The Tiger Tea
Hill Happenings 3/14- 3/18
Principal's Message
Highlights for the week:
- Congratulations to Heidi Pierce, who was selected as middle school first place winner for the Southside Region in the Virginia School Boards Association’s regional art contest. Heidi received a certificate, blue ribbon, and gift card for her achievement. Her piece entitled “Standing Out” will be spotlighted at the Virginia School Boards Association’s annual conference in November. Thanks, Heidi for making us Tiger Proud!
- Congratulations to our February Students of the Month: 6th grade- Samara Mason and Logan Peebles; 7th grade- Loree Tate and Amari Lewis; 8th grade- Abby Lesher and Chris Smith. We will celebrate students with lunch and certificates Wednesday, March 16th.
- Two way hallway movement began this week and was a success. Please remind students to walk on the right of the hallways and stairwells and to take the most direct route to class.
- The flag football team defeated MLK 26-12. Congratulations Flag Football Team.
In honor of Social Worker Appreciation Week we are grateful to have Mrs. Miller. She is a dedicated and appreciated member of our team. Thank you Mrs. Miller!!
Tiger Service day was postponed due to inclement weather. We already have a new date set for the Albert Hill Garden Clean-Up: Saturday March 26th! If you are interested in attending that event or performing some service on this date, we will meet you at the garden! The other events will also have new dates coming soon! Stay tuned for more announcements and updates, including a new sign up Google Form!
Student spectators may attend home flag football games if they have transportation home, walk, or attend Humphrey Calder Community Center after school. We do not have the capacity to provide bus transportation to game spectators due to our other after school activities.
As a reminder, student lunch deliveries from delivery services (grubhub, doordash, etc.) are not permitted. We are unable to manage student lunch deliveries in the office.
Lastly, Friday, March 11th some of our 8th grade students who applied to specialty schools received notification of acceptance. Congratulations to all of our 8th graders who will be attending the HS of their choice next schoolyear. We recognize this can be a very exciting time for some but can also be a very disappointing time for others. Please remind all students to be kind and supportive to their peers. If your student needs help processing or would like to discuss feelings of anxiety or disappointment, please reach out to Mr. G (dgustavs@rvaschools.net) or Mrs. Miller (lbrooks@rvaschools.net).
Dates to Remember
March 14
Interim Reports Distributed
Pi Day
March 15
Track Practice
March 16
Tennis Match/Skills @ Byrd Park
March 17
Flag Football Game @ Henderson
Track Practice
Virtual History Fair
March 18
Parent Teacher Conference
March 21
Spring Sports Pictures
March 22
4:00 p.m.- 9:00 p.m. PTA Spirit Night- Benny Ventanos
Benny Ventanos will be hosting us and will be donating a portion of the proceeds to Albert Hill's PTA. Come get dinner for the family and support our school!
March 24
5:00 p.m.- 7:00 p.m. AHMS Science Night in the Garden (in-person event)
March 26
Tigers Serve: Albert Hill Garden Clean-Up
RPS Virtual History Fair- March 17th
Parent Teacher Conference- March 18th
Please contact your child’s teacher via email or Remind, or call the school at 804-780-6107 if you wish to schedule a conference with your child’s teachers.
Conferences will take place on Friday, March 18, from 8:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. and 2:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m. to make sure times are available for parents and guardians with varying schedules. Conferences will be in ten minute slots within these timeframes.
As always, if you are unavailable during any of the scheduled timeframes for conferences, and would like to conference with your child’s teachers, contact the teacher with your request. We appreciate your involvement in your child’s academic success, and look forward to the opportunity to discuss it with you.
PTA Spring Picnic and Flag Football Tournament
Pack your picnic baskets and join the Albert Hill family for this community event. Calling all tiger flag football players! The PTA is hosting a spring picnic on April 24th, 2022. During the day, we will be running a flag football tournament where students can represent their elements and compete in order to earn element points. Everyone is welcome, but must have their own transportation. Currently, the event will be held at the AHMS field. If your student would like to play, please encourage them to sign up on the interest form around the school. More information about specifics will come in the weeks to come and will be based on interest, so please have them sign up if you would like to join us! The link can be found here as well: https://forms.gle/csJWo4YSyct4tXnH8 We look forward to a fun packed day!
2022-2023 Course Selection Information
Course offerings and the middle school program of studies is listed below. Course offerings are not guaranteed. The ability of the school to offer courses is dependent upon the budget and staffing. Not all courses may be offered at Albert Hill for the 2022-2023 school year. Students may have the ability to take other options virtually, in addition to their full in-school schedule. All questions regarding course selection, offerings, and scheduling should be directed to Mr. G (dgustavs@rvaschools.net)
Schoollinks FAQ
- What is Schoolinks?
Schoolinks is a modern College and Career Readiness Platform that your district partnered with to help you for life after high school. The platform offers more than 80 experiences such as career interest inventory assessments, college and career search, internship matching, portfolio, and more.
- Logging in
You can launch Schoolinks from your Clever Portal. Or GO to: https//apps.schoolinks.com/ and use the login with Clever Option.
- Take swipeable surveys and quizzes!
- Go to personalized plan and select your courses for the 2022-2023 school year.
Community Opportunities
Oliver Hill Day
The Oliver Hill Day celebration will take place on Friday, April 29th at 3:00 pm at the Richmond Juvenile and Domestic Relations courthouse. This year the committee is partnering with Richmond Public Schools for their annual art competition. Students are encouraged to complete a project on Oliver Hill. Those students who complete a project on Oliver Hill will be recognized and have an opportunity to win a cash prize at the Oliver Hill Day celebration. 1st, 2nd and 3rd place cash awards to the middle schoolers and high schoolers will be given. Cash prizes are as follows: First place will receive $100; second place will receive $50 and third place will receive $25. The students’ projects will be judged using the rubric created by Richmond Public Schools to judge History Fair submissions.
Please reach out to Steven Forbes (sforbes@moranreevesconn.com) with any questions.
Exceptional Education-Family Engagement Collaborative Conversations – The Office of Exceptional Education will be hosting a series of virtual Family Engagement Collaborative Conversation Sessions. Please share this information with your families and school community and encourage them to join us!
March 31, 2022 (Post-Secondary Transition Planning: Life After High School) 1:00-2:00pm Google Meet
April 28, 2022 (Pathways to Graduation) 1:00-2:00 pm Google Meet
May 26, 2022 (Assistive Technology Considerations in Special Education) 1:00-2:00 Google Meet
Battle of the Bands! – S Cubed Productions, LLC is hosting with Virginia Union University the Battle of the Bands RVA on April 9. Admission is free and we are asking for your support in sharing this information with RPS schools so they can come with their marching bands to showcase their talent to the community. FREE Band Registration can be found here. The community can register for their FREE tickets or souvenir tickets on eventbrite.
Family Volunteer Opportunities- Museum District
- Neighborhood walk to inventory and map empty tree wells to identify opportunities for the Adopt A Tree program
- Alley cleanup: This would involve both picking up trash and also entering 311 requests for bulk trash pickup
- Neighborhood walk to document graffiti and tags on street signs, create 311 requests
If any of these ideas are of interest, please email tmayo@rvaschools.net so that you can receive further direction.
PTA Albert Hill Yard Sale
Albert Hill is reviving its annual Spring Yard Sale fundraiser and is asking for help from the school community and its neighbors to provide the items for sale. The yard sale will take place on May 14th on the Albert Hill campus, and all proceeds will directly benefit the Albert Hill PTA. For complete information, please visit www.alberthillyardsale.com
The Albert Hill PTA will gratefully accept donations every Wednesday through April from 5-6pm and occasional Saturdays (see website) from 10-11am at the front of Albert Hill Middle School (3400 Patterson Ave). Receipt of donations made will be provided to the donor for tax purposes. If you would like to arrange for a different drop off time or you would like to request that someone pick up your item(s), please contact Becky Sirpis at alberthillyardsale@gmail.com.
All items must be operational and in good condition and should fall under one of the following categories:
Home goods - furniture, dishes, decor, small appliances, electronics, etc.
Outdoor items - landscaping items, holiday decorations, outdoor furniture, etc.
Sporting goods - bikes, yard games, hiking/camping gear, etc.
Baby/Children’s items - strollers, high chairs, etc.
Toys/Puzzles/Games - all parts and pieces must be included; no stuffed animals, please
Accessories
Art
Jewelry
Luggage
Tools
Musical Instruments
We will not be accepting clothing for this yard sale. Other items that will not be accepted can be found on the “no thank you” list on the website. If you have an item you would like to donate but it does not fit into one of the categories above or you have any questions about this sale, please reach out to alberthillyardsale@gmail.com.
Anyone can donate items, so please spread the word! And mark your calendar to attend the yard sale on May 14th!
Spring Sports
Spring sports are here! All students must have a VHSL physical on file prior to tryouts. If your student would like to participate and you need transportation or financial assistance getting a physical, please email Mrs. Ivy at tmayo@rvaschools.net. Please contact the coach listed for more information or the athletic coordinator, Mr. Dean Lee (dlee3@rvaschools.net)
*If students have a physical on file from participation in a Fall or Winter sport, they do not need to resubmit their form.
Spring- Coaches and Tryouts
Tennis (Coed) - All students are welcome to participate in tennis for the entire season whether or not they make the team. Please email Mr. Yavorsky with any questions.
Coach- Mr. Yavorsky (dyavorsk@rvaschools.net)
Flag Football (Coed)- Please email Mr. Kimbrell with any questions.
Coach- Mr. Kimbrell (kkimbrel@rvaschools.net)
Outdoor Track- Conditioning began last week and will continue for several days to determine the events students will participate in. Please email Ms. West with any questions.
Coach- Ms. West (twest3@rvaschools.net)
Softball April 13, 2022
Coach- TBD
Covid-19 At Home Screening
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.
Technology Needs
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).
Please help us reinforce schoolwide expectations
- Be Kind- If you don't have anything nice to say don't say anything at all.
- Masks- If worn, masks should be covering the mouth and nose.
- 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.
Tiger Pride/ The Hill Way
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!
School Attendance
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
Albert Hill Parent and Family Engagement Policy
Under Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, schools that receive Title I funds are expected to collaborate with families to develop and maintain a parent and family engagement policy that describes the school’s approach to involve families in students’ learning.
Albert Hill Parent and Family Engagement Policy