The Tiger Tea

Happy Sunday!

Monday, January 31st is a teacher workday. There is no school for students. We have begun the rigorous test to stay program for close contacts. If your student is identified as a close contact, please speak with Nurse Williams to determine if your family is a candidate for test to stay.

Highlights for the week

• NextUp began Monday! Our students participated in Cartoon and Comics, Spin Academy, The Business of Art, STEAMulate Laser Tag, Masterchef, Kidz n Biz, Geared Up, Edible Schoolyard, Chess, Braid it Up and Animation. Thank you to the YMCA, NextUp, and our site coordinator Mr. Joseph Dobson for a wonderful first week of programming! Transportation is provided for in-zone students.
• Our element representatives created and sent surveys to our student body so that their voices can be heard! Air Tiger Representatives: Berkeley Crane; Water Tiger Representatives: Amelie Langan and Alden Peters; Fire Tiger Representatives: Elijah Strayer, Claire Lindbloom, and Jazmeya Williams; Earth Tiger Representatives: Kensington Wiggins and William Vayvada
• PTA Soup Lunch Teacher Appreciation! Thank you to the best PTA in RVA for providing soup lunch, bread bowls, drinks and dessert for the teachers and staff of Albert Hill!
• Kudos to Heidi Pierce whose artwork was selected for the VA School Board Art Contest (picture attached).

January 31

No school for students

February 1

6th and 7th grade students attend 2nd Semester Electives where applicable

4:30 p.m. Open Enrollment Deadline

Black History Month Begins

School Board Member Appreciation Month Begins

February 2

Mock 8th Grade Writing Test

February 7

National School Counselor Week

February 11

Semester Awards Recognition

Open Enrollment Applications – The deadline for families to submit open enrollment applications for the 2022-23 school year is Tuesday, February 1, at 4:30 pm. Students can apply to up to 3 out-of-zone schools, plus Patrick Henry School of Science and Arts, if eligible, via the lottery. Please note that late applications will not be accepted for any reason. Visit the RPS website for more information.

Engineering Outreach Project for Students

Engineers Week (EWeek) is February 20-26 and VSPE is organizing an Outreach Project for students in grades 3-8. It is completely free to participate. VSPE will mail a packet to each student that signs up that includes instructions and materials for an at-home engineering activity. During EWeek, we will have a "Zoom with an Engineer" to discuss the engineering concepts from the project.

Please see the attached flyer for more information. The project is free to participate and the zoom call is entirely optional.

Sign Up Here

Each day, prior to leaving home, parents should ask students/students should ask themselves the following questions:

1. Have you experienced any of the following symptoms in the past 48 hours?

• fever (100.4 degrees or higher) accompanied by chills

• persistent cough

• shortness of breath or difficulty breathing not contributed to underlying health issues

• fatigue, muscle or body aches not contributed to underlying health issues

• new loss of taste or smell

• sore throat

• congestion or runny nose

• nausea, vomiting or diarrhea

2. Have you been in physical contact with anyone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19 within the last 14 days?

3. Are you isolating because you have tested positive for COVID-19 or are waiting on COVID-19 test results?

If a student answers yes to any of the questions, they should stay home from work/school that day, monitor their symptoms, and contact a medical professional, as appropriate. Parents should notify the principal at tmayo@rvaschools.net and provide any supporting documentation available. Mrs. Ivy will then notify the nurse to begin contact tracing and staff members to provide student work via google classroom. Students may be marked present if they complete assignments through Google Classroom while Quarantined.

Students that present with COVID-like symptoms during the day will be evaluated by the school nurse and, in most cases, sent home and families will be advised to seek testing and or further medical evaluation. School nurses will use the When Should a Child Stay Home From School and/or Child Care? guide provided by the VDH for up-to-date guidance.

*All students received a thermometer in their PPE kits distributed on the first day of school.

Winter

Cheerleading Competition February 26, 2022 (Subject to change)

Cheerleading- Coach: Keondra Ellison-Holliday (khollida@rvaschools.net) and Kiana Bradford (kbradfor@rvaschools.net)

Boys Basketball- Coaches: Michele Drayton (mdrayton@rvaschools.net) and David Yavorsky (dyavorsk@rvaschools.net).

Spring- Coaches and Tryouts TBD

Tennis (Coed) March 1, 2022

Flag Football (Coed) March 3, 2022

Softball April 14, 2022

Outdoor Track Meet April 27, 2022

Lost or Stolen Devices:

Please complete the lost or stolen chromebook form linked for reporting lost or stolen chromebooks or hotspots.

Internet:

If you do not have internet and are in need of a hotspot, please contact Mr. Jacobs (cjacobs@rvaschools.net).

Parents,

Please help us reinforce schoolwide expectations

• Be Kind- If you don't have anything nice to say don't say anything at all.
• Masks- Masks should be covering your mouth and nose. When eating in the cafeteria, students should remain silent while masks are off and may talk when finished and masks
• Following Directions: Follow directions the first time asked.
• Cell Phones- Off and away during the school day. Cell phones should not be visible to teachers and staff throughout the day.
• Hats and Hoods should be off during the school day.

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!

Every Tiger, Every Day! Every Day Counts!

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