| Dear #RPSStrong Family,
Happy Friday! Tonight's updates:
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Teacher Spotlight – Chloe Tremper attributes her success as a first-year teacher to: "Everything I learned while student teaching at Boushall MS with my mentor, the amazing Mrs. Kiara Thompson." Ms. Tremper is described by her colleagues as: "A remarkable teacher who strives to push our students to academic excellence. She has the highest Earth Science scores in the division for middle school!" Ms. Tremper is grateful to be able to share her passion for science with students. "I’m excited to continue to teach, learn, and grow at the Boushall Middle School!”
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Teacher Appreciation Week – Although Teacher Appreciation Week is coming to a close, we'll continue celebrating with our teacher spotlights and shout-outs. Please keep sending your shout-outs to shoutouts@rvaschools.net. In addition, if you haven't already done so, visit our website for lots of great teacher appreciation specials. And don't forget about the RPS Teachers ROCK gear available in the RPS Love Store. All proceeds go to instructional supplies for RPS teachers and instructional assistants.
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Anniversary of Brown v. Board – Join us in commemorating the 70th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education on May 17. We would be honored to feature your experiences from this pivotal moment in history in an upcoming special issue of RPS Direct. To share your story with us, please email outreach@rvaschools.net. Thank you!
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RPS Night at the Diamond – Tuesday, May 14, is RPS Night at the Diamond! Join us at the ballpark, as we recognize and celebrate our 2023-24 scholar athletes. The ceremony, along with a special on-field announcement, will begin at 6 pm ahead of the Flying Squirrels v. Reading game.
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Happy Mother's Day! – To close things out tonight, I'd like to wish all the mothers of all types in the RPS family a very Happy Mother's Day. If I may, I'd like to shout-out a few very special moms in my life: Miwa, Linda, and Megumi. And to those of you for whom Mother's Day is difficult, please know the RPS family is wrapping you in love.
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!
- A special shout-out to Nurse Scales at MLK for keeping our kids healthy and coming in every day with a smile on her face! We appreciate you!
- Huge shout-out to Nurse Mooney at Bellevue. She is new to school nursing this year, and has taken every opportunity to learn her role and take on new responsibilities. She takes the time to build relationships with students and they adore her! She is always willing to jump in and do whatever is needed. Thank you!
- Happy Nurse Appreciation Day to Nurse Schell and Nurse Peebles at Linwood Holton ES. They make sure our kids wounds and emotions are properly handled. They are both caring and great to be around. I literally couldn’t do this job without y’all! Thank you for making sure our little Lions get the love and support they need!
- Shout-out to our wonderful nurse at Blackwell Elementary School, Nurse Perry. She often goes above and beyond her duty. I am thankful to work with her year after year. You are truly appreciated. Happy School Nurses Week!
- Shout-out to all of the RPS kindergarten teachers who have been tirelessly testing since the beginning of April. We don't often get acknowledged enough during the Spring testing season. Happy testing and I hope your students show their growth and pass their tests. You've worked so hard this school year! Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!
- Shout-out to the school counselors at Oak Grove-Bellemeade ES, Ms. Jenkins & Ms. Faison, for celebrating our teachers and staff for Teacher Appreciation Week. They turned our hallway into Starbucks and were our baristas for the morning! They really know how to make us feel loved and appreciated. Thank you so much!
- I want to shout-out to the incredible 7th grade team of teachers at MLK Middle School: Mr. A. Allmond, Mr. D. Jones, Mr. R. Bond, Mr. C. Conyers, Ms. J. Armistead, Mr. T. Taylor, Ms. M. Bailey, Ms. D. Brooks, Mrs. M. Haskins Freeman, and Mr. A. Fries! As we celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week, I want to acknowledge your dedication, passion, and hard work. You are shaping young minds, inspiring curiosity, and impacting students' lives. Thank you for your tireless efforts, creativity, and unwavering commitment to education. You truly make a difference!
- Happy Teacher Appreciation Week to all of the teachers across the district and the teachers at Amelia Street School. Thank you for working collaboratively with the behavior team every day to support the success of our students. A special shout-out to Lakisha Lewis for coordinating a VIP star-studded week for the teachers and staff. Each day, teachers have been met with different surprises that have put smiles on the faces of staff who work so hard to teach and lead with love daily.
- I would like to thank all of the families, friends, community leaders & partners for your generosity as we celebrated the amazingly phenomenal faculty and staff of Mary Scott Preschool.
- Thank you, Dr. Jones, for all you do at Holton ES. You come in super early and always work hard to ensure that our students get what they need and that we meet 100% compliance for eligibilities and IEPs. You rock, and we are lucky to have you! Congratulations to Amy Harr, the MVP at Holton ES. Our fabulous exceptional education teacher was nominated by her colleagues for always going above and beyond. This lady gets in 10,000 steps per day with a smile on her face. Thank you, Ms. Harr, for sharing your skills and talent. Thank you, Ms. Darby, a kindergarten teacher at Holton; you are a great person and a pleasure to work with. Thanks for always being willing to step up when needed without hesitation. I can tell that you are passionate about your students and give them the structures they need. They have soared this year with you as their teacher! Thank you, Ms. Quash, reading interventionist, and Ms. Campbell, reading coach, at Linwood Holton. You both always step in without asking and are always happy and motivated. You are a joy to work with, and you pour into our students. We appreciate you!
- Shout-out to Ms. Franzel at WHES for teaching with purpose and love! Her classroom is full of excitement and joy!! My student is thriving in her class and is reading well above grade level this year! She is a true inspiration to us all and we are grateful to have her on the first grade team at WHES!
- I would love to shout-out to Ms. Mitchell (3rd grade), Ms. Fountaine, (4th grade), and Ms. Jordan (5th grade) at Henry Marsh. I want these three ladies to know how much I appreciate them for that they have done for my kids. Thank you all!
- I want to take a moment to shout-out the authentically amazing teachers of MLK Middle school. They come in ready on the daily...ready to fight for the lives and education of their students. They're familiar with the battles, the hurt, and the rewards of working with scholars who go through so much. They stand 10 toes down for their students. I am marveled, impressed, and motivated at their daily patience, support, and dedication. Special shout-out to J. Johnson, A. Fries, Ms. Bailey, Mr. Glasper, Mr.J ones, Ms. Brooks, Ms. Dunmore, Ms. Burton, Mr. Tweedy, and the entire team.
- Mr. Asberry Harrison at Thomas Jefferson HS has been wonderful with my daughter. He always has her back even when she's having a difficult day. Gracias to you!
- I would like to give a huge shout-out to one of Huguenot’s magnificent assistant principals, LaTonia Kelley. Thank you for planning Teacher Appreciation Week and being inclusive of all staff members. You are appreciated for all of your hard work even though it’s not always said. I am glad that I get to work alongside you. So, again, thank you for your dedication.
- I would like to give a huge shout-out to Mrs. Tracee Candia, fifth grade teacher at William Fox Elementary School. Thank you for all the love, care, and dedication that you have put into teaching our child. We are beyond grateful for your guidance and support. To the best teacher, your hard work and dedication have not gone unnoticed and we appreciate all that you do to make learning a positive and fun experience. Your passion for teaching has made a positive impact on our child's journey. We are grateful for your commitment to education and for going above and beyond to ensure our child's success in your classroom. Your teaching style is engaging and innovative. Thanks for all the extra credit you put in to get through the year. You are simply the best and we want you to know it! We will always remember the amazing effort that you made to ensure that he is ready to go to his transition to middle school. You are a cut above the rest!
- I would like to take this time to shout-out all of my awesome teacher colleagues at MLK Middle School! You guys show up each day ready to serve our students despite what you may be going through in your personal lives. MLK teachers truly do serve with love! I enjoy working with each and every one of you! Go, Titans!
- Mrs. Devanee Black is one of the hardest working educators at MLK Middle School. Every day she shows up with a smile, and never misses an opportunity to pour into our students. Thank you for all you do for our school, Mrs. Black!
- Every school needs teachers who are willing to go the extra mile to fill in the gaps, and Mr. Brinton Hill is just that. Mr. Hill has been asked to spend time outside of school, cover classes, teach classes he hadn't signed up to teach, and every single time, he said, "Yes, no problem." He is more than a team player; Mr. Hill is a team leader at MLK and I'm grateful for the opportunity to work alongside him.
- I am grateful for Ms. Adams and Mrs. Parker at Blackwell Preschool, who have supported my child constantly. Their dedication and care have allowed my child to blossom and confidently show her true self. I trust them with my child's well-being because they treat their students like their own. As the school year draws to a close, I can't help but feel grateful for the warmth and connection they have brought into our lives. They truly deserve all the recognition and appreciation for the incredible work they do for their students.
- Shout-out to Ms. Lawson of WHES for keeping everyone at school afloat! It takes a special person to make sure everything runs smoothly on a day-to-day basis and she is just that! She leads with a smile on her face and her calm demeanor and sweet nature make her a true joy to be around. We are so lucky to have her at WHES!
- The MLK math department has really been rallying together, flexible, and maintaining positive attitudes for the best interest of the youth throughout the school year. Kudos!
- I would like to shout-out the assistant principal at Chimborazo ES. Ms. Gross is the best of the best. She has been on me and my son about attendance and getting ready for SOL testing. She has made sure my son has had everything he needed to be successful on his test. She has gone above and beyond the job of just an AP at Chimborazo ES; she has been the best motivator for us, and needless to say, my son passed both his SOLs. Thank you, Ms. Gross. We appreciate you.
- I want to take a moment to acknowledge Ms. Natasha Thomas, our dedicated instructional specialist. Her exceptional support with RVA has been invaluable. Kudos to you, Ms. Thomas (go, queen!). Thank you sincerely for your contributions! Hoot Hoot!
- Shout-out to all of our students, parents, PTA members, and administrators who have found countless acts of love to show your appreciation to our J.L Francis teachers and staff. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.
- Shout-out to our amazing special education teachers (Porcha Faush, Devanee Black, Troy Taylor, and Marcus Archer) for their willingness to jump in and assist with testing. And a extra special shout-out to our testing coordinator, Timothy Carter, for keeping us on track and ensuring that all students are tested!
- Shout-out to my elective teammates at MLK: Mr. Hill, Ms. Bailey, Mr. Buffington, Ms. Weaver, Ms. Roberts, Ms. Wendel, Ms. B, Ms. Watts, Mr. Tweedy, Mr. Barnes, Mr. Steele, Ms. Johnson, and Mr. Gail! We go hard every day, are passionate about our subjects, and love our students! I see you and appreciate you all.
- Shout-out to Mrs. Gentry from Westover. You go above and beyond with before and after school programs and concerts. Thank you for bringing the love of music to Westover! Keep up the great work!
- I would like to give a huge shout-out to the staff at William Fox Elementary School for the six years that my child has been there. I appreciate you!
- I'd like to shout-out the following scholars from T.C. Boushall Middle School for helping me clean the library this morning: Jayla, Jaylen and Mi'Jae! You guys were super helpful and saved me a ton of time, thank you! I'd like to shout-out Chloe Tremper, science teacher at T C. Boushall Middle School, for being organized, prepared, professional, and thoughtful! She held down the fort during testing and made sure that all the students had meaningful work to do while they were in the library! I'd like to shout-out all the educators who don't have a teaching license but teach kids every day! That's our custodians, cafeteria staff, office professionals, and student support staff! Teachers come in every shape and size and we can't do this without all of you!
- Special Warrior way shout-out to Mrs. Jennifer Johnston for her continued support at the Henderson campus! For the past two weeks, Mrs. Johnston has worked diligently to support the exceptional education team at Henderson Middle School as we've worked to close out the school year. We truly appreciate your guidance and support. Thank you.
- I want to send a big shout-out to my math coaches, Dustin Robinson and Larry Johnson, Jr., at MLK. These two support math teachers each and every day with resources, classroom assistance, planning, data analysis, and the list goes on and on. Our department is soaring to great heights and none of it would be possible without these two providing their leadership, experience, and guidance.
- I would like to shout-out our amazing ICC coordinator, Stephanie Fisher at Bellevue. Mrs. Fisher is truly an amazing person with a loving and caring spirit. She has a wealth of knowledge and understanding of her role as ICC coordinator. I am the better for knowing her. Bravo and kudos to you, Mrs. Fisher!
- I'd like to thank Mr. LeReche, principal at Lois Harrison Jones Elementary. He is amazing! He demonstrates enthusiasm while welcoming the kids to school; leadership in teaching them how to be great citizens and scholars; and joy in interactions with teachers, staff and families. Not to mention, he made it on our Friday bike bus today...how awesome to see him get involved in this activity. Thank you, Mr. LeReche, we love you and are so happy you are at LHJ!
- I would like to send a huge shout-out to Gregory Gaskins, 6th grade math special education teacher at MLK. He organized free haircuts for our boys and you could immediately see their self-esteem go through the roof. Thank you, Mr. Gaskins, for helping our boys feel better about themselves. This was an amazing day!
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| Reminders from Previous RPS Directs
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| Be SMART – According to findings from the 2021 National Firearm Survey, 4.6 million children in the U.S. live in a household with at least one loaded, unlocked gun. We need to change that. As a preventative measure, Lock & Talk Virginia provides free trigger locks for firearms. To receive one, please email Charlene Edwards at RBHA or stop by VCU Pediatrics (1000 E. Broad St). For more information on the Be SMART campaign, visit their website or text 'SMART' to 64433.
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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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