Happy New Year!

We can't wait to welcome our student's back tomorrow!

Highlights (December 18- January 7):

• Our boys basketball team loss to MLK but showed heart and determination!
• Theater students performed a puppet show at Mary Munford Elementary School!
• Thank you to the families who joined us for the Winter Showcase!
  
• A special thank you to our student performers and conductors Mr. Turner (band/orchestra), Mrs. Crapanzano (guitar/chorus) and Mrs. Dechent (harp)!
• Thank you to our PTA for funding a revamp of the teacher's lounge. A special thank you to Lisa Byerly for coordinating painting over the break and all the volunteers who helped move furniture.
  
• Thank you to TrueTimber Arborists for donating the woodchips to remulch the Park Avenue entrance!
• Thank you to Karen Kelly (PTA exterior beautification) for coordinating the delivery of woodchips for our picnic table area on Park Avenue! Thank you to all volunteers who assisted with spreading the wood chips!
• Thank you to our PTA and community for your generosity in gifting all staff a Holiday card with a $40 Hill personalized Visa gift card for all staff members!
• Thank you to our PTA for providing Pizza for staff on Friday, December 22nd!
• Thank you to Brad Goodwin, of the ReidGoodwin law firm for awarding Albert Hill with a $500 Reading Grant check!

International Night

The deadline to sign up to bring a dish is for International Night is Friday, December 22! Our goal is to have over 50 countries represented. This is one of the most popular events at Albert Hill and includes a potluck-style sampling of delicious international foods made by Albert Hill students and families who signed up to bring something, as well as a live performance from a local Richmond band. To sign up to bring food, email Ms. Midyette at jmidyett@rvaschools.net with 1) the name of the dish and 2) its country of origin.

NextUp RVA Winter Session

Registration is now open for the NextUp Winter Session. We are hoping to have at least 75 students participate in program. Check out the program offerings below! All programs are FREE!

January 10

U of R Basketball Trip

January 11

3:30 p.m. Boys Basketball: Albert Hill vs. Dogwood @ Hill

7:00 p.m. PTA Board Meeting

January 12

History PBA2 Window Opens

January 15

RPS Closed: Martin Luther King Jr. Day

January 18

6:00 p.m.- 8:00 p.m. International Night

History PBA Window Closes

January 19

2hr Early Release/Teacher Planning Day

End of 2nd Nine Weeks/1st Semester

January 22

WIDA Testing Window Opens

February 2

6:30 p.m.- 8:30 p.m. PTA Winter Party

Seeking your Richmond connections! The PTA's first annual Winter Party fundraiser is Friday, February 2, from 6:30-8:30 pm, and we'd love your help in making it a huge success. Two items we're hoping to iron out before the end of the year:

1. Do you know anyone in the restaurant and/or catering industry that would be interested in exploring creative pricing options for our event?
   
2. Do you know any local businesses or contacts that could donate items or services for our event raffle (gift cards, electronics, experiential items, etc.?)

We appreciate any leads you can share! Please email giao.roever@gmail.com with any information or to discuss further.

Please join our PTA. The cost is $7.00 per person. We are striving for 100% family participation. You can also encourage friends, neighbors, and extended family to join.

Our PTA supports monthly programming, helps to keep our school and grounds beautiful, supports families who experience hardships, supports our teachers through monthly displays of appreciation, sponsors students for school events, field trips, and materials, and ensures our teachers have everything they need in the classroom. Your membership and generous donations help to support all of these things and more!

There are several available positions on our 2023-2024 PTA Board. Help us continue to provide students and staff with experiences and resources needed to have a fun and memorable middle school experience. To find out more information or to volunteer for any of the roles above, please email alberthillpta@gmail.com with the name of the position you are interested in as the subject.

Show your Tiger Pride and Support the PTA by purchasing Albert Hill Merchandise!

Merchandise Link (Scroll down to access the Spiritwear order form.)

All students must have a current VHSL physical form dated after May 1, 2023 and signed by a physician before they can try out or participate in any athletic activities. Transportation is provided for in-zone students.

Our athletic director is Mr. Kyle Kimbrell. If you have any questions regarding middle school athletics, please email him kkimbrel@rvaschools.net

This Fall we will offer the following sports:

Cheerleading

Coaches: Tiana West (twest3@rvaschools.net); Charmaigne Lloyd (clloyd@rvaschools.net)

Boys Basketball

Coach: Mr. McLane (jmclane@rvaschools.net)

Co-ed Volleyball

Coach: Mrs. Kimbrell (skimbrel@rvaschools.net)

NASA’s Virginia Space Grant Consortium (VSGC) is excited to share that the application window is now open for Building Leaders for Advancing Science and Technology (BLAST), our FREE summer residential STEM program for 8th and 9th grade students in Virginia!

BLAST offers students a unique opportunity to explore their passion for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields through immersive experiences and career exploration. This free program allows selected students to spend 3 days and nights at either ODU, RU, UVA, VT, or W&M. Led by university faculty, students engage in hands-on STEM activities, attend demonstrations, tours, and guest speaker sessions.

The BLAST application window closes Thursday, February 1, 2024.

A short, informational video can be found here: https://youtu.be/wkzGN1PZiNY?si=6KVxD77ZVGZoqK9P

Online application can be found here: https://vsgc.odu.edu/blast/

The Arts and Letters Committee of the Richmond Alumnae Chapter, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., is proud to announce its 34th Annual L. Rita Davis Oratorical Contest to be held Saturday, February 3, 2024, at 9:30 AM. This year, the contest will be held at John Marshall High School- 4225 Old Brook Road.

Parents and Students: If students wish to participate in the contest, you MUST complete the digital Registration and Use of Image Release Form (link below).

https://bit.ly/3QKcPh9

Registration forms must be submitted NO LATER than Tuesday, January 16th, 5:00 PM

Students will not be able to perform without a complete registration form.

8th Grade Students!

Submit a 1 minute video discussing a current environmental problem and your solution to that issue. Winners will receive $1,000!

On behalf of the Maggie Walker International Language Fair Committee, we are thrilled to announce that the fair will be held on Saturday, February 24th, 2024, from 9 am to 12 pm at Maggie L. Walker! If you are unfamiliar with the Maggie Walker International Language Fair. Please contact the Maggie Walker International Fair Committee if you have any further questions.

Newtowne Tutoring is a service club provided by Maggie Walker students dedicated to instilling a love of learning in the children of Richmond. We tutor students of all ages and ability levels. Newtowne meets every Wednesday from 3:30 to 5:30pm at 1000 N. Lombardy St. This year, we will begin November 1. Please enter through the Bluestone Lobby (the back entrance). If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us at newtownetutoringmlwgs@gmail.com

Virginia Credit Union is offering an opportunity for all Richmond Public School students to jumpstart their savings in 2023-2024. This new initiative, called RPS Saves, is designed to provide families with quality financial literacy programming to prepare all individuals for a brighter financial future. Parents can sign their student(s) up for a Virginia Credit Union Custodial Saving Account using this link. VACU will then cover the $5 membership and deposit $20 in the account to get their savings started!

Students are encouraged to use the Tigers T.A.L.K. QR code if they need mental health support or if they would like to report instances of bullying or unkind acts anonymously. The QR code is monitored by one of our school counselors.

P: Prepared- I will be in school on time ready to learn.

R: Respectful- I will conduct myself in a way that honors myself, my school, and my community.

I: Integrity- I will do the right thing and make positive choices.

D: Determination- I will not give up in the face of adversity. I am resilient.

E: Exceeding Expectations with Excellence- I will do my personal best everyday.

Every Tiger, Every Day!

Core Belief: In order to facilitate an uninterrupted, distraction-free learning environment, all cell phones and electronic devices should be off and away unless teachers expressly permit their use for instruction.

• All classrooms will have signage indicating “Red, Yellow, or Green Zone”

• All classrooms will have a cell phone locker for students who are using cell phones during unauthorized times.

Every Tiger, Every Day! Every Day Counts! Thank you for helping us reduce our chronic absenteeism rate last year from 25% to 21%! Our goal this year is 15%. WE CAN DO IT!

School attendance is vital to student academic success at all levels.

The Virginia Department of Education defines “chronic absenteeism” as missing ten percent or more of the academic year for any reason (18 days). Truancy is the act of accruing one or more unexcused absences. Though the definition of absenteeism may differ from truancy, the National Center for School Engagement asserts that the outcomes of a student missing class remain constant regardless of how truancy or absenteeism is classified. Several studies suggest that chronic absences frequently lead to notable academic problems.

• Parent/guardians are encouraged to call the school on the day of their child’s absence, but MUST send a written note requesting absences be considered excused upon returning to school. All written notes MUST be submitted to the school within five (5) days of the last absence.

• Excused absences are typically those that have resulted from conditions beyond the control of the students or parents/guardians. The only excuses for absences that shall be deemed acceptable for consideration are:

• Personal illness (if over three days, the school shall require a note from the doctor)

• Personal court appearance (student)

• Death in the family (mother, father, spouse, son, daughter, sister, brother, grandparent, aunt, uncle, nephew or niece)

• Religious holidays regularly observed by the student

• Extenuating circumstances as approved by the school administration

Albert Hill is a Title 1 School. Our fantastic Title 1 coaches, Ms. Collier (Reading) and Ms. Newkirk (Math) are always available to answer your literacy and mathematics questions. We thank them for sharing information regarding our Title 1 status at Back to School Night Thursday, September 14, 2023.

Title I, Part A provides financial assistance through state educational agencies to school divisions and public schools with high numbers or percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic content and achievement standards.

School divisions target the Title I funds they receive to public schools with the highest percentages of children from low-income families. RPS Title I funded schools are school-wide programs that are designed to upgrade their entire educational programs for all students, particularly the lowest-achieving students.

Please view this schoolwide Title 1 Presentation to learn more! This information can also be found on our school website.

All students are eligible to receive a healthy breakfast and lunch at no charge each day of the school year. No further action is required of you. Your children will be able to participate in these meal programs without having to pay a fee or submit an application.

Food deliveries to students from meal delivery services are not permitted at any time during the school day or at after school activities due to safety and to minimize disruptions. Attempted deliveries will be confiscated and will remain in the main office until dismissal. Parents may bring food to students.

If you would like to stay abreast of all of the latest information. Please be sure to sign up to receive Remind messages from our school. You should've already been receiving Remind messages if your student is enrolled. If you are not, you have likely opted out of receiving Remind messages and must change your preferences.

Please also check out the school's website, weekly Tiger Tea (access through school website, social media accounts, or set preferences to receive via email), and follow all school and PTA social media accounts.

-TigerEye ParentLink on Instagram
-Albert Hill Middle PTA private Facebook group
-Albert Hill PTA Facebook account