🌞 Open 🌞 Announcements

The PTSA Spring Raffle, one of our biggest and most fun FUNdraisers of the year, launches Monday! We are really excited about the amazing prize packages we've put together for you! Let's make lots of money for Open, while everyone gets a chance to win big prizes, including local restaurant and retail store gift cards, a summer pool membership at Granite, Aimee Mann concert tickets, a James River rafting trip, Squirrels & Kickers tickets, an Open-adjacent Airbnb stay, homemade pasta dinner & basket of wines, a custom picnic or room styling, a handmade quilt by Brigette, Open High honey, and more! Get your $5 raffle tickets starting Monday at tinyurl.com/OpenRaffle2025! And spread the word--anyone can enter!

Education is the foundation of a just and thriving society, and teachers are the architects. We are fortunate to have the very best teachers at Open High. I can't say enough about these amazing educators who pour themselves into their craft and your children. Our PTSA will be celebrating teachers and staff all week, and we encourage students and members of our community to share their gratitude in any way they see fit. Read about how a few of our teachers are making a real impact below.

SOL and AP Testing continues this week. On-time attendance (with charged chromebooks) is critical so we can keep to our schedule which involves lots of moving parts and people! Both SOL and AP exams are required. Students should check the Annnouncement board each day for room reassignments.

THIS WEEK

Monday, May 5

• AP Biology exam, 7:45 AM, Norrell
• Biology SOL, 8:30 AM
• Girls Flag Football, OHS v RHSA, 6 pm (Battery Park Field, behind Norrell)

Tuesday, May 6

• AP Human Geography, 7:45 AM, Norrell
• AP Government, 11:45 AM , Norrell
• Geometry SOL Prep, 8:30 - 11:35 AM, 1:35 - 3:30 PM
• Algebra II SOL Prep, 8:30 - 11:35 AM

• AP Literature, 7:45 AP Norrell
• Geometry/Algebra II SOL Prep, 12:35 - 3:30 PM
• OHS Beautification Day - Welcome volunteers!
• Girls Flag Football, 2nd Round, 6 pm

• Geometry & Algebra SOLs, 8:30 AM
• AP Statistics, 7:45 AM. Norrell

• AP US History, 7:45 AM, Norrell

Saturday, May 10

• Saturday School, 10 am - 3 pm
• New Parent Orientation & Math Diagnostic, 9:30 AM

Thanks to our donors for the full funding of a new 3D Printer for the OHS Rocket Club! Best of luck to our Queen Bees who are 4-1 as they enter the final week of competition. And thanks in advance to everyone for a strong finish to the end of the year. We're almost there!

Sincerely,

Clary Carleton, Principal

cwashing@rvaschools.net

804-780-4661

We are so proud and impressed by the Class of 2025! It was awesome celebrating them on Decision Day last week. Share decisions to shoutouts@rvaschools.net to let RPS know what you'll be doing after graduation.

We need your help! ALL seniors are asked to complete THIS SURVEY. It is a post-survey for the Transitions class offered to some seniors this year, but we still need ALL seniors to complete. It should only take 10-15 minutes to complete. It is completely anonymous, as students will create a unique code to help us compare their answers with their earlier responses. At the end of the survey, students will have the option to share their contact information if they are open to completing two additional follow-up surveys later this year. Those who do can earn up to $30 in gift cards as a thank you.

It's time to brag about your future plans! Stop by the office and grab a paper balloon, add your name and your future plans to it so we can put it on our Senior board. Also, DM @openhigh25 with school/career choice, picture of yourself, and intended major so we can share with the world! We're so proud of each and every one of you!

Please email Micah with information on any scholarships you may have received.

If you will be participating in your Elementary School Senior Walk and need your cap and gown please complete the form using this link https://forms.gle/aS6ECgDuaZvDgVV1A

We also need your feedback! All seniors must complete the Senior Exit Survey by May 20 in order to recieve graduation tickets. All your graduation information can be found HERE.

Tuesday, May 13, 2:00 pm

• Early College Academy Graduation, Siegel Center (VCU)

• Graduation Rehersal, Tickets distributed here* Students must turn in permission form and ride bus to VUU

• Class of 2025 Graduation, Virginia Union University — Coburn Hall (1813-1899 Bath Street, Richmond, VA) Final instructions on arrival still to come.

*Tickets will only be distributed if Final Senior Packet has been completed in full. Individualization of cap/regalia must be principal approved by this date.

On April 25, Working in Support of Education (W!se), a national, educational non-profit, announced the 2025 “100 Best W!se High Schools Teaching Personal Finance” during a ceremony in New York City. This year’s top honor went to Open High School! Economics and Personal Finance Teacher Mary Dunn was there to accept the award along with her colleague Molly McPhillips. We are so proud of Mary and our students for their exceptional performance on the W!SE Financial Literacy Certification Test.

Now in its 13th year, the “100 Best W!se High Schools Teaching Personal Finance” is the first and only national ranking of its type, recognizing excellence in personal finance instruction among W!se’s national network of schools that participate in its Financial Literacy Certification program. “We are proud to recognize the schools of true excellence teaching personal finance,” said David Anderson, President and CEO of W!se. “These top-performing schools are equipping students with essential life skills and setting them up for long-term financial success.”

For the third year in a row, Open was awarded College Board's AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award for expanding young women’s access to AP Computer Science Principles (CSP). Schools honored have expanded access to AP computer science courses for female students. Taught by Molly McPhillips, AP CSP is a great introductory class for any student interested in computing and solving problems through the development of algorithms and programs.

Mary is Open's 2024 Teacher of the Year, and Molly is Open's 2025 Teacher off the Year. Our 2026 Teacher of the Year will be annouced at our Awards Ceremony on May 16.

MAY

• 5/1-15, SOL & AP Testing
• 5/13, ECA Graduation, 2 pm
• 5/16, Awards Ceremony (at Studio 23) & End of Year Picnic (at Holly. St Playground)
• 5/17, Oregon Hill Garden Day & Apiary Demo at 11 am
• 5/19, JA Finance Park trip for Econ/PF
• 5/19, National Honor Society River Clean Up, 10 am
• 5/19, Class Meeting
• 5/20, W!se exam for Econ/Personal Finance students (seniors in AM)
• 5/20, Graduation Rehearsal & Last Day Seniors
• 5/27, Graduation Ceremony, Coburn Hall, VUU, 6 pm
• 5/30, Last Day
• 7/28, Senior Portrait Day

The Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) meets on the 2nd Tuesday of the month at 6:30 PM. Please become a member and make your voice heard. Your dues are an important funding source for our school, supporting field trips, teacher classroom supplies, student clubs, monthly breakfasts, senior scholarships, the fall festival, the end-of-the year picnic, teacher appreciation week, holiday treats, and more! Joining does not obligate you to anything although we are always looking for more help! Extra donations are also very much appreciated. Consider linking your Kroger Shopper's Card to the Open High PTSA.

Email: cwashing@rvaschools.net
Website: https://ohs.rvaschools.net/
Location: 600 South Pine Street, Richmond, VA, USA
Phone: 8047804661
Instagram: @openhighrva

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/officialopenhighschoolpage/

Merchandise Store: https://tinyurl.com/nfp5yzay

Online School Payments: https://tinyurl.com/54kc4d9y

PTSA: https://ohsrva.ptboard.com/