| Dear #RPSStrong Family,
Happy Friday and Happy Last Day of School! I'm filled with so many emotions and have so much I want to share with all of you about our incredible students, but I'm going to keep it short and sweet tonight because, well, I'm exhausted :). I'll be back to say lots more on Monday with my first Summer RPS Direct. For now, congratulations to the entire RPS Family on a phenomenal year!
Tonight's updates:
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Congratulations, Graduates! – We couldn't have asked for a more beautiful afternoon for our final two graduation ceremonies for Armstrong HS and Richmond High School for the Arts. Congratulations, Class of 2024! We are SO incredibly proud of you!
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Valedictorians & Salutatorians – HUGE round of applause to all of our Class of 2024 Valedictorians and Salutatorians! Congratulations to these truly phenomenal students, and enormous gratitude to Dr. Stefanie Ramsey for taking the absolutely beautiful portraits below!
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Manuel Randolph, Valedictorian
Armstrong HS Old Dominion University
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Diamond Able, Salutatorian
Armstrong HS Johnson & Wales University
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Erickson Hernandez, Valedictorian
Franklin Military Academy University of Virginia
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Keylee Alas-Calito, Salutatorian
Franklin Military Academy Virginia Commonwealth University
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Leslie Marin-Arellano, Valedictorian
Huguenot HS Virginia Commonwealth University
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Annette Gomez, Salutatorian
Huguenot HS Virginia Commonwealth University
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Robert Jones, Valedictorian
John Marshall HS Old Dominion University
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Janiyaha Pickett, Salutatorian
John Marshall HS Undecided
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Alexander Kremsreiter, Valedictorian
Open HS University of Virginia
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Chandler Holeman, Salutatorian
Open HS Old Dominion University
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Sanaya Black, Valedictorian
Richmond Community HS Undecided
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Malon Pernell, Salutatorian
Richmond Community HS Undecided
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Wilmer Matamoros-Menjivar, Valedictorian & Highest GPA Across All RPS High Schools (5.28)Richmond High School for the Arts James Madison University
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Olivia Crews, Salutatorian
Richmond High School for the Arts Richard Bland College
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Emerson Rose, Valedictorian
Richmond Virtual Academy Virginia Commonwealth University
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Marcus Christian, Salutatorian
Richmond Virtual Academy Undecided
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Imani Williams, Valedictorian
Thomas Jefferson HS James Madison University
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Hannah Gallagher, Salutatorian
Thomas Jefferson HS Virginia Commonwealth University
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Senior Spotlight – Recent graduates JahMyia Davis, Brianna Jackson, and Connie Whitaker graduated from Franklin Military Academy this week, ranked #3, #4, and #5 in their class. In the fall, JahMyia will attend Virginia Commonwealth University where she will major in business management. This summer, Brianna will head to basic training with the U.S. Army Reserves, after which she plans to pursue a nursing degree from Old Dominion University. Connie will be attending James Madison University on a full-ride scholarship, where she will major in business management. Congratulations, Knights!
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Going Places – Many thanks to recent Richmond Community HS grad Kaylah Coles for sharing how her time as an RPS student has impacted her path forward. Kaylah, we wish you all the best as you travel to Temple University in the fall. Watch the video below, and don't forget to follow our Instagram page for more senior sit-downs.
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With great appreciation,
Jason
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- Special shout-out to Mrs. Ruggieri and Mr. Milner for organizing an amazing field day at Broad Rock Elementary. Everyone had a great time. Broad Rock, you rock. Let’s go, Rams!
- Shout-out and thank you to Ms. Kline-Cox, the fifth-grade teacher at RVA, for your outstanding support and organization of the kindergarten, fifth grade, and eighth grade moving-on ceremony. Your efforts made the event truly special. Thanks to Mr. R. Clay for driving over four hours to assist with setup and breakdown. Your dedication is greatly appreciated. Thank you to Ms. T. Woolridge for supporting our scholars and the RVA team during the ceremony. Gratitude to Dr. C. Robinson, our fearless and gracious leader, for your unwavering support. Appreciation to Mr. C. Jeter, Mrs. S. Portee, and Mrs. T. Lofton-Pickens for your support of the scholars and families at the event. Thank you to the middle school team for being there: Ms. A. Winning, Ms. B. Hosick, Ms. K. Jones, Mr. D. Mistler, and Mr. P. Laurenz. To the kindergarteners, 5th graders and 8th graders moving on, continue to aim high and remember the sky is the limit.
- I wanna give a huge shout-out to Ms. Marchetti, an amazing teacher who always shows love and compassion to all her students. She always goes the extra mile without wanting any recognition. But today I want to give her the acknowledgement she deserves because without her I would not have been where I am today!. Thank you for all your hard work and dedication to Maymont Preschool!
- Sending a loud shout-out to the Swansboro ICC, Mrs. Bebbs. Mrs. Bebbs plays an integral role in the lives of our students and staff. Mrs. Bebbs can be seen throughout the building interacting with special education students and general education students, challenging them all academically. She is always available to assist staff members with student intervention and has positive solutions that impact the growth of the students. Thank you, Mrs. Bebbs, for all you do.
- I want to shout-out the child study team at Woodville Elementary School. The whole team is talented, professional, caring, and absolutely dedicated to helping students who are struggling. Our experience with them could not have been better. Heartfelt thanks to Ms. Frazier Jones and her team.
- Sending a loud shout-out to Mr. Dominique Robinson from Maintenance for everything you’ve done at Swansboro Elementary School this year. We are grateful for your service anytime you’re here, and for being prepared with your rubber hammer for the kids to play volleyball and badminton.
- I would like to give a special shout-out and thanks to Ms. Reid from Bus G41. She has been my family’s driver since we moved to the city in 2009. She has transported all 4 of my children during their elementary school years. My oldest is now 24 and my youngest is 10 moving on to middle school. Ms Reid is the best and we will miss her. Thank you so much for all that you do!
- Congratulations to Swansboro Elementary School 2024 - 2025 Teacher of the Year, Mrs. Twanya Jones (reading coach). She is commended for her hard work, dedication, and leadership. Her efforts have helped increase the school’s literacy culture and academic proficiency in English.
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Reminders from Previous RPS Directs
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| #TeachWithLove at RPS – We're thrilled to offer signing bonuses of up to $7,000 for new hires starting in the fall! If you or someone you know is interested in joining the RPS team, please take a moment to visit our website to browse open positions. For more information, please email talentoffice@rvaschools.net.
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