The Tiger Tea

Happy Super Bowl Sunday!

This week is our February Spirit week in honor of Black History Month! Please join us this Thursday for our Black History Month Program. A special thank you to the RPS Engagement Office for sponsoring dinner served by Kenny's Kitchen!

This week is also Kindness week. We will be embedding activities during the week for students to show kindness.

Highlights from last week!

• National School Counseling Week: We could not do this work without our counselors Mr. G and Mrs. Bonaparte-Moore!

• Congratulations to Bella Brownlee who represented Albert Hill and RPS in the District 1 Chorus, Saturday at J. R. Tucker!

• Congratulations Elijah Strayer and Gray Gardner who represented Albert Hill and RPS in the Central regional orchestra, Saturday at Randolph Macon!

• The Boys Basketball team advanced to Round 2 of the Middle School basketball tournament by defeating Henderson but lost to River City in the second round! Congratulations on a wonderful season Tigers!

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.

February 12

Spirit Day: Rep Your Favorite Sports Team

February 13

Spirit Day: Twin Day

February 14

Flex Bell Schedule: Element Meetings

Spirit Day: Love Wins Day- Wear Pink or Red

February 15

6:00 p.m.- 8:00 p.m. Black History Month Program

Spirit Day: Rep Your Favorite College/ HBCU

February 16

Spirit Day: Teacher Switch Day- Teachers dress like students, students dress like teachers

February 19

RPS Schools Closed: President's Day

February 21

Spring Picture Day

All City Chorus

February 24

For the Love of Tigers

February 26

VAAP Testing Window Opens

February 28

Flex Bell Schedule: Element Meetings

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

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 completed and updated 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

https://jhsfieldhockey.com/

JHS Field Hockey Club is offering a U14 age group. Tentatively, the practice site will be River City Sportsplex for the Spring Season. JHS Spring Club Registration is now open. If you have any questions, please contact Emma Barlett jhsfieldhockeyclub@gmail.com

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