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Dear RPS Family,
Before I get to this week's regular content, I want to provide an update about our efforts to ensure the health and safety of RPS students and staff in light of COVID-19, more commonly known as the coronavirus.
To guide our response, I have personally conferred with Dr. Danny Avula, who leads both the Richmond City Health Department and the Henrico County Health Department. Dr. Avula has shared that the current risk of infection in Virginia is still low and there are no confirmed cases in the state. (Though eight people in Virginia were recently tested for the virus, all eight tests were negative.) Please know that I will continue to consult with Dr. Avula over the coming weeks and months.
We are taking the following steps at RPS:
1. I have issued guidance to our principals and custodians about cleaning protocols focused on frequently utilized surfaces such as door handles, light switches, desks, chairs, and so on.
2. I have reiterated to our school leaders that it is imperative that our bathrooms are fully stocked with soap/hand sanitizer and paper towels at all times. In addition, I have directed our operations team to purchase additional supplies in anticipation of higher usage. I encourage students, families, or staff to email me directly at jkamras@rvaschools.net if you identify any issues with the availability of supplies in your school.
3. I have called a meeting of all RPS nurses for this Wednesday. A representative from the Richmond City Health Department will provide updates, answer questions, and reaffirm guidance about how to prevent the spread of viruses such as COVID-19. I will personally be in attendance to thank our nursing staff and re-emphasize the importance of their work.
4. We will be sending home a flyer this week reminding students and families of the steps we can all take to limit the spread of infection. Per the Centers for Disease Control:
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, and help young children do the same. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Wash your hands especially after coughing and sneezing, before and after caring for an ill person, and before preparing foods and before eating.
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze and then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact (such as kissing, sharing cups, or sharing eating utensils) with people who are sick.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces and objects, such as toys and doorknobs, especially if someone is sick.
- Stay home when you are sick, except when you need to get medical care.
5. We will also be sending a Parent Link reminding families that any students with flu-like symptoms should remain home. The same is true for staff.
6. We are encouraging families and staff members to refer to the Virginia Department of Health's website for additional information and guidance. Sadly, an extraordinary amount of misinformation is circulating online, which is only complicating matters for public health officials.
Thank you for your partnership as we continue to prepare for and respond to this evolving situation. As Superintendent and as a parent, nothing is more important to me than the health and safety of our students and staff. If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to email me at jkamras@rvaschools.net.
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Student Athletes – This was a big weekend for RPS student athletes. In basketball, the TJ Lady Vikings and the JM Justices both won their Region Championship games! For the Lady Vikings, this was the first such championship in school history! Armstrong was a runner-up, but they, too, will advance to the State Tournament. Take some time this Friday, March 6, to watch TJ and JM compete in the next round at Arthur Ashe. The time and location of Armstrong's game is still TBD.
In indoor track, the young men of JM won the State Championship in the 4x400 relay! In addition, JM student Josiah Olivis won the 500 meters. Overall, JM was the runner-up for the State Championship. We're SO proud of the Justices!
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All-City Cheer and Dance Competition – Hosted last weekend at the Arthur Ashe center, this annual competition brings together schools from across the division for an afternoon of cheer, dance, and fun. Congratulations to the winners!
High School Division
- Team Performance: Thomas Jefferson - 1st place; Armstrong - 2nd place
- Solo Performance: Armstrong - 1st place; George Wythe - 2nd place
Middle School Division
- Team Performance: MLK - 1st place; Binford - 2nd place; Boushall - 3rd place
- Solo Performance: Binford - 1st place; MLK - 2nd place; Henderson - 3rd place
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Scholastic Art Competition – In my last RPS Direct, I accidentally omitted a few RPS student-artists who won awards at the 2020 regional Scholastic Art and Writing competition. My sincere apologies. Here's the full list!
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RPS Budget – Last Monday, the School Board approved a budget that calls for approximately $44 million in new revenue. Next step? It goes to the Mayor and then the City Council. There are so many great things in this budget, including more than 100 new teaching positions for ESL, special education, AP, art, music, foreign language, and more! Most important thing you can do to help us get the funding for these positions? Keep the pressure on the state by calling your delegates and senators.
Speaking of the state, for a final advocacy push, last week I joined Mayor Stoney, School Board Chair Linda Owen, Vice-Chair Cheryl Burke, and a group of RPS teachers for meetings with legislators. Our teachers crushed it! They came prepared with data, stories from their classrooms, and lots of heart. SO proud!
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School Renaming Process – I'm thrilled to report that we have new names for the three new schools that are opening this fall.
- For Mason ES: Henry L. Marsh III Elementary School, to honor Richmond's first African-American Mayor (pictured below).
- For Greene ES: Cardinal Elementary School, to honor Virginia's state bird, which is also native to Central and South America, where many Greene students come from.
- For the new middle school on Hull Street: River City Middle School, to bring the new middle school community together by honoring the James River, which runs through the middle of Richmond.
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Obama ES Dedication Ceremony – Speaking of new school names, we recently had a wonderful ceremony at Obama ES to unveil a plaque marking the historic change there. Big thanks to Obama Education Secretary, John King, for headlining the event! For a wonderful recap of the morning, please check out this piece by Sabrina Moreno at the RTD.
I want to give a special shout-out to the Obama students who participated in the ceremony. Roland Angaroo and William Stone shared an original poem, Coliegh Braxton (former Obama student) introduced our keynote speaker, and the Barack Obama Celebration Choir brought the house down with their performances! You've got to take 3 minutes and listen to the choir (below). Trust me, it'll put a HUGE smile on your face. Big shout-out to Jacqueline Drye, AP at Obama, who leads the choir!
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Solar – Pop quiz: which school division in Virginia produces the most solar energy? RPS! Last week, we announced the completion of our 10-school solar panel project, making us the Commonwealth's leader in "green" energy. Here's where we have solar panels:
- Blackwell ES
- Broad Rock ES
- Brown MS
- Fisher ES
- Holton ES
- Huguenot HS (see picture below!)
- Miles Jones ES
- MLK, Jr. MS
- Oak Grove – Bellemeade ES
- Reid ES
Big thanks to our partners on this project: the Community Foundation, Secure Futures, and Standard Solar. We couldn't have achieved this without you! Also a big shout-out to Board Member Liz Doerr, who championed this work from the beginning!
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Pre-School for Next Year – It's time to register! See below for all the details. Of note, we're hoping to add 300 more seats next year so please help spread the word! There is simply no better education investment than early childhood education. If you're interested, take some time to read about the seminal study on this subject, called the Perry Preschool Project.
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One Richmond, One Book – From March 9 to March 27, elementary students across RPS will be reading The Toothpaste Millionaire, by Jean Merrill. If you can squeeze 15 minutes out of your nightly routine, please read the book with the young people in your life. To encourage family participation, each school will be creating a “Reading Together Changes Lives” bulletin board with photographs of students and families reading The Toothpaste Millionaire together. To learn more and see the full list of resources - including audio recordings - visit onerichmondonebook.org.
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Rezoning – If you're still not sure what school you're zoned for next year, just click the button below and you'll be taken to a map where you can enter your address to find your zoned school for 2020-21. Click on "View School Zones" and then make sure you've checked the box for "Board Approved" elementary, middle, or high school zones. For a list of Frequently Asked Questions about rezoning implementation (and answers!), just click here!
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Chief Talent Officer – As a reminder, we're looking for a new Chief Talent Officer, who will oversee everything from recruitment to retirement for all 4,000 RPS employees. We're seeking a dynamic leader who will help RPS retain the great educators and support staff we have, grow more internally, and attract new ones to join the team. If you know of any great candidates, please shoot me an email at jkamras@rvaschools.net. Click here to see the job description and application!
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RPS Voice: Jennifer Moore, Principal of Obama ES
Topic: The Ceremony for the Unveiling of the Renaming Plaque
"The renaming of J.E.B. Stuart to Barack Obama Elementary Schools means that the students, teachers, staff, parents, and community now have a school that represents us in a positive way.
Renaming our school has created a new sense of pride in our students – and you could both see and feel that pride at the ceremony. It was so exciting because it provided our students and staff an opportunity to officially celebrate the moment they made history!"
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With great appreciation,
Jason
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