Roanoke City Public Schools

James Madison 8th graders in the Community Builders program recently had their first meeting of the school year! They identified field trips and community service projects and then made cards for college students affected by Hurricane Helene. We are #RCPSProud of these students who are building leadership skills and making a positive impact in their community! #WeAreOne Community Builders is available at all RCPS middle schools and helps students develop leadership skills and prepare for college/the workforce from an early age. It’s all about teamwork, responsibility, and giving back! Learn more: https://lnkd.in/eG_f43jr

Thanks to a collaboration between Title II and Title III programs, many of our RCPS administrators and staff were able to attend the 2024 WIDA Conference in Pittsburgh as part of our division's effort to provide high-quality instruction for our students who are English Learners! Thank you to our educators for going above and beyond to immerse themselves in these professional learning opportunities! #RCPSProud

Dr. White’s Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council met yesterday for the first time this school year and discussed topics important to them, such as cell phones. We appreciate these students for taking the time to represent their peers! The council is comprised of students from all our secondary schools and programs. The input these students provide result in actionable change; last year, for example, students recommended increasing mental health services, which led to our partnership with Hazel Health that provides free virtual mental and physical health services to students.

Tuesday's School Board meeting was full of celebrations, and they couldn’t have come at a better time with October being Bullying Prevention Month! #RCPSProud #WeAreOne First up, we honored Lincoln Terrace Elementary School as our featured school of the month! Principal Mills, her incredible team, and some awesome Tigers shared some of the exciting things happening at their school this year. Then, we heard from students in the Community Builders pilot program. 55 8th-grade students are making a mark on their community through leadership development and career/college exploration. Interested in learning more? https://lnkd.in/en-BUd9m Thank you to Director of Community Engagement Corey Allder, Youth Development & Intervention Coordinator Josh Johnson, and Site Leaders Brianna Gallatin and Mikayla McMullen for their hard work launching this program! Community Builders was made possible thanks to legislation championed by Del. Sam Rasoul, passed unanimously by the General Assembly, and signed into law by Gov. Glenn Youngkin.

We're proud of our founding partnership with Carilion Clinic, Freedom First Credit Union, and Delta Dental of Virginia through the LIFT Center at Fallon Park Elementary to support our students and families! #WeAreOne

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