, always thinking of ways to enhance the lives of our students.
- Shout-out to Mr. Johnson for his leadership and ensuring we honored our veterans. He and the encore team, along with our CIS Coordinator Ms. Cathy Hite, organized a Veterans Day breakfast for families and staff. They are truly the backbone of G.W. Carver Elementary School.
- Shout-out to Chelsea McCoy of Carver Elementary for volunteering to DJ our first ever "Boo Ball." She rocked it out on the turntables and did it with a smile all for the students! The many talents of our staff are phenomenal!
- Huge shout-out to our math coach, Mrs. Taylor Johnson. She always helps every teacher by providing resources, making sure we are truly helping our students, and giving them exactly what they need. Her knowledge is valuable. She is exactly what GW Carver needed.
- Huge shout-out to our assistant principals at George Washington Carver: Dr. Harris and Ms. Mayfield. They always greet the staff with a warm and genuine smile. They make teachers feel valued and support our teachers. They also build relationships with students. Carver needs them!
- Serving with Love! I would like to say thank you to Security Supervisor Jafar Tucker, Lead CSA Kimberly Tucker, and the entire CSA team at John Marshall (Michael Craddock, Tonya Dixon, Gabriel Scottand, and Keith Thomas). Their vigilant efforts contribute significantly to the well-being of our students, teachers, and staff. They go above and beyond to ensure that our school remains a place where everyone can focus on learning and personal growth without concerns for their safety. Their professionalism, commitment, and the sense of responsibility that they bring to their work are truly commendable. Their presence has a positive impact on the school climate, and I want to acknowledge the valuable role they play.
- Shout-out to John Marshall's Pass the Gavel recipient for August: School Counselor Charita Harris. Ms. Harris is being honored for her dedication to homecoming, many beautification projects around the school, and her exceptional commitment to the climate and culture here at John Marshall. Not only does serve as a school counselor, but she also sponsors our National Honor Society, and our Jayem Gems Girl's Support Group, and plans most events here at the school! Way to go, Ms. Charita Harris.
- Shout-out to John Marshall's Pass the Gavel recipient for September: ELA Department Instructional Coach, Patrick Gallegos. Mr. G is the picture of kindness and professionalism. He coordinated and supported fall writing testing with our teams; he pulled out, pushed in, and made sure everyone had what we needed. His door is always open, and he is always willing to listen. He is our fearless leader and our friend. Just call him the unsung hero of ELA.
- Shout-out to John Marshall's Pass the Gavel recipient for October: Title I Reading Interventionist Jasmine Robinson. Mrs. Robinson has been quietly and diligently pushing for our kids to achieve excellence with the Writing SOL. Multiple students have told me how her remediation made them feel encouraged about their writing skills and ability to pass the test, rather than feeling embarrassed or like it was impossible before. Our term grads actually seemed excited to take the test and I feel that was due to her preparing and encouraging them.
- Congratulations to John Marshall's Teacher of the Year, Mrs. Lynn Quash. This well-deserved recognition is a testament to her exceptional dedication, passion, and impact on our school community. Her commitment to fostering a positive learning environment, inspiring students, and going above and beyond in her role is truly commendable. Her passion for education shines through, and it is inspiring to see the difference she makes in the lives of our students. Mrs. Quash, your colleagues are proud to work alongside someone who exemplifies the highest standards of teaching excellence. Thank you for your tireless efforts and the positive influence you bring to our school. Congratulations once again on this well-deserved achievement. We are fortunate to have you as part of our team.
- Huge shout-out to the driver of Bus #15. This morning on my way to work I saw a student miss her bus by just a few minutes. Fortunately, Bus #15 was there to allow this student to get on and take her to school. This is just one example of how our bus drivers representing the motto "teach, lead, & serve with love."
- Kudos to Dr. Tabatha Spurlock, CTE academic advisor, for being selected as a presenter for the 2023 National Career Pathways Network (NCPN) conference! The title of her presentation was “Developing Future Entrepreneurs and Leaders through School-Based Enterprise, PBIS, and Peer Mentoring.” Attendees from all over the country shared positive feedback from the session and were highly interested in this RPS SBE model.
- Shout-out to Ms. Mercedes Buck, CTE instructional specialist, for being a great team player and supporting the MBL VCU Tour Stop field trip!
- A group of CTE students and teachers from Thomas Jefferson HS and John Marshall HS visited the VCU SHIFT Retail Lab as a part of Metropolitan Business League's tour stops to explore entrepreneurship. During the tour, students gained a basic understanding of the design thinking process and how it applies to their own potential businesses. Thank you, MBL, for creating this experience for our students to include lunch on campus!
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| Reminders from Previous RPS Directs
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| VDOE Family Engagement Survey – All parents/caregivers of children who receive special education services are encouraged to complete the Virginia Department of Education’s annual parent survey in English or Spanish. The survey will remain open through December 15. For questions, please email or call Chiquita Seaborne at (804) 225-3898.
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| K-12 Learning Recovery Grants – I'm thrilled to share that RPS has partnered with Outschool.org to help families apply for, receive, and spend down Virginia Learning Acceleration Grants. These grants from the Virginia Department of Education aim to help students recover from learning loss experienced due to the pandemic. Qualifying services include tutoring, the purchase of assistive technologies for students with disabilities, and specialized educational therapy services and supports. Visit their website to get started today.
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| Teach With Love at RPS – We hire all year long so if you know of a great teacher who might like to join the RPS team, please tell them to apply now. We're offering bonuses of up to $12,000!
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| School Nutrition Open Interviews – Every Thursday through November, we're holding walk-in interviews for part-time nutrition assistant positions. Interviews will be conducted from 1:30 - 3 pm at our Facility Services office (1461 Commerce Rd).
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| 2024-25 School Applications – The application window for families to submit open enrollment, specialty school, and Governor’s School applications for the 2024-25 school year is open! Families have until 4:30 pm on December 1, 2023, to submit specialty and Governor’s School applications, and until 4:30 pm on February 1, 2024, to submit open enrollment applications and applications to the Governor's STEM Academy for CTE at RTC.
A few important notes:
- We unfortunately cannot accept late applications for any reason. Please plan accordingly.
- As long as your application is submitted before the deadline, the timing of your submission will have no impact on the outcome.
- We're holding information sessions about the application process, the Enroll RPS portal, and school options. Details will be at www.rvaschools.net/enroll as soon as they are final.
- If you have additional questions, please email us at enrollrps@rvaschools.net.
- If you haven't already done so, please review the recently developed list of FAQs regarding changes to the admissions process for Richmond Community HS, Open HS, and Maggie L. Walker Governor's School.
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| Student Wellness and Mental Health Support – 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).
- 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.
- 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.
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| RPS Links
Crisis Support Links
Health and Wellness Links
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