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| Dear #RPSStrong Family,
Happy Passover to those who celebrate! My extended family will be holding a traditional Passover dinner tonight – called a seder – but with a big change from our normal routine: we won't be physically together. We're using Zoom to connect my family in Richmond with my parents in Sacramento and my brothers' families in Los Angeles and San Francisco. That's 14 people and two dogs!
This got me thinking: with Passover tonight, Easter just around the corner, and Eid al-Fitr coming in May, a lot of traditional family gatherings that anchor the year for so many of us won't be possible this spring. I'll be honest: that got me a little down this morning.
But then I started pulling together the shout-outs for today and I felt uplifted by the RPS family.
I read about Principal Sears at TJ who started the #teejayflashbackchallenge for her seniors, asking them to post childhood pictures of themselves as a way to have some fun with each other. If you need a pick-me-up, please check out the pictures; they're adorable. And if you need an extra special laugh, check out mine.
I read about a CTE teacher who recently received a shout-out, but wrote me to share that she didn't feel she was deserving of this recognition unless her two colleagues received similar praise.
I read about a Chimborazo kindergarten teacher who has visited nearly all of her students' homes – always staying at least six feet away from the door, of course – to drop off supplies and check in on both her students and their families.
And the list goes on and on.
So my shout-out today is to all of you. You have inspired me and made me feel connected – all at a time when many of the people who are dearest to me are so far away.
With great appreciation,
Jason
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- Hola!! Quiero agradecer enormemente a la Señora Reisner de la Escuela de REDD por su pasión como maestra, por su interés por sus alumnos, por mantenernos informados - es algo impresionante!!! Muchas gracias, Señora Reisner! (Hello!! I want to thank Mrs. Resiner of REDD Elementary School for her passion as a teacher, for her interest in her students, for keeping us informed - it is something impressive!!! Thank you very much, Mrs. Reisner!)
- Thanks to Mark Phillips, Solomon Jefferson, and Tashiana Ivy for providing coverage for my school (Boushall) and for doing the same for other principals!
- Just want to shout out Tracy Epp and Autumn Nabors and the whole instructional team! RPS@Home is really great--user friendly, easy for parents to navigate, and full of activities. Well done!
- First, thank you for the incredible shout out, but there are two other specialists on this team, Latasha Watson and Rhonda Turner. We are a team...I am not deserving of a shout out without recognizing that Latasha, Rhonda, and my amazing CTE teachers are just as deserving, if not more deserving, than I am.
- Kudos to Cherita Sears and the staff at Thomas Jefferson High School for creating the #teejayflashbackchallenge. My senior was so excited to post her kindergarten and senior pictures. What a great way to help our seniors celebrate!
- I want to send a shout out to two great teachers at Mary Munford. Mrs. Katz is a wonderful kindergarten teacher. Mrs. Katz has not only made work available for her kids, but she has left school supplies for parents to use at home. She has been in constant contact with her kids and their parents by email. She has taken the time to call each of her kids and parents. Mrs. Aja Jones is the best 5th grade teacher ever! She, too, has been in constant contact with her class. She emails the parents with updated assignments, almost daily. She takes the time to Zoom in with the kids a few times a week to see how they are doing.
- Thanks to Ms. Stephens, Blackwell kindergarten teacher, for staying in contact with my daughter, always being so helpful, and making my child’s success a priority. We love you, ROCKSTAR!! And wish you the best - stay safe :)
- I have to shout out everyone who has been working on RPS@Home. The activities, videos, and organization of the site are amazing! It is extremely user friendly and the lessons are laid out in a way that anyone can follow them. I am a 2nd grade teacher in Richmond but I needed things to do with my energetic four-year-old so I am using the Pre-K RPS@Home activities. I cannot say how relieved I am now that I don't have the extra pressure of finding resources for my own child. I am so excited to share this extra resource with parents. Thank you to everyone who put it together - it is simply wonderful!
- I would like to give kudos to Joanne Jones in the Talent Office. She goes above and beyond in assisting new RPS employees, and provides good advice when needed. She is the smiling face we love to see at the Talent Office!
- I would like to give a shout out to two art teachers, Dr. Cooper and Ms. Meehan, of Oak Grove Bellemeade Elementary School. They did a wonderful job creating an art education website for their students. Students can complete weekly lessons created by their teachers and access online resources. Students can even complete creative problem solving challenges! Way to go!
- Mrs. Stainback from the VPI program at Southampton Elementary has been such a sweet and giving person throughout this uncertain time and the whole school year! My son just adores her! She has shared so many learning resources so my son and all her pre k students can still learn...With this being her last year teaching, she especially deserves a big shout out! The support is REAL!!!
- I want to send a special thanks to Ms. Qawassmeh, who is the 8th grade science teacher at Lucille Brown Middle School. Not only is she reaching out to see how her students are doing, but she is also taking the time to direct us as parents on how to use the resources to manage our children's performance. I truly appreciate her. She is going above and beyond what she has to do to keep her students up to date.
- Wow! The phone call from my daughter's Principal, Mrs. Kecia Ryan at J. L. Francis Elementary, made her day and my day. She just was calling to check on us. She said to make sure we visit the RPS@Home portal. Thank you, Mrs. Ryan!
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| Food – We still need additional volunteers, so if you're able to assist, please sign up here. Thank you!
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"Mr. K's 30 Minutes of Math!"– Check out my math lessons at 2 pm every weekday. All you have to do is click here! I'm focusing on fractions, but every lesson also includes a Math Joke of the Day and a Math Riddle of the Day (see below). If you can solve today's riddle, feel free to email me your answer.
Answer to Previous Riddle
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Wishtree Read-Aloud – Today's celebrity reader is VPM reporter Megan Pauly. Thank you, Megan, for taking the time to do this! To see all the other celebrity readers, just click here.
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Note: New or updated questions are in orange.
Coronavirus/COVID-19 in Richmond
Closure
- How long are we closed? For the remainder of the school year.
- Will we need to go to school in the summer, and will next school year start early or end late? Possibly. We're exploring these options now and we'll be seeking your feedback very soon.
- Are events run by external organizations that rent space at schools (like churches for Sunday services) cancelled? Yes. ALL activities are cancelled.
- When can students/families and staff pick up personal items from school buildings? Principals will be reaching out to their school communities about specific days/times when individuals can come to retrieve essential personal items.
Food
- Which schools have food available for pick-up? Southside: Boushall MS, Broad Rock ES, George Wythe HS, Miles Jones ES, Reid ES; East End: Armstrong HS, MLK MS; Northside: Ginter Park ES; West End: Binford MS, Carver ES
- Is RPS also delivering food directly into neighborhoods? Yes! We are using our buses to deliver food to 45 locations around the city. Click here for all the details.
- Can students pick up food without their parent/caregiver being present? Yes.
- Can parents/caregivers pick up food without their student being present? Yes.
- If I want to help in some way, what should I do? Please fill out this Google Form so we can follow up with you. Thank you!
Academics – RPS@Home
- Where do I find the RPS@Home section of the RPS website? Just click here.
- Are the lessons on RPS@Home required? Will they be graded? For Pre-K – 8, no, they are NOT required and will NOT be graded. For 9th – 11th graders (and MS students taking HS courses), students must complete one RPS@Home module per class to receive credit. The modules won't be graded, but they must be completed. For seniors, only students who were not passing a class needed for graduation have to complete modules on RPS@Home. Those who were passing their classes do not need to complete any modules; they are effectively done for the year and will receive their diplomas in June.
- Where can I go for more details about what high school students need to do during the closure? We've created a special guidance document for HS students. You can access it here.
- When will the high school modules be live on RPS@Home? Friday. Thank you for your patience!
- What should I if I don't have a computer for my child or can't get internet access? Please fill out this survey. We are working to provide computers and internet access to any RPS student who needs them.
- When will the computers be distributed? Next week. The company that configures them for distribution is overwhelmed right now given current demand. We apologize for the delay!
Academics – Graduation
- Will current high school seniors who were on track to graduate when we closed still get their diplomas this year? Yes! The Virginia Department of Education has just clarified that these students WILL graduate this year.
- What specifically do seniors need to do? Those who were passing their classes do not need to complete any modules; they are effectively done for the year and will receive their diplomas in June. Seniors who were not passing a class needed for graduation have to complete one module per class on RPS@Home.
- What about graduation ceremonies? Prom? Unfortunately, we will not be able to hold these events when they were scheduled. That said, we're exploring rescheduling them for the summer or fall, as we know how important they are to our students and families.
Academics – Grades
- How will grades for Marking Period 3 be determined for elementary school students? We will be asking teachers to finalize these grades by May 8 (the Aspen window will open on Monday), using the following guidance: 1) Use the notation "S" for "Successful" (not a grade) when a student had a passing grade in the subject as of March 13; 2) Use the notation "N" for "Needs Improvement" (not a grade) when a student did NOT have a passing grade in the subject as of March 13. These notations will help next year's teachers have a sense of where students may need extra support.
- How will Final Grades be determined for elementary school students? We will not be assigning final grades at the elementary level.
- How will grades for Marking Period 3 be determined for MS and HS students? We will be asking teachers to finalize grades by May 8 (the Aspen window will open on Monday), using the following guidance: 1) Use the notation "E" for "Exempt" for any missing assignment, meaning no make-up work needs to be turned in. This is to protect students (as many are unable right now to complete make-up work) and teachers (as many are unable right now to grade such work); 2) Use 50% as the numerical value for any assignment graded as an F (meaning no score below 50%), so as not to unnecessarily depress student grades at this time.
- How will Final Grades be determined for determined for MS and HS students? We will calculate final grades using the average of the grades for Marking Periods 1, 2, and 3, each making up 1/3 of the final grade.
Academics – Other
- Will students be held back a year because of the closure? No. But we may need to start next school year early and/or end late.
- Will students need to take SOLs? No.
- Where do I go to find all the Wishtree read-aloud videos? Right here!
Communications
- What is the RPS website address? www.rvaschools.net
- Can anyone receive my daily RPS Direct emails? Yes. ANYONE can sign up here.
- Are these messages available in other languages? Yes. They're all posted on our website, which has an auto-translate function for dozens of languages. The translate button is on the top right of the menu bar.
- Does RPS have any guidance on how to talk about the coronavirus with children? Yes. Please click here for a number of resources.
Other
- If I want to volunteer, what should I do? Please sign-up here. Thank you!
- If I want to donate, what should I do? Click here to go to the donation page of the Richmond Public Schools Education Foundation. Thank you!
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Note: New or updated questions are in orange.
Health
- What should I do if I have a question about my benefits? Please call 804-780-7859. And if you have any other concerns, please reach out to me directly at jkamras@rvaschools.net. I want to make sure you have all the information and support you need during this difficult time!
- Will I have to pay for a COVID-19 test if I use my RPS health insurance? No. Cigna has clarified that COVID-19 related screening will be covered at no cost to customers. In addition, an associated office visit will be covered at 100%, and cost-sharing and co-payments for COVID-19-related treatment through May 31, 2020 will be waived.
- Where can I get mental health support? Mental health support is provided through our Cigna Employee Assistance Program. To access it, call 877-622-4327 or visit www.mycigna.com. “RPS” (without the quotes) is our Employer ID. Note that Cigna has doubled the number of free sessions (to 10) any customer can use for concerns related to the coronavirus, at no additional cost.
- Where can I get mental help support for someone not covered by our plan? The Richmond Behavioral Health Authority (RBHA) provides support to anyone in Richmond. Please call 804-819-4000 for assistance.
- What should I do if I know someone who is thinking about harming themselves? Please immediately call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 or visit www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org.
Pay
- Who will be paid during the closure? ALL RPS employees will continue to be paid during the entirety of the closure. That includes full-time, part-time, and hourly employees.
- Are long-term subs included? Yes!
- What about contracted personnel, like 1:1 aides? We are working to make sure these individuals get paid as well. It's just a little tricker since they're not RPS employees. I should have more information on this soon.
- Will teachers still get "spread pay" this summer? Yes. Just as always, our 9.5 and 10-month employees will receive their “spread pay” during July & August, and our 11-month employees will receive theirs in July.
Other Matters
- Will I get back the leave I was scheduled to take after we closed on March 13? Yes! In fact, we have already returned all of it.
- Since we aren't having an in-person transfer fair, what should I do if I want to transfer to a different school next year? We are working on a virtual solution.. As soon as we have the details worked out, I'll share them in my RPS Direct.
- What should I do if I need to renew my license? Though we are technically closed, you can still send in your licensure renewal paperwork to Deborah Dailey, our Licensure Specialist. Use this address: Talent Office – 15th Floor, Attention Deborah Dailey, 301 N. 9th Street, Richmond, VA 23219. You can also email Deborah at ddailey@rvaschools.net.
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