The Tiger Tea
Hill Happenings 3/28- 4/1
Principal's Message
Highlights of the week:
- Congratulations to the flag football team! They were victorious against Franklin Military 40-26. The team is now 2-1. The team lost to River City 46-54.
- Thanks to all students, family members, and staff who volunteered this Saturday at our 1st Tigers Serve Service Event with Fit 4 Kids at the AH Learning Garden!
- Congratulations to our 2021-2022 Teacher of the Year Ms. Ashleigh Russell. Ms. Russell is one of our phenomenal math teachers.
- Our 6th grade students participated in a DNA lab sponsored by BioRad and led by our Science Ambassador and PTA President Mrs. Lion!
- Thank you to everyone who supported the PTA fundraiser at Fundraiser at Benny Ventanos!
- Congratulations to Ashton Kochel the winner of the 30 Second Talent Show! Ashton performed Piano Man on the piano.
- Congratulations to all of our 30 Second Talent Show participants!
- A huge thank you to our amazing and supportive PTA for coordinating the dessert bar for teachers in the lounge Friday! Thank you to all the families who contributed and brought in sweet treats!
This will be the last Tiger Tea until April 10th due to Spring Break. I wish you and your families a safe and relaxing spring break.
Dates to Remember
March 30
Papa John's Fundraiser to benefit Theater Department
March 31
Papa John's Fundraiser to benefit Theater Department
April 1
Spring Tiger Rally
Papa John's Fundraiser to benefit Theater Department
April 4-8
Spring Break
April 11
Spring Programming Begins- NextUp
April 12
4:00 p.m.- 6:00 p.m. Tigers Serve: Albert Hill Garden Pick-Up with Keep Virginia Cozy
April 15
End of 3rd Marking Period
April 16
10:00 a.m.- 1:00 p.m. Tigers Serve: Albert Hill Charles S. Gilpin Community Garden cleanup with Community 50/50
Tiger's Serve
There are still 2 more opportunities for you to serve! Please sign-up!
2. Byrd Park litter pick up with Keep Virginia Cozy || DATE: Tuesday, April 12, 2022; Time 3:45 p.m.- 6:00 p.m.
3. Charles S. Gilpin Community Garden cleanup with Community 50/50 || DATE: Saturday April 16, 2022 Time 10:00 a.m.- 1:00 p.m.
See Something, Say Something and SCIDDLE Problem Solving
See Something, Say Something
Please encourage students to scan the QR code below if they are seeking help for themselves or others because of bullying behavior, harassment, or other unsafe behavior. Students may also scan the QR code if they need help because they are feeling down, depressed, or anxious. QR codes are posted around the building for students.
SCIDDLE
SCIDDLE is the problem solving model to help us make better choices and decisions. Here at Albert H. Hill Middle School we want to encourage our students, staff, caregivers and our community to learn to stop and calm down before making any moves. We want SCIDDLE to assist our students with making better choices in the moment. When you or someone you know gets upset - remember to:
Stop - and think it through so you can respond instead of react
Calm down - take 4 deep breaths
Identify the problem - what’s upsetting me right now?
Decide on options - what should I do? These are my choices: resolve, avoid, ignore or diffuse?
Do it - choose one and do it
Look back - what went well with this today? Is there anything I can do differently?
Evaluate - did I make a good choice today?
DID YOU SCIDDLE TODAY? IT WORKS!
NextUp Spring Session
Albert Hill's NextUp Spring Session Begins April 11th
Next Up Enrollment – Looking for great after-school enrichments for your middle schooler? Register now for NextUp's Spring Sessions! NextUp partners with 60 community-based enrichment providers in areas like science, technology, arts, sports, and leadership. Create an account on NextUp's parent portal to register for afterschool classes today!
PTA Spring Picnic and Flag Football Tournament
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)
Course Selection FAQs
- Will Spanish 1 be offered for the 2022-2023 school year?
- Can my child to take both band and a language in the 7th grade?
Band and Spanish are two yearlong electives. Due to the physical education requirement, students in 7th grade are not able to take two yearlong electives. Families who feel strongly about students taking both band and language in the 7th grade can speak with Mr. G about taking language through Virtual Virginia. The Virtual Virginia course would be a course independent of the student's Albert Hill schedule and taken completely outside of school time. Families who pursue this option would assume all responsibility for communicating with the assigned Virtual Virginia teacher (not an RPS employee) and must adhere to the Virtual Virginia policies for logging in and academic achievement. There would be no cost to the family. The opportunity is also dependent upon seats available in the class, early registration is advised. If this is of interest to you and your family, please speak with Mr. G so that he can discuss next steps.
- Is Dance an option?
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
Cadence Theatre Company- Summer Camp
Join Cadence for Disney's 101 Dalmations Kids and Roald Dahl's Matilda JR this July for a fun-filled day camp and live performance opportunity! Kids ages 4 -rising 8th grade will rehearse a musical at Maggie L. Walker Governor's School and perform at the Libby S. Gottwald Playhouse at Dominion Energy Center. Need-based scholarships and/or payment plans are available. For details, visit: https://cadencetheatre.org/jammin-in-july-registration
Police Athletic League (PAL) Spring Break Camp – The 2022 Police Athletic League (PAL) Spring Break Sports Camp is back! PAL is now enrolling youth between the ages 8-13 years old for camp. Camp will be held Monday April 4 to Thursday April 7, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm each day. The sports camp will be held at SCOR, 1365 Overbrook Rd. The cost is $90 for the week and there are only 50 slots. Campers will participate in small groups of 10 youth which will be led by a Richmond PAL Police Officer Please reach out to Perry Barber with any questions Registration can be done here.
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)
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.
Outdoor Track- Please email Ms. West with any questions.
Coach- Ms. West (twest3@rvaschools.net)
Practice is every Tuesday and Thursday until 4:30/4:45pm.
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.
Student lunch deliveries from delivery services (grubhub, doordash, etc.) are not permitted. We are unable to manage student lunch deliveries in the office.
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