The Tiger Tea

Happy Sunday!

Friday marked the end of day 16 in our attendance competition. Averages from days 8-16 are in and 6th grade is now in the lead with an average of 92.25, 8th grade is in second place with an average of 91.74 and 7th grade is in third pace with an average of 91.52. Let's go Tigers! Every Day Counts!

Join us this week for our course selection events to learn more about schedule options for the 2024-2025 school year! See flyer below for more details.

Highlights from last week!

• For the Love of Tigers! Thank you to all of our community participants- Patient First, The Richmond City Sheriff's Office doing student ID's, Boys to Men Mentoring, RBHA, RPS Family Liaison and many more for attending our event Saturday. Thank you to our parents, students and teachers who attended. A special thank you to our PTA for sponsoring food and providing volunteers. The event would not have been possible without Communities and Schools and our fantastic CIS lead Ms. Chasity Polk and her intern Anaya Allen.

• Thomas Jefferson High School Middle School Night!

• Albert Hill swept the competition at Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan's Inaugural Black History Month Essay Contest! Congratulations to Frances Widmer and Houston Barnes for their first and second place wins. Franny's first place essay is now entered into the Congressional record where it will be kept in the archives for all time! Congratulations also to Zella Green, Aliyah Cheek, Julia Jones and Jaliyah Fells for attending the reception and receiving the challenge coin for their excellent participation. Many other students also participated from Hill and we couldn't be more proud!

• PTA Sponsored Teacher Appreciation Dessert Bar!

RPS History Fair

The AHMS History and Social Sciences Dept. is pleased to announce our participation in the RPS History Fair this year! We will be creating a Google Classroom with resources and after school meeting date to assist any student interested in entering the fair this year. Please communicate with your history teacher to join the Google Classroom and receive support on crafting a winning project!

Attendance Competition: Our school attendance competition sponsored by our AHMS PTA will take place during the month of February. One of the many examples of how your contributions support the many initiatives at our school. Last year we ended the year with a 22% chronic absenteeism rate. We are currently at 18.72% a drop in 3.28%. Our goal is 15% so that our school's indicator for chronic absenteeism is green. We can do it with your support and sending students to school each day! For the month of February, the grade level with the highest attendance for the month of February will win a grade level pizza party. We will potentially drop to 17.08%. Every day counts!

Spring Sports Updates:

See sports section for new updates.

AHMS Vaccination Clinic- Rising 7th Graders

There will be a vaccination clinic at Albert Hill on March 12th from 9:30 a.m.- 11:30 a.m. Please contact nurse Jacqueline Williams (jgrooms@rvaschools.net) if your are interested in your child participating. Students without the required immunizations are not allowed to attend school in Virginia until enrollment requirements are met.

Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis), Meningococcal, and *HPV are required vaccines for 7th grade students. If your child has already received the required vaccinations please be sure that documentation of the vaccinations have been provided to the school. If your child has not yet received the *HPV, Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis), and Meningococcal, s/he/they must do so prior to entering 7th grade. * As a parent or guardian, you have the right to decide if your child receives the HPV vaccine.

February 26

VAAP Testing Window Opens

February 27

All City Chorus

February 28

9:00 a.m.- 10:00 a.m. Course Selection Meeting

Flex Bell Schedule: Element Meetings

February 29

11:30 a.m.- 12: 30 p.m. Course Selection Meeting

March is Music in Our Schools Month; Youth Art Month; National Nutrition Month; Women's History Month

March 1

2:00 p.m.- 3:00 p.m. Course Selection Meeting

March 4-8

School Social Worker Appreciation Week

March 5

Teacher Work Day: No School for Students

March 6

6th Grade Maymont Field Trip

March 7

6th Grade Maymont Field Trip

March 12

9:30 p.m.- 11:30 p.m. AHMS Vaccination Clinic

March 13

Lockdown Drill

March 14

Pi Day

7:00 p.m. PTA Board Meeting

RPS History Fair

March 15

Girls Bridging Stem Fair Trip (10 students)

March 18-22

Scholastic Book Fair- Library

March 18

Spring Interim Window Opens

History PBA 3 Window Opens

March 19

Exceptional Education Meeting 3:30 p.m.- 4:30 p.m.

March 20

Flex Bell Schedule: Element Meeting

March 21

End of 3rd Quarter

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

Attendance Field Trip

March 22

2 Hour Early Release Caregiver/Teacher Conferences

Spring Interim Window Closes

7th Grade Challenge Discovery

March 25- 29

Spring Spirit Week- Activities TBD

March 26

Author Visit: Steve Watkins (selected classes)

PTA Bingo Night

March 28

Spring Musical: Matilda 6:00 p.m.

March 29

Spring Tiger Rally

Our biggest spring fundraiser, the Albert Hill Yard Sale will be April 27, 8am-1pm.

The PTA is accepting donations of items for the sale at the days and times listed below.

Wednesdays from 5-6PM on 2/28, 3/6, 3/13, 3/20, 3/27, 4/3, 4/10 and 4/17

Saturdays from 11AM -12PM on 3/2, 3/9, 3/16, 3/23, 3/30, 4/6, 4/13 and 4/20

Sundays from 1-2PM on 3/10, 3/24, 4/7 and 4/21

Check out alberthillyardsale.com for all the details!

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

Softball

Coaches: Mr. Brouder (gbrouder@rvaschools.net) and Ms. Shenk (kleachma@rvaschools.net)

Flag Football

Tryouts for flag football will be February 26, 27, 28 after school until 4:45. Players will meet in the gym and must have a current VHSL physical in order to participate.

Coach: Mr. McLane jmclane@rvaschools.net

Kids on the Move

Do you want to run the Monument 10K for FREE! Join Kids on the Move! The club will meet Tuesdays beginning February 13th. Students should come dressed to run! See flyer in the sports section for more details! Runners must have a completed and updated VHSL physical in order to participate.

Coach: Mr. Kimbrell kkimbrel@rvaschools.net

Tennis

Tennis conditioning begins September 20th. Whether a beginner or experienced tennis player all are welcome.

Coaches: Mr. Yavorsky dyavorsk@rvaschools.net and Ms. Gabbert egabbert@rvaschools.net

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