School Days Winter 2016

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SCHOOLHenrico County Public Schools

• Accreditation gains• Award-winners• Improving through feedback

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Holiday photos from schools across Henrico

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WILDER AT WILDER

Where parents and educators go

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A NEW YEAR 20 6

when they don’t know

2 JANUARY 2016 SCHOOL DAYS

Happy New Year! I hope you had a wonderful and safe Winter Break. I know how

refreshing it can be to take some much-needed time off at the end of a busy year. For me, it helps gener-ate excitement about what’s yet to come.

We’re pleased to report that six more schools in Henrico County have regained full accreditation! That means 45 of our schools are now fully accredited, up from 39 in 2014. Baker, Carver, Harvie, Long-dale and Seven Pines elementary schools all regained full accredita-tion, as did Varina High School. Congratulations to the students, families, teachers, and staff for the tremendous teamwork that it takes to reach such an important goal!

As a division, we’ve been imple-menting an aggressive plan to help other schools stay on track. The

schools where new initiatives have already been successful are guiding improvements at other schools. The efforts include an intensive focus on early elementary grades, middle schools, new staff development op-portunities and providing teachers with support.

I’m happy to say that the hard work of our employees is being noticed. The majority of our teach-ers and staff received a raise of five percentage points in the year 2015. That includes an approximate 3 percent raise that took effect last January, and another raise of ap-proximately 2 percent this past October. Please join me in thanking our School Board and our Board of Supervisors for their advocacy and support!

Of course, now that it’s January we’re back to the season of snow days! Last year we closed school 10

times due to snow, so expectations are high that we’ll do that again – at least if you’re a student! If you’re a parent, you probably have a differ-ent opinion!

The decision to close or delay school is one that we don’t make lightly. Ultimately, it comes down to safety. For example, if we don’t think elementary students can walk safely to school, or if we think it will be too dangerous for teenage driv-ers to be on the road, then we’re probably going to cancel or delay. Usually that’s a decision we’ll make after conferring with our gen-eral government partners and our neighboring school divisions.

On that note, it’s great to be back. Here’s to a tremendous 2016, and I look forward to seeing you in our schools!

How do you �nd a great local music teacher for your child?

• richmondmta.org• facebook.com/richmondmta• [email protected]

It’s easy. Since 1973, the nonpro�t Richmond Music Teachers Association has been the place where experienced, passionate RVA music teachersmeet, learn and grow. Let us help �nd the right teacherfor your music student!

Are you a Richmond-area music teacher? Join us!

Happy New Year!Dr. Patrick C. Kinlaw

HCPS Superintendent of Schools

JOIN your PTA

DONATE to HEF

VOLUNTEER

Join the PTA and become a voice for students and teachers in Henrico County.

By supporting the Henrico Education Foundation (HEF), you are developing tomorrow’s leaders and providing students the tools they need for success.

Volunteer your time and talents for your school, PTA or HEF. Your involvement makes all the di�erence.

Find out more at henricogives.org or by calling HEF (804) 652-3869.

How can I help my child’s school?

A copy of the Policies and Regula-tions Manual of Henrico County Pub-lic Schools is available to students, employees and the public on the HCPS website, henricoschools.us. Any person unable to access the on-line policy may request a copy of a specific policy by contacting Records Management at 804-652-3828.

HCPS policies and regulations

ABCDAWARDS

The ABCD and Helping Hand awards recognize people who give a great deal to Henrico Schools, yet don’t always get the recognition they deserve. Congratulations and thanks to all honorees!

These award-winners help make HCPS great

The ABCD Award recognizes HCPS support staff members who go “Above and Beyond the Call of Duty.” The Henrico Education Foundation and Henrico Federal Credit Union join us in recogniz-ing these individuals by providing a check to each recipient.

October’s Helping Hand recipient was Zoila Eggers of Byrd M.S.

October’s ABCD honorees were Demerese Cannon of Rolfe M.S. and Milka Zakula of Byrd M.S.

Helping Hand Award

In November, the ABCD Award went to Pamela Richardson of Arthur Ashe E.S.

In November, the Helping Hand Award went to Gus Lewis of the HCPS Construction and Mainte-nance Department.

In December, there were two Helping Hand Award winners: Bailly Suhr, a student at Douglas Freeman H.S.; and Andrew Sundberg of J.R. Tucker H.S.

The Helping Hand Award is presented to volun-teers who make extraordinary contributions to Henrico schools.

SCHOOL DAYS JANUARY 2016 3

Roscoe Cooper III was sworn in at a December investiture ceremony as the new Henrico School Board

representative from the Fairfield Dis-trict. Fairfield voters elected Cooper to the four-year term Nov. 3.

Cooper is pastor at Rising Mount Zion Baptist Church. He is a graduate of Henrico High School and earned bach-elor’s and master’s degrees from Virginia Union University.

Cooper’s election ends a period of change for the Fairfield District seat. Longtime representative Lamont Bagby resigned from the Board after winning election to the Virginia House of Del-egates in July.

Pierre Greene, a pastor and a finan-cial services manager, was appointed by the Board to finish the remainder of Bagby’s Fairfield term.

Thank you to everyone who donated and participated!

What do you think?

Central Office Fundraising Total: $3926.86Grand Total 2015: Total still being tabulated

Henrico Christmas Mother totals

Henrico Christmas Mother

Every two years, Henrico County Public Schools invites the com-munity to let us know how we’re

doing. The survey asks parents, teach-ers and staff for their views on the divi-sion’s performance on a broad range of topics. The survey also asks students in grades 5-12 to share their opinions.

Among the topics surveyed are:• School climate.• School quality.• Effectiveness of school

The survey for parents and guard-ians is being sent out via an email link Jan. 11 and respondents should com-plete the survey by Feb. 12. The HCPS Research and Planning Department is conducting the survey with the help of the National Center for School Lead-ership. To ensure privacy, the data in the report won’t contain any individual

identifying information about respon-dents. For those families who do not wish for their students to participate in the survey, opt-out forms will be sent home with students, to be returned to their schools.

“We appreciate all our stakeholders taking the time to provide their valu-able input,” said HCPS Superintendent Pat Kinlaw. “The information is impor-tant to HCPS as we work to ensure that we are providing the best educational opportunities for our students.”

When the results are compiled, division and school leaders will look closely at what stakeholders think is going right, and what needs improving.

If you or someone you know would like a copy of the survey in Spanish, Vietnamese, Nepali, or Arabic, contact your child’s school or Henrico Schools’ ESL Welcome Center at 804-527-4604.

Cooper is School Board’s new Fairfield representative

Henrico Christmas Mother Beverly Cocke accepts a ceremonial check from HCPS Superintendent Patrick Kinlaw for $3,926.86. The amount was for donations from HCPS Central Office employees.

First-graders from Highland Springs Elementary School sang holiday songs at an event celebrating HCPS employees’ donations to the Henrico Christmas Mother.

He n r i c o a n s came to-gether in

the 2015 holiday season to help their neighbors in need through the Henrico Christmas Mother campaign.

Henrico County Public Schools again was integral to the campaign’s success, collecting thousands of canned goods at HCPS schools and lending a hand at the Henrico Christmas Mother warehouse on Dabbs House Road.

The school division makes its text-book warehouse available as a repository for the campaign’s food, clothing, toys and other goods. Employees from the

Construction and Maintenance Depart-ment carry items to visitors’ cars.

Employees at the school division’s headquarters building elected to give to the Henrico Christmas Mother cam-paign this year instead of exchanging holiday gifts within their departments. HCPS Superintendent Patrick Kinlaw presented Henrico Christmas Mother Beverly Cocke a ceremonial check for their efforts in the amount of $3,926.86.

“Helping one another, loving one another, speaks to the very heart of the Henrico Christmas Mother program but it also speaks to the very heart of the HCPS family,” said Cocke, who is also

the Brookland District representative on the Henrico School Board. “So on behalf of the Henrico Christmas Mother Coun-cil, I want to thank you all for what you

do for our recipients at the warehouse, but also what you do for all of our county children. We wish you all a joyous and happy holiday.”

Rev. Roscoe Cooper III.

communication.

HCPS survey seeks feedback from parents, students, staff


Glen Allen High School

Holiday Recap

Godwin High School

Tucker High School

Henrico High School

Kaechele Elementary SchoolFairfield Middle School

Freeman High School

Longdale Elementary School

Varina High School

Lakeside Elementary SchoolThe Academy at Virginia Randolph


Two art teachers at Henrico Coun-ty schools were named Virginia’s best for 2015 at their respective

levels. The Virginia Art Education As-sociation named Carver Elementary School’s Julz Suder as the state’s top el-ementary school art teacher for 2015.

The professional organization named Hermitage High School’s Allison Boyd as Virginia’s top high school art teacher for the year.

The two were honored at the group’s state conference in Roanoke. The annual awards honor art teachers who display “advocacy, leadership and contributions to the field of art education.” Both teach-ers were cited in nomination letters for their work ethics and individualized ap-proaches to teaching.

Suder moved to Carver in August after five years at Laburnum Elementary School. Among her accomplishments at Laburnum, she secured a grant to create a learning garden, which students and

community members decorated with bottle cap murals. She formed partner-ships with area businesses to display students’ artwork in their buildings. In 2014, Suder earned National Board cer-tification, an arduous process that is the profession’s top achievement.

Boyd works to involve her students in a steady stream of regional and na-tional art festivals and competitions. She led her students’ involvement in the Memory Project; the initiative enlists art students to create portraits of or-phans worldwide. The portraits are later presented to the subjects as a gesture of support and empowerment. Boyd also worked with her students to create il-luminated, wearable art for Richmond’s annual light parade.

HCPS also received a first-place award for its annual observation of Youth Art Month. The division holds a host of March art activities, including a community arts festival, begun in 2014.

Henrico art teachers named best in Virginia

Not sure how to help your student? HCPS Resource Center has answersWhen parents, teachers and

administrators aren’t sure how to help a student move

forward, they have access to the edu-cational equivalent of Batman’s utility belt: the HCPS Family and Educator Resource Center. The center is a hub of sound information, education and support to help parents and educators make a difference in the lives of stu-dents.

“We are a little unique in Henrico. Most resource centers really focus on special needs or exceptional education students,” said Renée Soniat, facilita-tor for the center. “We do have many resources for families of students with special needs, but we also have many general interest materials for all fami-lies. For example, books on positive behavioral support or how to commu-nicate with your teen.”

The center’s resources include:

Regular workshops and programs on student academic, social and health issues.

HCPS Family and Educator Resource Centerhttp://blogs.henrico.k12.va.us/parentresourcecenterphone: 804-328-8117email: [email protected] note that the center is only open while students are in school.

A large lending library of books, CDs, videos, games and other resources, that can be sent to your local school for pickup. Individual confidential consultations by phone, email or in-person.

A strong collection of resources applicable to students with special needs.A database of local tutors.

A calendar of workshops and other offerings is available at the center’s blog at http://blogs.henrico.k12.va.us/parent-resourcecenter. Click “Calendar,” in the black bar near the top of the page.

In the works is the center’s new mo-bile unit, a bookmobile-style bus called Big BLUE. The name is an acronym for Bridge, Link, Unify and Engage. The bus will have regular countywide stops, making it easier for families to get the re-sources they need.

The center’s website also links to re-liable online resources for families with specific situations, such as military fami-lies or those with food allergies.

Travels of the #hcpsflag

Henrico High School

Fairfield MS teacher Aparna Bansal Harger in the French West Indies.

Springfield Park ES student Dylan Pham in Barcelona.

Debbie Roethke, HCPS’ assistant director of instructional technology, in India.

Carver Elementary School’s Julz Suder Hermitage High School’s Allison Boyd


In December, former Virginia Gov. Douglas Wilder made an appearance at the school named for him. Wilder

spoke to students about following their dreams, and about his career in politics.

“You can be whatever you choose to be,” Wilder said.

He also told the students that, while national politics may get more head-lines, change happens when ordinary people are involved at the local level.

“The important thing is to be in-volved in the decision-making process,” Wilder said.

Highland Springs High School celebrated its first state football championship in more than five decades in December. The Springers defeated

Loudoun County’s Stone Bridge High School 27-7 in Charlottesville to win the Virginia 5A title. This was the school’s first state football title earned on the field; the Springers were awarded a state title in 1961, before the current playoff process.

Wilder visits L. Douglas Wilder Middle School

Highland Springs celebrates state football title


Bulletin BoardIMPORTANT

CALENDAR DATESJANUARY to MARCH 2016

JAN. 18 - Martin Luther King holiday JAN. 26-29 - Student exam weekJAN. 29 - Student half-dayFEB. 1 - Student holidayMARCH 2 - Student half-dayMARCH 1 1 - Application deadline for the

MARCH 3 - Student Government Day

Get the full calendar:henricoschools.us/pdf/Calendar2015-16.pdf

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facebook.com/HenricoCountyPublicSchools

Applicationdeadlinefor the Teacher Scholars’ Program is March 11!

Teacher Scholars’ Program

MARCH 28 - APRIL 1 - Spring Break!

This is the sixth year that TowneBank’s

“Making Money Count” program has helped

give Henrico students a foundation of finan-

cial literacy. Since 2010, 42,305 Richmond-

area second graders have taken part.

In this photo, Michelle Mogel, the bank’s

financial literacy manager, spends some time

with teacher Jessica McGovern’s students at

Jackson Davis Elementary School.

Thank you, TowneBank!

The Academy at Virginia Randolph celebrated its centennial in the fall, marking a century since the Henrico County school was dedicated in honor of the pioneering educator.

The school held a celebration with a presen-tation from a historian with an interest in Randolph and remarks from a representative of the Capitol Foundation, which is leading fundraising efforts for a women’s monument on the Virginia capitol grounds. The monument will include Randolph as one of 12 featured women from Virginia history. Randolph was an innovative teacher who stressed community involvement and combined academic instruction with practical life- and work-skills. A child of former slaves, she lived from 1874-1958. Randolph began teaching in Goochland County at age 16 before moving to Mountain Road School in Henrico in 1892. In 1915 that school was

Looking Back:The ACADEMY AT VIRGINIA RANDOLPH replaced by a brick structure for African American students called, in her honor, the Virginia Randolph County Training School. In 1930, the building was destroyed by fire and replaced with a larger school. According to the Library of Virginia website, Ran-dolph’s techniques became the model for African American education in the early-20th-century South.

“We’re hoping celebrating her centennial will promote her history, which is somewhat underrepresented,” said Jesse Casey, principal of the Academy at Virginia Randolph and Virginia Randolph Educa-tion Center. “We’re using the centennial as part of our theme of embracing her legacy and using it to help our students achieve.”

Follow us on Twitter!@HenricoSchools

100 YEARS


Henrico County School Board

Lisa A. Marshall Vice Chair, Tuckahoe District

P.O. Box 231203820 Nine Mile RoadHenrico, VA 23223-0420804-652-3600 School Days is an award-winning publication

produced quarterly by the Department of Communications and Public Relations of HCPS. If you have questions about School Days, call 804-652-3725 or email [email protected] C. Kinlaw Superintendent

Beverly L. CockeBrookland District

Michelle F. “Micky” OgburnThree Chopt District

John W. Montgomery Jr. Chair, Varina District

Roscoe Cooper IIIFairfield District

henricoschools.usTwitter: @HenricoSchoolsFacebook: facebook.com/henricocountypublicschools

Chris OBrion - Editor, WriterApril Sage - Graphic DesignerLarry Willis Jr. - Digital Content Manager

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School Days Winter 2016

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