The Tiger Tea
Hill Happenings 3/21- 3/25
Principal's Message
Highlights for the week:
- We celebrated our February Students of the Month! Congratulations again to 6th grade- Samara Mason and Logan Peebles; 7th grade- Loree Tate and Amari Lewis; 8th grade- Abby Lesher and Chris Smith.
- Congratulations to 6th grade student Kameron Allen for winning 2nd Place in the RPS History Fair!
- Congratulations to 8th grade student Evelyn Hayter for co-hosting the RPS History Fair!
- Congratulations to 8th grade students Love Green and Nex Loftin for performing spoken word pieces at the RPS History Fair! Love performed Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou and Nex performed This Man by Ruby Dee!
Dates to Remember
March 21
Spring Sports Pictures: Tennis- Wear Tiger gear or school colors; Track- Wear athletic/running clothing for their pictures; Flag Football and Soccer will have jerseys provided
30 Second Talent Show Submissions Begin
March 22
Flag Football Games @ Brown vs. River City and Franklin
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 23
Tennis Match/Skills @ Byrd Park
March 24
Flag Footbal Game @ Brown vs. Brown
Last day of Fall Programming- NextUp
5:00 p.m.- 7:00 p.m. AHMS Science Night in the Garden (in-person event)
Deadline to submit 30 Second Talent Show entries
March 25
Voting for 30 second Talent Show
March 26
10:00 a.m.- 1:00 p.m. Tigers Serve: Albert Hill Garden Clean-Up with Fit 4 Kids
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 16
10:00 a.m.- 1:00 p.m. Tigers Serve: Albert Hill Charles S. Gilpin Community Garden cleanup with Community 50/50
Tigers Serve
Tiger Service day was postponed due to inclement weather. We have new dates set for the three events on different days in March and April.
1. Albert Hill edible garden beautification with Fit 4 Kids || DATE: Saturday, March 26, 2022; Time 10:00 a.m.- 1:00 p.m.
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.
30 Second Talent Show
Do you like to rap, sing, dance, juggle, play an instrument or have some kind of hidden talent? Show off your talent in 30 seconds or less between Monday, March 21st- Thursday, March 24th by 4:00 p.m.
- Each student who submits an entry will get 10 Tiger Bucks!
- The winner of the 30 second Talent show will receive 200 Tiger Bucks for their Element, a gift card, and a Talent Show Trophy!
- Voting will take place during the community circle on Friday, March 25th. All votes must be submitted by the end of 3rd period.
- Your teachers will post the 30 second Talent Show link to Google Classroom on Monday, March 21st.
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
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)
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
You are invited to a panel entitled: School and Community Violence: Ruminations, Revelations, and Remedies on March 24th at 7 pm. We are going to hear from community voices from a myriad of backgrounds who will offer their perspectives, reflections and possible solutions to gun violence in the Richmond Community.
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)
This is the last week to bring in physicals to be eligible to be on the track team.
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