| Dear #RPSStrong Family,
Tonight's updates:
| |
|
Teacher Spotlight – For almost 15 years, English teacher Angela Brown has poured her heart and soul into engaging Huguenot HS students with relevant and joyful lessons. She exemplifies professionalism, dedication, and compassion. Ms. Brown's colleague, James Key, shares the following: "Her presence has been a blessing for Huguenot and the broader RPS community. Ms. Brown embodies our theme of #TeachWithLove and #ServeWithLove."
| |
|
National School Nurse Day – Tomorrow is National School Nurse Day! From medication management to providing first aid to sometimes just offering a space for students to decompress, our school nurses truly are heroes. Join us in celebrating them by sending your shout-outs to shoutouts@rvaschools.net. Thank you!
| |
|
Bike & Roll to School – Tomorrow is National Bike & Roll to School Day. Strap on your helmet, lace up your shoes, and celebrate the joy of an active commute to school!
| |
|
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.
| |
|
Mental Health Awareness Month – In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, join the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) in its campaign to remind everyone to prioritize mental health without guilt or shame. NAMI provides support for adults, teens, and young adults. The Teen & Young Adult helpline offers a direct connection to another young person who shares similar experiences and is prepared to offer resources and support to help their peers move through difficult times to a better place. The helpline is available Monday - Friday, from 10 am - 10 pm.
| |
|
Farm-to-Table Monthly Market – All RPS families are invited to join us this Friday, May 10, for our next Farm-to-Table Monthly Market at Henry Marsh ES. Stop by anytime from 2:30 - 4:30 pm to pick up free, fresh produce to enjoy at home. Help spread the word, RPS!
| |
|
With great appreciation,
Jason
| |
|
|
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!
- Happy Teacher Appreciation Week to all of our LIEP teachers who work tirelessly every day to teach, love, and support our multilingual learners in every classroom in RPS! We appreciate you!
- Thank you to all of the teachers at Southampton ES for your love and patience with my daughter.
- Happy Teacher Appreciation Week! I want to show appreciation for all the hard-working and dedicated teachers at Franklin Military Academy! A special shout-out to Ms. Melody Reives. Your dedication and passion for reaching each student is remarkable. You are the glue that holds the team together! "It's a Lovely day in room 302!"
- I would like to give a shout-out to every teacher, instructional assistant, substitute teacher, and floater at Summerhill Preschool. Like the song says, "Ain't no mountain high enough, ain't no valley low enough..." for what you will do for your students and parents! You rock! Go, Summerhill! You're the best!
- I would like to give a shout-out to Mrs. Easter. This is her first year at Summerhill but she fits right in. Thank you for being an awesome teacher and I'm happy to be your instructional assistant. Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!
- I would like to send a big shout-out to Ke'Andra Evans from Lucille Brown Middle School. She is such a wonderful and passionate teacher. She cares about her students and sets high expectations for them. She knows her students and supports their needs in the classroom. She goes above and beyond for the whole school community.
- Happy Teacher Appreciation Week to Mr. Archer, Mr. Wingfield, Mr. Fries, Mr. Gaskins, Ms. Grant, Ms. Brackett, Mrs. Black, Ms. Mitchell, Ms. Walker, Mr. Taylor, Ms. Lee, Ms. Stewart-Dailey, Ms. Faush, and Ms. Roberts! You all are the real MVPs at MLK, Jr. Middle School.
- Shout-out to the magnificent teachers at MLK. They work together as a team. They are truly here for our students, academically, socially, and emotionally. They come to work when they are not at 100% because they know the students we serve need them and look forward to seeing them every day. I couldn't ask for a better staff. Thank you for all that you do to educate the whole child at MLK. You are simply the best!
- We are so proud of the K-2 teams at Patrick Henry School of Science and Arts! Thank you to Ms. Holmes, Ms. Walkey, Ms. Mason, Ms. Manuel, Ms. Shrader, Ms. C. Williams, Ms. Drieling, Ms. Luhmann, Ms. Hall, Ms. Allen, Ms. Marunde, and Ms. Tyree. A special shout-out goes to Ms. T. Williams, Ms. Burden, Mr. Burke, Ms. Walker, Ms. Kilbreath, Mr. Ethan, Ms. Abigail, and Ms. Vieira for their intervention in and out of the classroom. Our students have truly had a wonderful early elementary experience thanks to all of the work you do!
- Stephanie Baltrip has been in RPS for 39 years, with 33 of them being at Chimborazo. She recently told me that if she made a difference for one child during her time, then all of her hard work would be worth it! She's looking forward to spending her retirement with the one child who has made the biggest difference in her life – her new grandbaby! Congratulations to Ms. Baltrip on retirement and a big thank you for all she has done for this East End community!
- I would like to send a huge shout-out to Elise Sale, Maribel Ortiz, Marliani Oquendo, and Cassie Elston, the incredible teachers in the Broad Rock Dual Language team! Every day, they strive to bring equitable, bilingual education to all of our students, and their hard work and relentless effort is so appreciated and valued. They are an amazing team to work with! Thank you!
- Happy Teacher Appreciation Week to the awesome teachers on the 6th grade hall at Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School. We thank you for all the care and love you put into our students each and every day!
- An appreciative shout-out to all of our RPS speech-language pathologists! Thank you for providing excellent support for students across the district. Happy Speech-Language-Hearing Month!
- I would like to give a huge shout-out to Dr. Marlene Cooper at George Washington Carver Elementary School. The students are always excited to attend your art class. Kudos for always giving our students your all and for making art creative and fun.
- Shout-out to all of the amazing teachers and staff at Martin Luther King, Jr. Preschool! Thank you, teachers, assistants, floaters, family service workers, nurses, office staff, cafeteria staff, and all those who support MLK Preschool. I love my school family. They are the best, hands down. Thank you for making MLKPS such a welcoming place where we can enjoy the work that we do. Thank you for being patient and kind with our students and families. Thank you for being reflective practitioners who are forward thinking and solution-oriented. I am so proud to be a part of this team. Keep up the great work! Happy Teacher Appreciation Week.
- Thank you so much to Ms. Goode at Westover Hills Elementary for helping to make the Special Olympics Little Feet Meet so memorable! What a special day! Thank you!
- We just want to say thank you to Ashleigh Russell, the best math coach ever! Your Albert Hill Math Department appreciates all you do & sacrifice for us! Keep shining bright & leading with excellence!
| |
| Reminders from Previous RPS Directs
| |
| Teacher Appreciation Week Specials – We're not the only ones celebrating teachers this week! Sugar Shack will be giving teachers and nurses a free donut and 12 oz. coffee all week long. Just show your ID and enjoy. Planet Fitness is offering all nurses and teachers a complimentary 1-week PF Black Card® pass for use at any of their six Richmond locations. Amenities include HydroMassage beds, massage chairs, guest privileges, and more! To take advantage of this offer, visit the location nearest you and present a valid ID. The pass must be redeemed by May 12. From now through May 12, teachers and school staff can get 20% off all orders at Buffalo Wild Wings. Valid on dine-in, call-in, and walk-in orders! Be sure to visit our website for additional discounts and specials.
| |
| RPS Teachers ROCK – To celebrate our teachers, we've relaunched the RPS Teachers ROCK campaign in the RPS Love Store! All proceeds will go to instructional supplies for RPS teachers and instructional assistants.
| |
| #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.
| |
| RPS Links
Crisis Support Links
Health and Wellness Links
| |
|
|
|
