Roanoke City Public Schools

October is National Principals Month, and we are so proud of and thankful for our school and program leaders! They’re molding futures, shaping communities, and paving pathways to success for every student. #ThankAPrincipal #RCPSProud

Over the past two days, the School Board has held its semiannual retreat to discuss their priorities and board governance matters. This morning, they received an update from Dr. White and District Leadership Team members about the Strategic Plan and forthcoming updates to ensure RCPS' goals continue to align with providing our students with what they need to succeed! #RCPSProud

This morning, we celebrated RCPS receiving a $395,000 grant through Community Foundation Serving Western Virginia to purchase specialized equipment and resources for students with visual impairments! This is the second-largest grant ever approved by the foundation, and the first grant awarded through the foundation's Emil and Emma Lang Fund for the Visually Impaired. The funds will allow RCPS to improve accessibility and provide cutting-edge technology for students with visual impairments across all grade levels, including vision screening devices, white canes to support independence, and related assistive technology and devices to support instruction and independence. Braille signage will also be updated in our schools. This is a transformative gift, and we are thankful to everyone within RCPS who worked on this grant application and to our partners at the Community Foundation. #WeAreOne #RCPSProud

September is #AttendanceAwarenessMonth. We're proud of our educators and staff for working with our students and families to reduce chronic absenteeism. A special thank you to our student support specialists, counselors, and social workers for going above and beyond! RCPS offers many resources, including free virtual mental and physical health services, to support student attendance. Visit https://lnkd.in/e8H8Spf5 or our Facebook page for additional resources. #MissSchoolMissOut #WeAreOne

We had our first Principals’ Meeting of the school year yesterday, which provided principals with the opportunity to dig into ways to support our teachers in providing high-quality instruction! Thank you to our Academic and Professional Learning leaders for planning a great hands-on session! Our monthly Principals’ Meetings provide the opportunity for principals to receive updates from district leaders and receive the support they need that ultimately benefits our students! #RCPSProud

Today we celebrate our incredible RCPS technology team! They keep our devices running and keep us safe online! We are thankful for all their hard work. #RCPSProud #WeAreOne

Spotlight on Fairview Elementary School: Thanks to WDBJ7's Patsy Montesinos for this sweet story about 99-year-old retired teacher and Hermitage Roanoke resident Martha McMullan, who saved her weekly bingo winnings to buy school supplies for Fairview's fourth graders! Watch the story to hear Fairview's 4th grade team talk about what it means to receive this special donation: https://lnkd.in/eUZQmr2H We’re so grateful for this amazing act of kindness! #RCPSProud #WeAreOne

Roanoke City Public Schools is all in on early literacy! We had an amazing time celebrating early literacy, family engagement, and the Virginia Literacy Act yesterday during our Right to Read events, hosted in partnership with E3: Elevate Early Education! We first hosted a panel luncheon with our legislators, community, and business partners to discuss how we all play a role in our students’ success, followed by a special red carpet Early Literacy Academy panel to provide families with practical tips and resources to support their children’s reading journey. A special thank you to Virginia Department of Education Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Lisa Coons, University of Virginia Professor Dr. Emily Solari, and Del. Sam Rasoul for serving on our panel moderated by Verletta White, Ed.D. in addition to our amazing parents and staff: Supervisor of Reading Improvement Rachel Floyd, Supervisor of EL & World Languages Elizabeth Schenkel, Westside Elementary School Principal Dr. Kristen English, Round Hill Elementary School School Principal Dr. Brenda Russ, and Roanoke City Council of PTAs/PTSAs President (and proud teacher and parent!) Jessica Blandy. #RCPSProud #WeAreOne

We are lucky to have Dr. White leading Roanoke City Public Schools! Yesterday, the School Board voted to extend her contract two more years, through June 30, 2028. #RCPSProud #WeAreOne Read more: https://lnkd.in/eSXAyp7C

This morning, Chief Operations Officer Chris Perkins received Bradley Free Clinic's Visionary Leader Award for his support in creating the HOPE Initiative during his time as Roanoke Police Chief. The HOPE Initiative provides support to those with substance use disorder through a coalition of community partners, including law enforcement, so that individuals can begin to build their foundation of recovery. Mr. Perkins was honored today alongside Chief Scott Booth and former Crime Prevention Specialist Scott Leamon. Mr. Perkins famously stated in 2016 that “We can’t arrest our way out of this crisis," which kickstarted the idea for the HOPE Initiative. Today's award is a testament to his decades of public service, forward-thinking approach to community policing, and willingness to go above and beyond to support initiatives that better the entire community, one neighbor at a time. We are lucky to now have him in RCPS, where he has the same forward-thinking approach to school safety and security. Thank, you, Chief Perkins, for all that you do! #RCPSProud #WeAreOne