Dear #RPSStrong Family,
I'm devastated to share that we have once again lost a student to gun violence. Last night, an 11th grader who had attended both TJ and Marshall was fatally shot. I've now written some version of this sentence dozens of times as Superintendent. I beg of you, regardless of which political party you call home, please support candidates this November who will enact common sense gun control legislation. Our students' lives literally depend on it.
Turning to another weighty topic, I'd like to discuss a step we're taking to support our transgender and non-binary students this fall, many of whom self-identify with a name that is different from the one on their birth certificate. We want to make sure that their chosen name shows up in Google Classroom when they log into their classes on September 8. Towards that end, if you, or a transgender or non-binary student you know, needs a name change in our system, please contact our Chief of Staff, Michelle Hudacsko, at mhudacsko@rvaschools.net. She will assist you completely confidentially. And if you need any other assistance, please contact Side by Side, one of our most valued partners in support of LGBTQ students, families, and staff.
Finally, I want to extend an apology to the teachers who had to wait on line for several hours today for their laptops. I expect – and you deserve – a better level of customer service. Please know that we will make adjustments for future distributions. Thank you for your grace and understanding.
With great appreciation,
Jason
