The Tiger Tea

Greetings, Tiger Families!

Can you believe we have officially made it to November? We have successfully wrapped up our first nine weeks of school, and what a busy and exciting start to the year it has been!

Last week was filled with learning, creativity, and school spirit at The Hill! We officially launched our Schoolwide Read initiative, bringing students and staff together through the love of reading. Our students also enjoyed another round of Recess and Clubs, providing opportunities to build relationships, explore interests, and connect with peers outside of the classroom. We also saw some incredible creativity throughout the building, from engaging classroom activities to our staff and students showing off their school spirit!

As we enter the second nine weeks, we are looking forward to building on the progress our Tigers have made while continuing to strengthen academic achievement, student engagement, and positive school culture.

This week, we are heading into a short week! Richmond Public Schools will be closed on Monday, November 2, for Wellness Day and Tuesday, November 3, for Election Day. Students will return on Wednesday, November 4. We are also looking forward to our PTA Movie Night on Friday, November 6, a wonderful opportunity for our school community to come together for some family fun!

As we begin this new grading period, I encourage families to take a moment to review their child's academic progress, celebrate their successes, and identify areas where additional support may be needed. Our continued partnership between home and school is essential to ensuring every Tiger is successful.

Thank you for your continued support, engagement, and commitment to our Hill community. We have accomplished so much during our first nine weeks, and I am excited about what lies ahead!

With Tiger Pride,
Dr. Jessica Ford-Harris
Interim Principal
Albert H. Hill Middle School 🐯💛

Thank you, Tiger families, for your continued support of our cell phone-free school day procedures! Your partnership is making a difference, and we are already seeing the positive impact throughout The Hill. With phones turned in each morning and securely stored throughout the instructional day, we are seeing:

• 📚 More engaged and focused students during instruction
• 💬 Increased student discussion and classroom participation
• 🤝 More face-to-face interactions and positive peer connections
• 🧠 Fewer distractions and interruptions to teaching and learning
• ⏰ Smoother transitions and students more prepared to begin class
• 🧡 More opportunities for students to connect with their peers and adults
• 🎯 Greater focus on what matters most......learning!

As a reminder, students turn in their phones upon arrival each morning, and phones remain securely stored and out of students’ possession throughout the school day. Phones are returned during 4th period in preparation for dismissal.

Thank you for partnering with us to protect instructional time and create a school environment where our Tigers can be present, connected, challenged, and ready to learn.

We love having our families and community members engaged at Albert H. Hill Middle School! If you are interested in volunteering to support our students, classrooms, school events, field trips, or other activities, you must first become an approved/vetted volunteer through Richmond Public Schools. All prospective volunteers are required to complete the district’s background check through the Raptor system before volunteering with students.

🔗 Complete the RPS Volunteer Background Check using the link below.

Please complete the process in advance, as volunteers must be approved before participating in volunteer activities at the school.

Thank you for giving your time and talents to support our Tigers! 🐯🧡🖤

The table below shows the maximum number of absences for each school day and date range. For example: Your student is considered chronically absent if they have 3 or more absences on October 3rd. They will no longer be considered chronically absent on October 16th if they have 3 days absent and don't accrue any more absences before October 30th.

The Big Tiger Give is our school's largest donation-based fundraiser of the year! For those new to The Hill, this annual initiative plays a vital role in helping us bridge the gap between what the public school budget provides and the additional resources and experiences that make our school community thrive.

Funds raised directly support our athletics programs, fine arts, classroom supplies, staff appreciation, building improvements, student incentives, monthly programs, special events, and so much more!

Every contribution, no matter the size, makes a difference in creating meaningful opportunities for our students and staff. We are incredibly grateful for the continued generosity and support of our Hill families, staff, and community partners.

Together, we can continue making great things happen at The Hill!

Is your 8th grader interested in applying to a high school specialty program? We are excited to offer a High School Essay Writing Workshop to help students prepare strong, thoughtful, and well-written essays for their specialty school applications!

During these interactive sessions, students will receive guidance on brainstorming ideas, organizing their thoughts, developing compelling responses, and revising their essays to showcase their unique strengths and interests.

Workshop Details:

• Dates: Thursdays — October 22, October 29, November 5, and November 19

• Time: 3:20–4:45 p.m.

• Who: 8th-grade students interested in applying to high school specialty programs

• Materials: Writing supplies will be provided as available.

Students are encouraged to attend all four sessions to receive the full benefit of the workshop.

Interested in participating? Please review the attached flyer and complete the registration form linked on the flyer. The signup link will also be available through Canvas.

Let's help our Tigers put their best foot forward as they prepare for the next chapter of their educational journey! 🐯

Families, PowerSchool and Canvas serve two different, but equally important, purposes in helping you stay connected to your student’s learning.

🔵 PowerSchool = Official Grades & Student Records
PowerSchool is the division’s official grade-recording system. Use PowerSchool to monitor your student’s current grades, attendance, and other official student information.

🔴 Canvas = Learning & Assignments
Canvas is where students access their daily assignments, due dates, class materials, announcements, resources, and teacher feedback.

💡 An easy way to remember:
Want to know your student’s official grade? → Check PowerSchool.
Want to know what your student is learning or needs to complete? → Check Canvas.

We encourage families to check both platforms regularly. Together, they provide a more complete picture of your student’s academic progress.

🆘 Need Help Accessing PowerSchool or Canvas?
If you need assistance accessing either platform, please feel free to reach out to Dr. Ford-Harris for support. We want to make sure every family has the tools needed to stay informed and connected! 🐯🧡

We are excited to officially launch SmartPass, our new digital hallway pass system at Albert Hill Middle School! SmartPass replaces traditional paper passes and allows students to request permission to leave the classroom electronically through Clever on their school-issued Chromebooks. This system will help us improve student safety, increase accountability, reduce unnecessary hallway traffic, and maximize instructional time.

What Families Need to Know:

• ✅ Three Passes Daily: Each student will receive three SmartPass passes per day to request permission to leave class.

• ✅ Use Transition Time Wisely: Students are encouraged to use the restroom and refill their water bottles during class transitions to minimize interruptions to learning.

• ✅ Teacher Approval: Students must request and receive approval through SmartPass before leaving the classroom.

• ✅ Individualized Accommodations: Students with an IEP or Section 504 Plan that outlines specific restroom, water, or movement accommodations will continue to receive those supports as documented in their plans. SmartPass will not override or limit these accommodations.

Families, we need your partnership! Please remind your Tiger to use transition periods wisely, follow hallway expectations, and make responsible choices throughout the school day. Our goal is not to restrict students' access to essential needs, but to create a safer, more structured learning environment while protecting valuable instructional time.

Our Tigers are back in action this week! Come out and show your Tiger Pride as we cheer on our student-athletes!

Thursday, November 5 | vs. Franklin Military Academy (Tournament)

⚽ Co-Ed Soccer — Home

Thursday, November 5 | vs. River City (Tournament)

🏀 Girls Basketball — Home

Let’s pack the sidelines and stands and cheer on our Tigers! We are proud of our student-athletes and look forward to another great week of competition, teamwork, and sportsmanship.

Families, please be sure to review updates and communications from your student-athlete’s coach and Athletic Director Mr. Brooks for game times, transportation details, and any schedule changes.

Let’s show our Tiger Pride and cheer on our student-athletes! 🐯🏀⚽

Chromebooks have officially been distributed to our Tigers! 🎉 If your 7th or 8th grade student did not receive a charger, this indicates that a charger was not returned at the end of last school year.

Replacement chargers can be purchased on Amazon for less than $20 using the link below. Having a charger at home is important to ensure students are able to keep their devices charged and ready for learning each day.

Thank you for helping our Tigers stay charged up and ready to learn! 🔋🐯

🚪 Arrival Procedures & Security

The school day begins with safety. Doors open each morning at 7:50 a.m.

• Walkers & Car Riders: Enter through Door 1 (Patterson Avenue/Main Entrance).
• Bus Riders: Enter through Door 5 (Park Avenue).
• All students will pass through metal detectors, and personal belongings will be searched as part of our daily safety procedures.
• Parents and visitors who enter the building must report directly to the main office and are subject to security screening. Parents are not permitted to escort students to class.

🤝 Join the PTA

We invite all families to become members of the Albert Hill PTA! Membership is just $10 per person and is a great way to support our students, staff, and school community throughout the year.

The PTA is also looking for volunteers. If you are interested in getting involved, please email alberthillpta@gmail.com.

Join now -- click here!

📱 Stay Connected

Never miss an update! Be sure to follow Albert Hill and the PTA on social media for school news, reminders, celebrations, photos, and event information.

• TigerEye ParentLink on Instagram
• Albert Hill Middle PTA private Facebook group

• Albert Hill PTA Facebook account
• Albert Hill Middle School Facebook account
• Albert Hill Middle School on instagram

At Albert H. Hill Middle School, we know that student success is strongest when schools and families work together. Your involvement, encouragement, and partnership make a lasting difference in your child's academic achievement, attendance, and overall well-being. Together, we can ensure that every Tiger is connected, challenged, and empowered to succeed.

Here are a few ways you can partner with us this year:

• Check ParentSquare regularly for school and classroom updates.
• Ensure your child attends school every day and arrives on time.
• Encourage your child to read for at least 20 minutes each evening.
• Ask your child about what they learned each day.
• Monitor grades and communicate with teachers when questions arise.
• Attend school events and volunteer when possible.
• Join the PTA

At Albert Hill, we are committed to creating a safe, respectful, and supportive learning environment. We encourage every student to live out our TIGER P.R.I.D.E. values each day.

P – Prepared: Be on time and ready to learn.

R – Respectful: Honor yourself, your school, and your community.

I – Integrity: Make positive choices and do the right thing.

D – Determination: Persevere through challenges and never give up.

E – Exceeding Expectations with Excellence: Strive to do your personal best every day.

The Student Code of Responsible Ethics (SCORE) is a guide that defines appropriate and inappropriate behavior. The SCORE also covers disciplinary consequences and interventions that may be prescribed as appropriate. This guide is formulated to encourage good citizenship and to promote positive behavior that will lead to the overall welfare of students. The SCORE ensures that families, students and school personnel are aware of their rights and responsibilities in regard to student conduct. It also standardizes procedures used in responding to specific disciplinary infractions. The goal of the SCORE is to ensure every student has access to a quality education in an environment that is conducive to teaching and learning.

November 2

• RPS Closed-Wellness day

November 3

• RPS Closed-Election Day

November 5

• Writing workshop

November 6

• PTA movie night

November 9

• RPS Closed-Diwali

November 12

• Parent/Caregiver Conferences
• Fire Drill 2:25 p.m.

November 17

• Lockdown Drill| 9:30 a.m.

November 19

• Title 1 Math Night| 6:00-8:00 p.m.

November 20

• Fall Tiger Rally