December 2023 Newsletter
December 5th, 2023
December brings special and cheery celebrations! For Norfolk Public Schools, the month includes one of our most important occasions: the Teacher of the Year awards ceremony. Our annual recognition of the best of the best of our teachers allows school division staff to come together in support of the heroes who provide lessons in mathematics, reading, science, history-social sciences, art, and music, along with so much more. These dynamic educators bring empathy and compassion, enthusiasm and cheer to every student, every day, no matter what.
The current Teacher of the Year, Lake Taylor High School Art Teacher Clayton Singleton, will pass on the title at the event later this month. Please visit our Teacher of the Year webpage to see all the nominees and watch for our “Top Twelve Teachers” countdown on our social media pages. Truly, our educators deserve applause for their enduring dedication and commitment to the children of our city.
This year, Norfolk Public Schools has introduced additional means to recognize the efforts of our teachers and other staff, including the Rock Star Teacher Award and the No Matter What recognition. These monthly kudos acknowledge the daily, weekly, and monthly contributions of our educators and other staff, in addition to the overall, annual accomplishments honored by Teacher of the Year.
Visible, impactful measures such as these underscore our deep and enduring commitment to retaining and supporting our current staff. Moreover, our school division strives each day to hire additional educators, administrators, bus drivers, safety and security personnel, custodians, and all those who support our mission and vision for outstanding outcomes for each child. In the coming months, Norfolk Public Schools will initiate new recruitment and retention strategies. I trust that you will join us here and on all our platforms to learn more.
Please accept my warmest wishes for the happiest of holidays and a joyous New Year. I am looking forward to 2024!
Please mark your calendars for March 23, 2024! Norfolk Public Schools will host Family University from 9:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. at Norview High School. Join school division staff along with community partners for family wellness information, guest speakers, celebration of the arts and music, and to engage in instructional activities designed to enrich learning at home. Division staff will also provide application assistance for families who wish to enroll their children in preschool. Transportation, childcare, and lunch will be provided. Follow Norfolk Public Schools on Facebook, Instagram, or X and watch our site at www.npsk12.com for updates and registration information. See you there!
Students from preschool through grade 5 found plenty of “Ways to Make Sunshine” during the All Norfolk Reads event of Renee Watson’s book! All participating students received a free copy of the book to give more than 14,250 students the opportunity to read and learn together with classmates and their families. Festivities included kickoff events such as a sunshine-themed dance party, trivia challenges with prizes, and a sweet finale with ice cream treats.
Norfolk Public Schools remains focused on literacy as an educational priority for the success of all students. Reading, writing, communication, and critical thinking skills take place in all content areas of the school division’s curriculum, in every classroom, every day, no exceptions. For example, during math classes, students use reading strategies to understand the meaning of math problems, use writing to communicate and justify mathematical reasoning, communicate by listening to or responding to the ideas of others, and think critically by applying knowledge to solve real-world problems.
To see the school division’s plan for Literacy Across Content Areas, click on the Literacy Plan link at the top of www.npsk12.com
On Tuesday, November 8, 2023, the City of Norfolk School Board unanimously appointed Nichelle Stone to the vacant Ward 5 seat.
Stone will complete the remainder of the term of Ms. Lauren Campsen, who resigned from the School Board in September due to health concerns. Stone’s appointment will expire on December 31, 2024. A special election for the Ward 5 School Board seat will be held later.
Stone holds a Master of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Religious Studies from the College of William and Mary. She is also a graduate of Norfolk Public Schools. Stone works as a paralegal at Cooper Hurley Injury Lawyers in Norfolk and has served as the president of the Northside Civic League.
“I love Norfolk so much,” Stone said during her interview with School Board members on November 1st. “We have such a diverse population that has shaped so much of the way I navigate the world. That’s something very special we offer to kids.”
Stone said that as a School Board member she would examine how the school division delivers education, reflect the values of her community, and consider what each child needs to come to school and learn.
School Board Chair Dr. Adale Martin said she and other members welcome Stone and look forward to working with her.
“We are excited to continue the work of the school division with Mrs. Stone,” Martin said. "We welcome her fresh perspective and her dedication to the students of Norfolk Public Schools, along with her commitment to a focus on excellent student outcomes.”
Norfolk Public Schools invites families with children who received special education services during the 2022-2023 school year to participate in the annual parent engagement survey from the Virginia Department of Education. The survey helps the VDOE to identify training needs related to special education processes. The survey results help Norfolk Public Schools and the state to improve parental involvement in the special education process and improve outcomes for all students. Please complete one survey per child. Find the survey at www.npsk12.com or visit the VDOE survey site. The survey is available in English and in Spanish, and will remain open until December 15, 2023.
Each month in the #NPSNotableAlumni feature, Norfolk Public Schools’ graduates share what their NPS education meant to them – and where it has carried them so far.
“Who here in this room has gone from Tidewater Park to the White House?”
Edward Sivells, who graduated from Booker T. Washington High School in 1983, asked that question while speaking to a group of students. The answer? Sivells himself.
Sivells spent 26 years in the Navy, becoming a cook and eventually working his way through the ranks to become a senior chief petty officer. His skills and experience landed him a job cooking in the White House for Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton.
When he was a student, Sivells never expected his career would take him to the White House. Sivells became a father at 15 years old. He and his girlfriend Sharon (now his wife of more than 40 years) moved into an apartment across the street from Booker T. Washington and walked to school.
No matter what, Sivells said, his teachers at Booker T. Washington never let him stop focusing on his future.
“The teachers at Booker T. showed me empathy but didn’t let me have a sense of entitlement,” Sivells said. “I was still expected to run track and get the grades, even though my responsibility had increased.”
He carries those high expectations with him and instilled them in his four children – one of whom, Leon Sivells, is a Maury High School teacher.
Sivells retired from the Navy. He now works part-time at the Center for Military and Veterans Education at Tidewater Community College and serves as pastor at The Breaking of Day Ministries and is enthusiastic about finding ways to give back to Norfolk and the schools that defined him.
“You have to find your motivation, and in finding that, it will help you succeed,” Sivells tells students. “Statistics say I shouldn’t have been in the White House, but my teachers taught me to pay attention, stay motivated, and stay away from distractions.”
To suggest a profile or to recommend yourself, send a message to Norfolk Public Schools on LinkedIn or email tellus@npsk12.com. Follow Norfolk Public Schools on LinkedIn for more alumni news, professional development, and job opportunities.
