🌞 Open 🌞 Announcements

Thanks to everybody for a successful first week and for helping us navigate some big changes at our little school. Students have been fantastic--patient and friendly--welcoming new faces and procedures, all while trying to keep the vibe "open." Here are some general updates to get your week off to a great start:

• We had our first Town Meeting, and the 2025 Family Cup is on! Brendan's Family is in the lead, with senior Keon winning the Battle of the Beads for Family Cup points.

• Each day the buses have arrived a bit closer to the start of school, and we've streamlined our arrival procedures while still maintaining safety. Students may arrive as early as 8:00 AM and are dismissed at 3:30 PM. Please do not double-park on Pine Street while dropping off or picking up. We have five buses coming down Pine Street, so we ask you to avoid Pine as much as possible.

• This week we begin After-School Clubs. Students must provide their own transportation for all after-school programming which ends at 4:30 PM when the building closes.
• Chromebooks were distributed last week. Any student who has not received a Chromebook, should see Anita with their signed form ASAP. All other forms should be turned in to Family Heads.
• Students will now use the Single Sign-On method through Google authentication to sign in to Aspen. When you click the AASP button for the first time you will be prompted with the Google email sign-in screen. You must enter your email address > click Next > then enter your password.
  

• All students should have joined our school-wide Google Classroom with this invite code as well as the Counselor Connection Google Classroom with this invite code. Announcements and opportunities are regulary posted here, so get in the habit of checking your email for notifications.

• All AP students should have joined their AP Classroom for all courses using their personal email and password (LastName + student ID (no zeros). See your teacher if you have questions.

• VA Housing Cafe (601 S. Belvidere Street) will be available to students on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays during lunch. The Cafe offers hot food at reasonable prices. Access will be initially staggered to address overcrowding the first few weeks. Please follow this schedule and pay attention to updates:

Tuesdays, 8/27 (Grade 9) & 9/3 (Grade 11 & 12)

Wednesdays, 8/28 (Grade 10) & 9/4 (Grade 11 & 12)

• We love field trips at Open, and we begin with our 9th grade boat trip on the James River in September to survey aquatic life and test water quality. With the help of the PTSA, students will only be charged $10 which can be paid through Online School Payments. Permision forms and payment are due by September 6. We will also be attending a dramatic version of Lord of the Flies in October which is open to the first 100 students, also for $10. See your English teacher for a permission form.
• 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. 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.
  

Continue reading for On the Horizon events, Student Opportunities, and information from our School Nurse. We're closed on Friday, August 30 and Monday, September 2 for Labor Day, so enjoy the short week!

With love and gratitude,

Clary Carleton, Principal

• 8/30 & 9/2, RPS Closed for Labor Day Holiday

• 9/10, Travel Interest Meeting, 6:00 pm

• 9/10, Monthly PTSA Meeting, 6:30 pm

• 9/16-17, James River Boat Trip (9th grade Biology)
  

• 9/17, Visit from Professor Don Audelino Sac Coyoy

• 9/19, Back to School Night, 5:45 - 7:45 pm
• 9/25, Senior Parent Night: 6:00 - 7:00 pm

Teen Center Program (Boys & Girls Club)

• Start Date: September 16th
• Hours of Operation: Monday – Thursday from 3:30 PM – 7:00 PM (Closed on Fridays)
• Grade-Level Requirement: 9th – 12th grade students
• Transportation: We provide pick-ups from these schools at dismissal – Highland Springs, Franklin Military, John Marshall, Huguenot, George Wythe (Richmond School of Arts), Varina, Armstrong, RISE Academy, Open High, & Henrico. If your teen’s school is not listed, they can still attend the Teen Center and all members must be picked up from the Teen Center by 7 PM.
• Cost: Free!!
• Program Offerings: Cooking, Hair Braiding, Forensics/Engineering, Furniture Design, Expressive Sculpting, SPARC (Acting), Social & Emotional Learning, & Sports/Health. Please register here using this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BGCMR2425

Youth L.E.A.D.S. and the Youth Empowerment Council for youth in grades 9 – 12 are new programs designed to empower and equip the next generation of leaders in our community, offering unique opportunities for growth, civic engagement, and impactful change. Participants meet bi-weekly and will receive a stipend or scholarship upon successfully completing the program.Youth L.E.A.D.S is a 13-week leadership development initiative designed to empower at-risk young individuals with the knowledge, skills, and experiences needed to become influential leaders in their communities. Built around five key pillars—Learning, Engagement, Aspiration, Development, and Service—the program focuses on addressing pressing challenges such as gun violence prevention and driving positive change. Youth Empowerment Council is a youth development program that provides young people with the opportunity to hone their leadership skills while working alongside city officials to improve their community. Participants will engage in hands-on experiences, gaining valuable insights into civic processes and contributing their ideas to drive positive change. Through this program, youth will develop the confidence, knowledge, and capabilities necessary to become impactful leaders in their communities. A virtual information sessions for students interested in learning more will take place on August 26th and 28th. Please use this link to register: https://bit.ly/yestofall. Applications will be open from September 2nd to September 20th.

• Virginia Space Coast Scholars (VSCS) – 10th Grade: Apply to VSCS Here
• Virginia Aerospace Science and Technology Scholars (VASTS) – 11th & 12th Grade: Apply to VASTS HERE
• Virginia Earth System Science Scholars (VESSS) – 11th & 12th Grade: Apply to VESSS HERE

Molly Rountree is our school nurse and can be reached at 804-780-4661. (Molly is out of town this week, and we hope to have a substitute nurse in her place.) Please see attached form to request Medication/Treatment During School Hours. This form is needed for both prescription and over-the-counter medications. Hard copies are available in the office. Also attached is an information sheet on Fentanyl Awareness.

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

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