The Tiger Tea

Happy Sunday!

School is OPEN tomorrow, November 6th. Please help us have 95% attendance by sending students to school. Schools are closed for students November 7th but we hope to see you for our parent/caregiver conferences. Please call the school (804-780-6107) or email your student's teacher to sign-up for a conference time. Conferences are by appointment only and can be either virtual or in-person.

It was a wonderful spirit filled week last week! Our students and staff dressed in their tackiest attire, showed us doubles, did not disappoint in costumes, were comfy in pajamas, and showed that Tiger Pride in orange and black! Thank you to all students and staff who participated in spirit week!

Highlights from last week:

• Thank you to all the families who came out to our PTA movie night Friday! Thank you to our amazing PTA who hosted the event!

• Congratulations to the Soccer team, who won the tournament final against River City 2-0 on Wednesday, making our Tigers the 23-24 RPS Soccer Champions!

• Congratulations to our Girls Basketball team, who finished 6-4 overall. They had the winningest season in over 5 years!

• Congratulations to Mrs. S. Perry, 6th Grade Science Teacher, for being voted the AHMS 2023 Teacher of the Year!

• The music department for took students to the symphony!

• Ms. S. Russell took students to the VMFA! Thank you to our parent and community volunteers who accompanied students to the VMFA!

• Students went to see Hamlet with Mrs. Vollmer!

• Our students auditioned for the District 1 Chorus! Congratulations to Bella Brownlee for securing a soprano spot! We are proud of all of our students who auditioned! Thank you to Mrs. Crapanzano for preparing students for this opportunity!

Boys Basketball Tryouts

Boys basketball tryouts are Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday of this week November 6-9th. All students must have an updated physical on file dated after May 1 and a behavior sheet signed by each teacher to participate.

Outdoor Track

Practice is every Tuesday and Thursday, and Mr. Mclane (Mr. Mac) is the coach (jmclane@rvaschools.net). The fall track meet will be November 15 (location and time to be determined). All students must have an updated physical on file dated after May 1 to participate.

Big Tiger Give- PTA/School Fundraiser

The Big Tiger Give is launching in less than two weeks! It's one of our biggest fundraisers of the year, and it's as easy as 1-2-3! Keep an eye on your inbox in the coming weeks for the official launch with instructions and prize details!

Tigers Serve

Calling all Tigers! The National Junior Honor Society is kicking off this year's Tigers Serve Challenge with afterschool events this week. On Tuesday-Thursday November 14th thru 16th, meet at Room 201 before heading out for school grounds litter pick-up, disinfecting the school, or helping a teacher from 3:30-4:45pm. Arrange for transportation home if you can't ride the activity bus.

But, wait? What is the Tigers Serve Challenge anyway? Tigers Serve is a year-long goal for all Albert Hill scholars to earn 5-10 hours of community service for our school or wider community. This is how it works: Participate in community service here at Hill or on your own. (Service is anything that you do for others and that takes your time and talent without being paid for in any way.) Then, you log your service events and time using this link. At the end of the year, we will calculate our total impact as a school. If you do at least 5 hours of service you will gain a Tigers Serve honor award, which is a certificate and recognition at the end of the year awards assembly. We hope to see you at this week's events!

Strong Men and Women Exhibit

From October 3 through November 11, we will be hosting the 2023 Strong Men & Women in Virginia History banner exhibit, courtesy of the Library of Virginia and Dominion Energy. The annual exhibit honors distinguished African Americans, past and present, who have made significant contributions to Virginia, our nation, or their professions.

This year’s honorees are a stock card driver, a nuclear engineer, a minister and civil rights leader, a CEO, a farmer and community activist, and an Air Force pilot.

The exhibit is being coordinated by Mr. Harter.

November 6-10

School Psychologist Week

November 6

Boys Basketball Tryouts

November 7

Parent/Caregiver Conference Day: No School for Students

November 8

Boys Basketball Tryouts

November 9

Boys Basketball Tryouts

PTA Board Meeting

PTA Spirit Night: Chicken Fiesta

Girls Basketball Championship @ Huguenot High School

November 10

Flex Bell Schedule: Element Meeting

NJHS Conference

November 13

RPS Closed: Diwali

November 14

Tigers Serve: Grounds Clean Up

November 15

Tigers Serve: Disinfect the School

Fall Track Meet

November 16

Math Night

VMEA Conference 2023 Chorus Performance Field Trip

Tigers Serve: Help A Teacher

November 17

Fall Tiger Rally

Substitute Educators Day

November 20

7th Grade Challenge Discovery Activity

November 21

7th Grade Challenge Discovery Activity

November 22-34

RPS Closed: Thanksgiving

November 27

Picture Re-Takes

Please join our PTA. The cost is $7.00 per person. We are striving for 100% family participation. You can also encourage friends, neighbors, and extended family to join.

Our PTA supports monthly programming, helps to keep our school and grounds beautiful, supports families who experience hardships, supports our teachers through monthly displays of appreciation, sponsors students for school events, field trips, and materials, and ensures our teachers have everything they need in the classroom. Your membership and generous donations help to support all of these things and more!

There are several available positions on our 2023-2024 PTA Board. Help us continue to provide students and staff with experiences and resources needed to have a fun and memorable middle school experience. To find out more information or to volunteer for any of the roles above, please email alberthillpta@gmail.com with the name of the position you are interested in as the subject.

Show your Tiger Pride and Support the PTA by purchasing Albert Hill Merchandise!

Merchandise Link (Scroll down to access the Spiritwear order form.)

All students must have a current VHSL physical form dated after May 1, 2023 and signed by a physician before they can try out or participate in any athletic activities. Transportation is provided for in-zone students.

Our athletic director is Mr. Kyle Kimbrell. If you have any questions regarding middle school athletics, please email him kkimbrel@rvaschools.net

This Fall we will offer the following sports:

Cheerleading

Coaches: Tiana West (twest3@rvaschools.net); Charmaigne Lloyd (clloyd@rvaschools.net)

Girls Basketball

Coaches:

Head Coach: Mr. Brouder (gbrouder@rvaschools.net)

Assistant Coach: Ms. Gabbart (egabbert@rvaschools.net)

Fall Soccer (co-ed)

Fall Outdoor Track (co-ed)

Coach: Mr. McLane (jmclane@rvaschools.net)

Boys Basketball

Coach: Mr. McLane (jmclane@rvaschools.net)

On behalf of the Maggie Walker International Language Fair Committee, we are thrilled to announce that the fair will be held on Saturday, February 24th, 2024, from 9 am to 12 pm at Maggie L. Walker! If you are unfamiliar with the Maggie Walker International Language Fair. Please contact the Maggie Walker International Fair Committee if you have any further questions.

Newtowne Tutoring is a service club provided by Maggie Walker students dedicated to instilling a love of learning in the children of Richmond. We tutor students of all ages and ability levels. Newtowne meets every Wednesday from 3:30 to 5:30pm at 1000 N. Lombardy St. This year, we will begin November 1. Please enter through the Bluestone Lobby (the back entrance). If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us at newtownetutoringmlwgs@gmail.com

Virginia Credit Union is offering an opportunity for all Richmond Public School students to jumpstart their savings in 2023-2024. This new initiative, called RPS Saves, is designed to provide families with quality financial literacy programming to prepare all individuals for a brighter financial future. Parents can sign their student(s) up for a Virginia Credit Union Custodial Saving Account using this link. VACU will then cover the $5 membership and deposit $20 in the account to get their savings started!

Students are encouraged to use the Tigers T.A.L.K. QR code if they need mental health support or if they would like to report instances of bullying or unkind acts anonymously. The QR code is monitored by one of our school counselors.

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!

Core Belief: In order to facilitate an uninterrupted, distraction-free learning environment, all cell phones and electronic devices should be off and away unless teachers expressly permit their use for instruction.

• All classrooms will have signage indicating “Red, Yellow, or Green Zone”

• All classrooms will have a cell phone locker for students who are using cell phones during unauthorized times.

Every Tiger, Every Day! Every Day Counts! Thank you for helping us reduce our chronic absenteeism rate last year from 25% to 21%! Our goal this year is 15%. WE CAN DO IT!

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 is a Title 1 School. Our fantastic Title 1 coaches, Ms. Collier (Reading) and Ms. Newkirk (Math) are always available to answer your literacy and mathematics questions. We thank them for sharing information regarding our Title 1 status at Back to School Night Thursday, September 14, 2023.

Title I, Part A provides financial assistance through state educational agencies to school divisions and public schools with high numbers or percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic content and achievement standards.

School divisions target the Title I funds they receive to public schools with the highest percentages of children from low-income families. RPS Title I funded schools are school-wide programs that are designed to upgrade their entire educational programs for all students, particularly the lowest-achieving students.

Please view this schoolwide Title 1 Presentation to learn more! This information can also be found on our school website.

All students are eligible to receive a healthy breakfast and lunch at no charge each day of the school year. No further action is required of you. Your children will be able to participate in these meal programs without having to pay a fee or submit an application.

Food deliveries to students from meal delivery services are not permitted at any time during the school day or at after school activities due to safety and to minimize disruptions. Attempted deliveries will be confiscated and will remain in the main office until dismissal. Parents may bring food to students.

If you would like to stay abreast of all of the latest information. Please be sure to sign up to receive Remind messages from our school. You should've already been receiving Remind messages if your student is enrolled. If you are not, you have likely opted out of receiving Remind messages and must change your preferences.

Please also check out the school's website, weekly Tiger Tea (access through school website, social media accounts, or set preferences to receive via email), and follow all school and PTA social media accounts.

-TigerEye ParentLink on Instagram
-Albert Hill Middle PTA private Facebook group
-Albert Hill PTA Facebook account