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| Wednesday (PM), September 16, 2020
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| Dear #RPSStrong Family,
It's National Arts in Education Week and we're thrilled to celebrate, as we know the arts aren’t extra, they’re core - for every child, in every neighborhood of our city. We're fortunate to have an amazing team of fine arts teachers across the division who bring their expertise and passion to their (now virtual) classrooms every day. Just take a look at this video created by Sharon Russell, the Art teacher at Albert Hill Middle School!
As a reminder, don't forget that we're launching RPS en Vivo tomorrow at 5:30 pm on the RPS en Español Facebook page. I hope to see you there!
Finally, please make sure to read the latest contribution from Rodney Robinson (see below) about the film "Black Boys." He's included links to some powerful articles that I encourage every RPS educator to read.
With great appreciation,
Jason
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- I want to give a huge shout out to the 5th grade team at GH Reid Elementary! They have done an awesome job collaborating and communicating. They are always so supportive and have been absolutely ROCKING at virtually learning. I am so proud to be their teammate and cannot wait to see what we accomplish together!
- I just wanted to send a shout out to the teachers at Woodville Elementary. I had the opportunity to pop into several virtual classes over the last week and have been blown away by their patience, creativity, and attention to incorporating mindfulness and movement into the school day!
- I would like to shout out Dr. Abrego of Cardinal Elementary. He is going above and beyond every single day for our staff, the parents, and the kids. He is holding everything afloat and still managing to innovate and keep our staff motivated and happy.
- I would like to give a shout out to Ms. Helena Easter. Ms. Easter has been so gracious in helping all of us at VBE Center with Google Classroom. She also has a wealth of knowledge in the area of Science. She is very resourceful and has great interpersonal skills. She is the BEST!
- I would like to give a huge thank you to Alexandra Alas-Garcia from Ms. Diaz's 2nd grade class at J.L. Francis Elementary. She was amazing at translating and reading to other students for an assignment that they were struggling to complete. Alexandra was caring, supportive, and patient while her classmates attempted to complete the work. She is only in the 2nd grade! J.L. Francis is lucky to have extremely intelligent and helpful students like her. Alexandra is destined for greatness!
- I would also like to say that my principal, Mrs. Kenya Massenburg, has been so positive and supportive this entire time. She encourages her teachers and her students to give their very best effort every single day and she certainly gives us 100 percent at all times. I am thankful for her leadership and guidance.
- Shout out to Mrs. Miller, Ms. Rudd, and Ms. Jeanette at Maymont Preschool. They bring joy, enthusiasm, and a love that shines through to their interactions with students. Day by day, they are making it work and beginning to build a small community (albeit virtual) for RPS’s smallest learners.
- I would like thank the following custodians and crew leaders for their help in getting custodial supplies organized in Facilities Cluster 1: Mr. Shawn Moorer, River City Middle School; Ms. Cox, River City Middle School; Mr. Faison, River City Middle School; Mr. Pedro, Cardinal Elementary; Mr. Williamson, Cardinal Elementary; Mrs. Williams, Cardinal Elementary; and Mr. McNair, Cardinal Elementary. Also, thanks to their principals for allowing them to leave to help move supplies: Dr. Abrego and Mrs. Murphy!
- I want to give a huge shout out to Mr. J. Walker and Mrs. Ashley Bland @ Binford Middle School. They were extremely helpful to myself and my son during the first 2 days of school. It was very challenging with all the Chromebook issues my son was experiencing and I was at work trying to troubleshoot via telephone. I contacted Binford several times and each time Mr. Walker and Mrs. Bland were pleasant to talk to and very resourceful. I just want to say to them again, thank you so much!
- I would just like to give a huge shout-out to the Social Sciences Department at River City Middle School. We have come together as a team to get the job done. Also, shout out to Mr. Harris, our 8th Grade Administrator, and the 8th Grade team....You guys are the best.
- River City's office associate is AMAZING. Johnna Parker makes sure that she stays up to date on all of the family support information – especially the technology – so that she can be a first line of support when parents call the school for help. Her knowledge of the RPS systems and processes gets our teachers and families the information they need in a timely fashion. Ms. Parker works tirelessly to provide our families and staff support. Ms. Parker is a true GEM.
- I’d like to shout-out Ashley Bland, ITRT extraordinaire, who ALWAYS cheerfully answers my texts and phone calls! She is so smart, kind, loving and helpful!! She is such an asset to Richmond Public Schools!!!
- I’d like to send a shout-out to my principal, LaTonya Waller, from T. C. Boushall Middle School, for leaving seltzer water on my desk to cheer me up!!!! I’m grateful for her kind and thoughtful support!
- I’d like to shout-out Susan Huskey for checking in with all of her students to make sure that they have what they need to be successful in their classes. She goes out of her way to follow up with each student, building those relationships that are crucial during this pandemic!
- I’d like to shout out the Richmond Public Schools families. To all the grandparents who are monitoring learning so that the parents can go to work or take the baby to the doctor. To all the families who have formed “learning pods” so that parents are taking turns helping their students. To all the older siblings who are advocating for their younger brothers and sisters!! We are all in this together and we can’t do it alone!!! Thank you!!!!
- I wanted to give a shout out to Meagan Martin of Oak Grove-Bellemeade Elementary School and say what an awesome job she is doing working with her team. She is explaining technology to them with such patience and grace; it's amazing! Something definitely to be admired. Ms. Martin, your work and time don't go unnoticed. You are doing a great job. Keep up the good work!
- I just wanted to share some positives with you. My son is a second grader at Miles Jones Elementary School. He has a very thoughtful teacher named Miss Berry who I wanted to shout out. Like with any new change, there are things to work out or get adjusted to, but overall we have had a great experience. Ms. Berry seems to understand that kids can't sit still for long and creates scavenger hunts to get the kids active and engaged. They also have moments between lessons where they get up and dance or exercise. Because of this, I haven't heard my son complain much about his school day.
- I would like to give a huge shout out to Mr. Eliott Rollins at RCEEA. He is a part of our awesome support staff within our school. His tech savvy strengths have been an asset, along with Ms. Carla Wood (ITRT), our Google support wiz. They both have given group and individual lessons. I would absolutely hate to see him leave but his computer intelligence should be used by the entire district. Thanks, Mr. Rollins, for your daily support, and, Ms. Wood, for your continued support.
- I wanted to take a moment to acknowledge my children's teachers, as I know virtual learning is new, different and a lot of work for all involved. Our teachers are doing their best and it shows. Ms. Bauman at Linwood Holton has been patient, and engaging with her new 5th graders. My daughter has enjoyed logging on, seeing her friends and writing her stories in class.
- Ms. Flippen, Mr. Brittan, Ms. Kelley, Ms. Kern, Mr. Gallegos, Ms. Fordham and Ms. Chavis have also done an extraordinary job welcoming my 9th graders to John Marshall! These teachers are prepared, impressive and brilliant examples of teaching with love. Kudos to them all!
- Big thanks to the LMBMS family: Ms. Spence, Ms. Burrows, Ms. McKay, Ms. Naphtali, Mr. Taylor, Mr. Johnston, Mr. Rose, Mr. Bledsoe, Ms. Ford, Ms. Meadows, Ms. Watson, Ms. Campbell, Mr. Avery and our Hands On Richmond volunteers for all the help with student kits. YOU ROCK. Also to Darrian Thomas and our Community in Schools team for providing music and a "to go cookout." Way to go, showing love to our families!
- Wow and thank you to some awe-inspiring teacher leaders, Ms. Diaz, Ms. McKay, Ms. Burrows and our media specialist, Ms. Layne, making a difference by sharing their time and technology talent with so many of us in the LMBMS family. Together we can do virtually anything!
- I’d like to give a shout out to Ms. DeMet, Holton 3rd grade teacher. She has communicated often with parents since the start of school via ClassDojo and has made sure we have everything we need to help our students. She has been so calm and patient with her students, and her lessons are clear and easy for her students to follow. Thank you for a great start to 3rd grade, and welcome to Holton, we are lucky to have you!
- Un Grande shout-out to the bilingual parent liaison at G.H. Reid, Mr. Vargas. Mr. Vargas' professionalism is admirable. He goes beyond the call of duty for our families and is always willing to support the teachers and students. Glad he is part of the Reid Raven family.
- A simple thank you is not enough for the hard work and dedication that the 5th grade team at Bellevue has put into making this a seamless transition to virtual learning! Your hard work and dedication to the students of Bellevue has not gone unnoticed. So often educators get the blame for what’s wrong with society, instead of being praised for all that they do. For a few hours a day my child is also your child and you help grow the seeds that have been planted in his mind. I’m truly grateful that the 5th graders at Bellevue have the opportunity to be under your guidance.
- I would like to shout-out my daughter's teacher, Ms. Brannon at Holton Elementary. My daughter is fully engaged in her virtual lessons all day and she is truly excited about learning. My favorite moment so far has been when she called to me from her learning space and told me, "Mom we are learning to be anti-racist!"
- I would like to shout out all the staff at Albert Hill Middle School. The transition to online learning has been smooth and my son has been fully engaged in his learning. A special shout out to Mr. Gustavson for helping facilitate a much needed schedule change.
- Shoutouts: Ms. Potee of Thomas Jefferson for porch dropping a school supply bag, and Ms. Corbin of Communities In Schools at Thomas Jefferson, for continuing to check on us.
- I posted a message on Facebook that I was looking for a 2nd monitor for my virtual teaching if anyone had one. My friend, Jeff Harmon at Aggregate Industries, contacted me within hours and donated 3 monitors to me for teachers at Cardinal Elementary. I think it is amazingly generous that he did that for us!
- I stopped by Miles Jones Elementary today and saw this (see picture below)! Now if that’s not teacher dedication at its finest, I don't know what is!!! Go, 3rd Grade Team!!! #planningwithlove #parkinglotplanning
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| From the Desk of 2019 National Teacher of the Year Rodney Robinson – “The bottom line of why things haven’t changed is because there is no love for black boys.” – Sharif El Mekki, Director Center for Black Educational Development. This is one of the opening lines from "Black Boys," a film executive produced by Malcolm Jenkins, President of the NFL Players Coalition. The film explores America’s treatment, or better yet, mistreatment, of black boys. It contains painful and honest testimony from athletes, journalists, educators, students, entertainers, mothers, and black boys trying to survive in a country that puts them “at the bottom of America’s unofficial caste system.” The movie defends black boys and challenges the viewer to do better in your support and everyday interactions with them. More importantly, it challenges you to love black boys.
It has three main themes. The first is BODY and how the black body has been controlled and monetized throughout history and the psychological effect that has on black boys. The second and most powerful section is MIND, which focuses on education and how black boys are treated in America’s education system. The third is VOICE, which focuses on life and death and how black boys are “crying for help and people are deliberately not listening” to our cries.
This film is a must see for all Americans, especially educators who teach black boys. It’s currently being provided free on the Internet and on the Peacock (NBC’s streaming service). I have included the link below. I have also included links to articles by several teachers to help you process the film as an educator. Hopefully, after you watch, you will not only challenge and change your misconceptions and beliefs, but become empowered to challenge others and their treatment of black boys in America. I would love to hear your comments on the film. You can email me at rrobins4@rvaschools.net if you would love to discuss it. I welcome all thoughts on the subject.
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| VPM Equity in Education Panel – As part of VPM’s new series, "Racism: Challenging Perception," the network is hosting a panel on Equity in Education featuring our very own Rodney Robinson. The discussion will be held via Zoom on September 17 at 6 pm. Additional information about this event and registration details can be found here.
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| Chosen Name Practice – Last month, I shared an important step we've taken to support our transgender and non-binary students this fall: making sure that their chosen name shows up in Google Classroom when they log into their classes. If you still need a name change in our system, please contact our Chief of Staff, Michelle Hudacsko, at mhudacsko@rvaschools.net. Many thanks to David Tran of RVA Magazine for highlighting our chosen name practice in his article last week!
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| COVIDWISE – COVIDWISE is Virginia's free exposure notification app that helps protect our community by quickly notifying users who have likely been exposed to COVID-19. Please join us in slowing the spread in a free, safe, and easy way! Learn more and download the app here.
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| Community Walk-Shops – We've added another round of Community Walk-Shops and virtual training sessions to support our families and partners. All sessions will be offered in both English and Spanish. For more info, just click here.
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| Mighty Mask Challenge – This summer, CoStar Group donated 90,000 masks to RPS students as a part of our 3rd Annual Ultimate Backpack Supply Drive. They're going to donate an additional 90,000 masks later this year, featuring the winning designs from the Mighty Mask Design Challenge. Students in grades K-8 are encouraged to submit a mask design that represents what they love the most about RPS. Masks designs can be submitted at:
The deadline to submit your design is Sunday, September 27. For more information, please reach out to Christie-Jo Adams (cadams2@rvaschools.net).
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| Advisory Councils – I'm excited to share that we're now accepting applications for the 2020-21 Superintendent’s Parent Advisory Council and Teacher Advisory Council. All meetings will be held virtually until schools reopen, and will take place monthly during the early evening hours beginning in October. Applications for both Advisory Councils are due by Sunday, September 27.
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| NextUp RVA – NextUp RVA, one of our partners for quality out-of-school-time programming, is offering live, online enrichment classes to RPS middle school students. These classes are free and designed to expand our students’ learning beyond the school day. Registration for the Fall Session is September 14 - 25, and classes begin on October 5. You can learn more at www.nextuprva.org. To start the registration process, just click here!
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| Tech Tip – A "hard reset" can be helpful for your Chromebook if there is an error that is blocking the Internet connection or if some keys on the keyboard have stopped functioning. To do a hard rest, first power off your Chromebook. Then press the arrow-in-a-circle key (refresh key) and keep this pressed while you power on the device. When you see the regular white screen come on, let go of the refresh key and log on as usual. This should reset the Chromebook. See picture below:
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Still Need Help Logging On? – Take these steps!
- Watch this tutorial and review the accompanying slide deck from Instructional Technology Resource Teachers (ITRTs) Nicole Pfister and Ashley Bland.
- Email the Help Desk at HelpDesk@rvaschools.net. When you email the Help Desk, please include the student's name, school, date of birth, and student ID number (if you have it). This will help speed things up tremendously. Thanks!
- If none of this works, please email me at jkamras@rvaschools.net!
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RPS Tech Website – We have a ton of tech support resources in English and Spanish. To access them, just go to rpstech.org.
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RPS Love Store – We've already raised nearly $2,000 for RPS families in need through the RPS Love Store. Show your RPS Love and help us raise even more by ordering something today!
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Important Links – I'll note in orange when there have been additions/updates so you you won't miss anything.
#ReopenWithLove Links
Local, State, and National Public Health Links
Local, State, and National Public Education Links
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