Open Announcements
February 21, 2021
Dear Open High Family,
What an excellent discussion Wednesday night on RPS Live! with sophomore Cameron Allen, other students, and members of the community. It was an inspiring call to action to celebrate the Black community in Richmond and recognize Black History everywhere, all the time. Please watch this if you can.
A few general reminders:
Report cards for Semester 1 have been mailed.
The Early College Academy (ECA) Application deadline is Monday, February 22.
Partnership for the Future (PFF) is a fantastic opportunity for 9th graders to start preparing for college now. More information under Student Opportunities below.
Science SOLs have been rescheduled for Saturday, February 27, 8:30 a.m. at Richmond Community High School.
A few students have yet to pick up Second Semester materials. I am in the building Monday-Wednesday, 8:30-4:30, so just let me know when to expect a visit. Make sure you pause at the new temperature check to scan your wrist or forehead!
Continue reading for other important information and upcoming dates to add to your calendar. If you have any questions don't hesitate to contact me at cwashing@rvaschools.net or at (804) 229-9961.
As always, be well, stay safe, and keep celebrating Open minds!
Clary Carleton
Principal
Helping our Community
Support for AP Courses and Exam Preparation
The 4x4 schedule makes preparation for spring AP exams challenging, but there are many supports in place for students to continue their learning throughout the spring.
All AP students have access to College Board's AP Classroom with AP Daily videos and other valuable resources. RPS also partners with the National Math & Science Initiative (NMSI) to provide teacher and student support for AP. Students should register with NMSI (see Course Registration below) to take advantage of Live Online Student Sessions as well as on-demand modules.
Consider setting up weekly tutoring sessions with VCU tutors to review material from first semester courses. Even Khan Academy provides free prep for multiple AP courses.
Class of 2021--A Year to Remember
Senior Pictures
We WILL be offering senior pictures after all! Thanks so much for your patience as we work out the details of how to best ensure safety during this event. We'll offer at least two days with evening and weekend hours. More info to come.
Senior Memory Book
Ryan will be composing a Memory Book, and each senior will have their own page. Please be creative and make it yours! Include pictures and a short Bio--enough to say who you are, where and what you will be doing after you graduate. You can add what you have loved about Open. Also, send any pictures you may have from your years at Open HS. Send a baby picture as well and even consider designing your own page! All content must be approved by Clary. PICTURES ARE DUE BY MARCH 1 via email reldridg@rvaschools.net or in shared Google Drive on Class of 2021 Classroom. Need help or have questions? Contact Ryan at 780-4661.
Mid-year Senior Reports are not yet available. Mid-year reports are the transcripts containing first semester grades. For RPS, the first semester ended on Feb. 5th and teachers had until Feb. 16th to input those grades (this is a change from the original date). Now that grades have been entered, GPAs and class rank will need to be updated. This process is handled at the district level, not by the school. Once updated, the transcripts will be sent to your requested colleges and scholarship organizations as soon as we receive confirmation that the process is complete.
Name Verification
Seniors need to verify their name for their diplomas NOW. Your name must be just as it is on your birth certificate. Please complete the following form: https://forms.gle/qhSgu9x642Ah2snp6
Senior Dues for the Class of 2021 are due by April 16, 2021. The total due is $68.00 and this will pay for your cap/gown/tassel and announcements. Senior dues can be paid online by using this website: https://osp.osmsinc.com/RichmondVA/ which can also be found on our website homepage. If you have any questions or concerns please email Ryan, Caroline, or Clary or call the school at 804-780-4661.
College Application Timeline: February and March
- Confirm applications – Most colleges will send you a confirmation that your application has been received and is being processed. If you haven't gotten receipt confirmation for any of your applications, do so as soon as possible.
- Financial aid – You submitted your FAFSA in December, and by now you should be receiving a Student Aid Report, or SAR. Review this carefully and verify that everything is accurate. Discrepancies on this form may result in the loss of thousands of dollars in financial aid.
- Late applications – Some schools have late deadlines or rolling admissions policies, meaning there is no set deadline and applications may be submitted anytime in the winter or spring. As with everything else, it is still wise to apply as early as you can. You never know how competitive open seats will be.
- Acceptance letters – Acceptance, rejection and wait list letters may start arriving as early as February or March. In most cases, you will have until the end of April to make a decision. If you haven't received any letters yet, don't worry. It is common for letters to go out in April.
FAFSA & Scholarships
- If you haven't already completed, make time TODAY to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Even if you're not sure about next year, completing this will give you more options! The application is available online at www.studentaid.ed.gov. Here is a link from CollegeBoard on how to complete the FAFSA: https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/pay-for-college/financial-aid-101/how-to-complete-the-fafsa Ms. Dixon (open@grasp4va.org) from GRASP and Ms. Kennedy (hkennedy@rvaschools.net) from the Future Center are also available to assist your families with this process.
- If you meet with Ms. Dixon, you will qualify for a 2021 Last Dollar Scholarship. See application below.
- Check out the scholarships available from the Community Foundation.
- The Visa Black Scholars and Jobs Program, in partnership with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF), is a new program designed for college-bound Black and African American students in the United States. Eligible high school seniors applying or intending to enroll as a full-time undergraduate in any four-year accredited college or university in the U.S. can receive a needs-based scholarship grant of up to $20,000/year. Scholars who continue to meet the criteria, remain in good standing and maintain a minimum of 3.0 GPA will be eligible for annual renewals. Upon graduation, all scholarship recipients who have met their commitments will be guaranteed a full-time job with Visa. The establishment of this program is aligned with Visa’s commitment to cultivate an inclusive and diverse workplace that supports the development and advancement of all. See application below. Click here for application.
More scholarships can be found at Micah's Counselor Connection Classroom. Don't hesitate to reach out to Micah (mdavis7@rvaschools.net) with any questions about planning your next steps, regardless of the direction!
SOL Testing for Select Students
RESCHEDULED: Testing for Open students in Biology, Chemistry, and Earth Science will take place at Richmond Community High School on Saturday, February 27 at 8:30 a.m.
At this time, SOL testing is only for 9th graders in their first high school math or science class (taken first semester), and 12th graders in need of a verified credit. If you do not plan to take the in-person SOL in February, it will be deferred until the spring when 9th graders will also take Algebra I, II, or Geometry. Juniors (or those enrolled in AP English Language) will take the English SOL in the spring as well. If you plan to take an SOL, you must have an RPS issued Chromebook.
Breakfast and lunch will be provided. A picture ID is needed to be admitted to testing. If you have any questions about testing, please contact Clary at cwashing@rvaschools.net.
IMPORTANT UPDATE: Edgenuity and Performance Tasks from Spring 2020 due March 15
Performance Tasks can be found here for Art, Creative Writing, African American Studies, and all CTE courses. Edgenuity can be accessed here. The requirements for Edgenuity modules has also been reduced from 80% to 60% completion! Intensive sessions to complete can be arranged with VCU tutors and/or with Clary.
If you have any questions regarding your Edgenuity modules or Performance Tasks, please let Clary (cwashing@rvaschools.net) or Micah (mdavis7@rvaschools.net) know.
Open-Honors Connect Tutoring
Remember to introduce yourself, and let the tutor know what you're working on. The tutors are eager to help! Here are the links:
- Monday, Tuesday, Thursdays 3:45-4:45 https://vcu.zoom.us/j/99199506284 Meeting ID: 991 9950 6284
- Wednesdays 12:45-3:45 https://vcu.zoom.us/j/91390061855 Meeting ID: 913 9006 1855
Student Opportunities
There are so many wonderful opportunities for our students to develop and explore their interests, even in a virtual environment. We encourage all students to actively pursue experiences outside of school. Your school counselor, principal, and teachers are happy to assist you with applications!
Apply to Partnership for the Future (PFF) and gain invaluable access to college prep courses, personal development workshops, one-on-one counseling, and college savings-plan incentives. PFF arranges college visits and PAID workplace internships that place students on a clear path from high school to college to the workplace. The applications window has just opened and closes on March 8. Don't miss out on this FANTASTIC opportunity! Please reach out to Micah or Clary if you need any assistance or have questions. https://www.partnershipforthefuture.org/
AI Camp (www.ai-camp.org) is offering 10 scholarships for their Introduction to AI lecture series. This lecture series is the same series that offered at Stanford University last summer and will introduce AI and careers in tech to you. No coding experience is needed. The opportunity is first-come, first serve, and the deadline for registration is at the end of this month. You can register it here: www.ai-camp.org/free-lesson. AI Camp is founded by Stanford Ph.Ds and advised by a Stanford Professor and CTOs in Silicon Valley.
Do you ever think about pursuing a policy-related degree in college? Consider the Summer Academy for Policy Leadership and Public Service Online (SAO) form June 27-July 10, 2021. This is an immersive 2-week introduction to public policy decision-making and the elements that affect policy. Scholarships are available. The application deadline is May 1.
Current high school students, parents, guardians, and education professionals are invited to register for the 2021 Summer Pre-College Virtual Program Fairs, taking place beginning in January 2021. Attendees will have the opportunity to connect with representatives from leading US colleges and universities to learn more about Summer 2021 academic programs for high school students. Feb. 3 and Feb. 20. Registration is FREE to all attendees for this: https://www.summerstudyintheusa.org/virtualstudentfairs/
The Global Health Leaders Conference at Johns Hopkins University invites students in grades 9-12 to learn about issues in global health, public health, and medicine directly from world leaders in these fields, forge friendships and connections with like-minded exceptional students, and share their own work and ideas on global health-related topics by presenting in our student speaker series. Virtual conference no more than $39, but may be waived upon acceptance if a barrier to participation. Visit https://glohea.org) to apply by Feb 28, 2021.
Attendance, Aspen, Spring Semester Schedules
All students are expected to be in class and on time. If you are not in attendance, it is expected that we receive a note from a parent or guardian. Please send absence/tardy/early dismissal notes or any other administrative concern to Ryan at reldridg@rvaschools.net. She can also be reached at (804) 780-4661. Parents and students can also request access to the Aspen Student Portal. Here you can access attendance record, student schedules, grades, and additional information.
Open High School
Email: cwashing@rvaschools.net
Website: https://www.rvaschools.net/OHS
Location: 600 South Pine Street, Richmond, VA, USA
Phone: 8047804661
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/officialopenhighschoolpage/
Twitter: @openhighrva