January 2024 Newsletter
January 2024 Newsletter
Welcome back and Happy New Year! I trust that everyone is well-rested and ready to take on the second half of this school year with just as much enthusiasm and determination as we did in August! A new year presents the perfect time for us to begin anew and recommit ourselves to continuous learning and improved performance.
Since our last publication, Norfolk Public Schools held its annual Teacher of the Year awards ceremony to recognize exemplary teachers throughout our division. Mrs. Melissa Hales of Crossroads School was selected as the 2025 City-Wide Teacher of the Year! Mrs. Hales’ impressive 25-year career as an educator made her the perfect choice to receive the top honor and also represent Norfolk Public Schools for Regional Teacher of the Year. Congratulations to Mrs. Hales and all of the outstanding educators honored during this year’s banquet.
We are excited to begin the second semester, renewing our continued efforts toward erasing chronic absenteeism from Norfolk Public Schools! I hope students and staff are enthusiastically looking forward to their school’s name being called for the School-to-School Attendance Challenge, and I am eager to see how they top the already incredibly creative attempts we’ve seen to challenge each other to show up for school on time, every day, ready to learn.
Speaking of being ready to learn, it warms my heart to see all of the Family Literacy Nights occurring across the division on any given week. It is so important that we keep up the great work that is being done by schools and families to make sure that literacy remains a focus for our scholars. I’d like to acknowledge our Department of Early Learning and Title I for hosting a successful drive-through at Nauticus just before the holidays. Nine thousand books were handed out to students from preschool to grade 12, just in time for some Winter Break reading, thanks to a grant Norfolk Public Schools received from Toys for Tots!
In closing, please make sure you are keeping up-to-date with all of our exciting news in 2024. Norfolk Public Schools provides information to our families and community in multiple ways including through our website and on our social media pages on Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Throughout the school year, our families receive important information via email, text message, or by telephone call, and our NPS NOW Newsletter. If your child has grandparents, aunts, uncles, or friends who want to know about all the wonderful things happening in Norfolk Public Schools, they can also subscribe here.
Again, welcome back! Have a wonderful and productive second half of the school year!
Please mark your calendars for March 23, 2024! Norfolk Public Schools will host Family University from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Norview High School. Join school division staff and community partners for family wellness information, guest speakers, celebrations of the arts and music, and to engage in instructional activities to enrich learning at home. Division staff will also provide application assistance for families who wish to enroll their children in preschool. Transportation, childcare, and lunch will be provided. Follow Norfolk Public Schools on Facebook, Instagram, or X, and at www.npsk12.com/familyuniversity for updates and registration information. See you there!
2025 City-wide Teacher of the Year Named, Top Educators Recognized and Celebrated at Banquet
Norfolk Public Schools (NPS) named Crossroads School’s Melissa Hales as the 2024-2025 City-Wide Teacher of the Year during the Teacher of the Year Banquet on Tuesday, December 19, 2023.
Mrs. Hales teaches all content areas for students with disabilities in sixth, seventh, and eighth grade. To ensure learning success, each student’s interests and physical and academic strengths are incorporated into each of her lesson plans. She said, “In my 25 years of teaching, I have seen no other students love school more or work harder.” She includes real-world concepts into her plans so that her students can take what they learn in the classroom into the community. “We are fortunate that our location is near many local businesses,” Mrs. Hales continues. She takes her class on “walking adventure field trips” to restaurants and retail stores, where her students can practice social and money management skills. She sees her students as community ambassadors for people with special needs. In fact, during every outing, people approach her students to find out more about them with interest in what they are doing.
Principal Dr. Kristen Nichols noted that: “Mrs. Hales is an advocate for students and families. She pushes her students to be as independent as they can be while teaching them to speak up for their needs. When working with her students she addresses the whole child. Many times, this includes working with their families so that they understand the unique needs of their children.”
Mrs. Hales goes above and beyond for her students and their families, making it a priority to always check in and keep in close contact with them, including visiting her students when they cannot attend school.
Mrs. Hales is the granddaughter of a Norfolk Public Schools’ 30-year teaching veteran and is a graduate of NPS. She earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a master’s degree in special education. Mrs. Hales is involved in various community service organizations ranging from Special Olympics of Virginia and America’s Walk for Diabetes to Adopt-A-Spot and is also an active member of her church.
Mrs. Hales was also named the 2024-2025 Top Middle School Teacher of the Year for NPS.
During the banquet, Superintendent Dr. Sharon I. Byrdsong gave her heartfelt thanks and appreciation to all the teachers of the year, acknowledging the demands and sacrifices of a career in education, but reminding each of them of the positive impact they have on the students they serve.
“Often, your days are filled with initiatives to support literacy, attendance, and accountability that may seem small,” said Dr. Byrdsong. “Our community is filled with people who have been impacted by those in this room and that is why we are gathered here to honor and celebrate each of you, our life-changing educators. You inspire us with the amazing work you do each day!”
Dr. Tonyia Wright, a fifth-grade mathematics and science teacher at Lindenwood Elementary, was named 2024-2025 Top Elementary School Teacher of the Year. Dr. Wright is a veteran of the United States Navy and has more than 22 years of teaching experience. One of her many missions as an educator is to eliminate math anxiety for her students, one fraction at a time! Dr. Wright’s instructional abilities helped significantly increase students’ Standards of Learning (SOL) scores in science and mathematics at Lindenwood during the 2022-2023 school year. In addition to teaching in the classroom, Dr. Wright is the grade level chairperson, science lead teacher, and tutors students after school in mathematics. She gives back to her community through volunteering at a variety of places, including a food bank and pantry, the Bible school at her church, bagging supplies for the homeless, and a food and gift distribution center during the holidays.
The 2024-2025 Top High School Teacher of the Year honor was awarded to Mr. Robert Lemieux. Mr. Lemieux is a history and social studies teacher at Granby High School. He did not plan on being a teacher at all, first enrolling at Virginia Tech with plans to become an engineer. Mr. Lemieux said that teaching as his calling did not “click” until seeing the movie “Dead Poets Society'' with Robin Williams. He has spent the past 18 years as a teacher with the mindset that a great attitude and the outlook that even if a student struggles today, “we can try again tomorrow.” This past summer, Mr. Lemieux was selected as a Fulbright Hays Scholar, which allowed him to travel to Tanzania and Kenya to work with the East Africa Institute, making connections with global educators and plans to eventually take students abroad. He coaches the school’s Scholastic Bowl team, which has competed in the regional and state championship levels, and has coached soccer as well as sponsored Granby’s Model United Nations team.
Names and images for the entire NPS’ All-City Teaching Team are on the NPS website. Congratulations to all of our wonderful teachers!
Norfolk Public Schools’ Winter Break meal distribution was a huge success, feeding 1,845 students and families! Norfolk Public Schools’ Department of School Nutrition employees handed out 609 bags of food that included kid-friendly, nutritious foods such as peanut butter, tuna, pasta, fruit cups, fruits, and vegetables funded by a grant from No Kid Hungry and donations from the Food Bank of Southeastern Virginia and Old Dominion University.
"NPS staff has been coordinating winter break meals for students since 2019, but this was the first time that foods were provided outside of the USDA meal programs, allowing for more flexibility", said Lisa Winter, Senior Director of School Nutrition. In past years, meals were cooked at the schools by School Nutrition staff and due to federal regulations, had to be consumed onsite. Allowing the families to pick up ready-to-eat and ready-to-prepare foods during set hours allowed more families to participate and create delicious meals at home.
In addition to food, School Nutrition staff offered employment brochures, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) outreach materials, and information about after-school meals to all adults. Children were also given coloring pages and crayons.
“To the extent of my knowledge, we were the only Hampton Roads school division to offer food over the break,” Winter noted. “Some recipients were so happy to receive it that they cried, and then we cried too.”
"Food insecurity is not always tied to income, and it is not always obvious", she added, "so having the opportunity to help families over the winter break was a very special way to end 2023 and begin 2024". For more information on The Department of School Nutrition, including lunch programs, menus, and scheduled meals during Norfolk Public Schools breaks, visit https://www.npsk12.com/Page/1174.
Mrs. Alice Stocks, an Economic and Personal Finance teacher at Granby High School, has been recognized as the 2023 Virginia Council of Economic Educators Outstanding Economic Educator of the Year for the Christopher Newport University region. The award was presented on Friday, December 8, 2023 at the Federal Reserve Bank in Richmond during a luncheon honoring recipients from across the Commonwealth.
Mrs. Stocks, a dedicated educator with 18 years of experience in Norfolk Public Schools, has played a pivotal role in shaping the academic journey of students. For the past decade, she has been at the forefront of teaching Economics and Personal Finance at Granby High School, demonstrating an unwavering commitment to providing students with a comprehensive understanding of economic principles.
The Virginia Council of Economic Educators recognized Mrs. Stocks for her exemplary dedication, creativity, and effectiveness in teaching economic concepts, particularly in the context of the mandatory Economics and Personal Finance graduation requirement. Her innovative and engaging approach enriches the educational experiences of her students. Mrs. Stocks also leads district-wide professional development training for Economic and Personal Finance teachers, showcasing her commitment to enhancing the quality of economic education across Norfolk Public Schools. Mrs. Stocks is also a Virginia Council of Economic Educators Teacher fellow for the 2022 - 2023 and 2023 - 2024 school years.
"I am truly honored and humbled to receive this recognition,” said Mrs. Stocks. "Teaching economics and personal finance is not just about fulfilling a graduation requirement; it's about empowering students with the knowledge and skills they need to navigate the complexities of the real world. As I often tell the students, adulting is difficult."
Norfolk Public Schools’ Student Snack & Supper Club is underway! The At-Risk Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) is federally funded and provides snacks and/or supper at participating schools at no cost to ALL children younger than 18; no application forms are needed.
All after-school meals and snacks are served in a group setting and offer children and teens good nutrition, along with constructive activities, supportive adults, and opportunities to learn and grow.
Visit the School Nutrition section of www.npsk12.com for more information, times, and locations. Children can attend any of the sites listed. Please note that sites, schedules, and menus are subject to change. Each school’s Nutrition Manager can confirm site participation.
If you have questions or need help, please contact the Office of School Nutrition by emailing schoolnutrition@nps.k12.va.us, or by calling (757) 628-2760.
On December 4, 2023, the Reck League Foundation partnered with P.B. Young, Sr. Elementary School to host a financial literacy workshop for families. Twenty-five families attended the morning workshop that featured speakers from the Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority (NRHA), Workforce Development, and the Urban League of Hampton Roads. The presenters shared information on NRHA programs that offer families self-sufficiency, financial counseling, career assessment, employment readiness, and housing services. Vendors from the different organizations were set up to provide immediate assistance following the morning presentations. Gift certificates were raffled throughout the morning event and participants were given the opportunity to participate in a 52-week savings challenge. Thank you, Mr. Anthony Clary of Reck League, Ms. Gwen Thomas of NRHA, Mr. Emil Thomas of Workforce Development, and Ms. Patricia Gibson of Urban League! We appreciate your support.
