NPS Now Newsletter

That nip in the air has me thinking of hot chocolate and curling up with a good book! But it’s not time to relax just yet – our students have plenty of learning to do in the weeks leading up to Winter Break.

To support this learning, we ask all Norfolk Public Schools’ families to ensure that every student is in school, on time, and ready to learn every day. While we remain vigilant for signs of illnesses, including influenza, RSV, and COVID-19, we know that daily attendance is critical to success! Accordingly, key reminders about the importance of attendance are included in this month’s newsletter.

NPS continues to offer rigorous academic programming for students of every interest. If you missed the annual specialty programs showcase held on December 1, 2022, mark your calendars for the upcoming open house events at each of the host schools.

Outside of the classroom, NPS offers competitive athletic events for many interests. Some fall sports have our scholar athletes heading into playoff and championship seasons, while other sports, such as Scholastic Bowl, are just beginning. Come out to lend your support to our scholars!

Finally, please join me in congratulating Northside Middle School, the newest member of the Purple Star School program - and the 15th in the school division! This designation recognizes NPS’ commitment to providing military-friendly schools that meet rigorous qualification criteria to the many service-affiliated families in our city. We are honored to serve them.

Please accept my warmest wishes for a joyful holiday season!

All Pro Dads is a Fatherhood Program designed to inspire fathers around the world to be the best dad, husband, and person they can be. Launched in 1997 with the help of former NFL Coach Tony Dungy, All Pro Dad asks 3 things of fathers and/or father figures: one minute a day, one hour a month and one day a year. Dr. Diron Ford, Principal of Booker T. Washington High School, has implemented an All-Pro Dads group for the 2022-2023 school year.

Each month, fathers meet to hear inspirational messages and participate in discussions with their teens and other fathers. Fathers provide support for each other as well as inspiration to embrace who they are, give them tenderness of heart, and boldness of character as a father. Between sessions, fathers receive messages from Dr. Ford each Sunday to keep the group connected throughout the year. BTW alumni and staff members provide program and mentoring support.

Students at Chesterfield Academy received a welcome surprise: brand new tennis shoes from Samaritans Feet, Coca-Cola Consolidated, and representatives from United Way of South Hampton Roads!

The Samaritan's Feet Humanitarian Aid Campaign is designed to make sure little feet have a firm foundation. With support from Coca-Cola Consolidated, students received a brand-new pair of tennis shoes, bag containing personal care products and two pairs of Bombas socks. The company donates one pair of socks for each pair purchased.

Thank you, Samaritan’s Feet, Coca-Cola Consolidated, and United Way of South Hampton Roads! Best foot forward today for a better tomorrow.

We give special thanks for the community partners at J&A Racing, who provided new shoes and donated race entry fees for the Norfolk Harbor One-Mile Run held in November! Watch the video for some happy feet!

Norfolk Public Schools gives thanks for all the volunteers and community and faith partners who have given of their time, energy, skills, and resources to support our students. Among these partners are the Dr. James E. Newby Jr. Foundation, MEB Construction, Friends of Norfolk Public Schools/the Hampton Roads Community Foundation, the Be a Reader program of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, Chartway Federal Credit Union, The New York Times Company, J&A Racing, Norfolk Links, Youth Earn-and-Learn, Samaritan’s Feet, Coca Cola Consolidated, Let’s Make a Difference, the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard, and Office Depot. Many thanks also to the more than 2,500 individuals who have applied to volunteer with Norfolk Public Schools. We appreciate every one of you!

You can become a community partner too!

Norfolk Public Schools welcomes positive, collaborative, meaningful partnerships between our schools and our communities to enhance student academic learning and success. For more information on community engagement, contact LaEunice Brown, Community Engagement Coordinator, Office of Communications & Community Engagement, at 757-628-3459

Keep reading and win big for your school! The Read with MEAC contest is underway, with big prizes at stake for the school with the greatest growth in STAR reading results from the fall to the winter.

This program, now in its 15th year, helps promote the love of reading. Read with MEAC encourages Norfolk Public Schools’ elementary and middle school students to read and participate in activities through the Star Renaissance assessment.

The competition runs through January 6, 2023. Help your child succeed by encouraging them to read as often as possible. Winners will be announced in February. The schools with the greatest STAR reading growth are eligible to win the following prizes: $2,000 for first place; $1,500 for second place; and $500 for third place. The class with the greatest scaled score gains will win $1,000.

The first-place school will receive a school celebration in March!

School attendance is critical to student success!

Norfolk Public Schools wants to ensure that our families know how important it is for students to attend school every day. Consider:

• Poor attendance can influence whether children read proficiently by the end of third grade.
• By 6th grade, chronic absence becomes a leading indicator that a student will drop out of high school.
• When students improve their attendance rates, they improve their academic prospects and chances for graduating.
• Research shows that missing just two (2) days each month, or 10 percent of the school year, can have a significant impact on a student’s ability to learn.

You can promote student attendance and show your support by making sure your child(ren) arrive(s) at school on time, every day.

Please keep the lines of communication open by letting us know if there is something standing in the way of getting your child(ren) to school. We want to help so that we can continue to build on our promising academic achievement growth strive toward equity and excellence for all!

Be sure to communicate with your child's/children's school on a regular basis and to schedule non-school appointments outside school hours as much as possible. Stay connected by following NPS on Facebook, Twitter, and the division website to learn more about attendance campaign activities and incentives throughout the school year!

• Maury High School girls’ volleyball team won the Class 5 Region B championship but fell to First Colonial in the VHSL State Quarterfinals.

• Granby High School boys’ volleyball team won the Class 5 Region B championship. They lost to Deep Run in the VHSL State Quarterfinals.

• Norview High School boys’ volleyball team lost to Granby in the Class 5 Region B championship game but still advanced to the VHSL State tournament. They lost to Glen Allen in VHSL State Quarterfinals.

• Maury High School defeated Menchville High School in the regional semifinals and advanced to the Class 5 Region B championship game. Maury defeated Nansemond River to win the Class 5 Region Championship. After a a win over Green Run in the state semifinals, the Commodores will take on Highland Springs in the VHSL Class 5 State Championship game on December 10th, 12 p.m. at S.B. Ballard Stadium at Old Dominion University.

• Lake Taylor also won in the regional semifinals as they took on Lafayette High School. The Lake Taylor Titans fell to Phoebus High School in the Class 3 Region A Championship game. Congratulations to the Titans on a great season.

Check out the fierce competitors on Lake Taylor High School’s Scholastic Bowl team!

The Inaugural Granby Athletic Hall of Fame took place on Saturday, November 12, 2022, at the Norfolk Yacht & Country Club. More than 175 Granby alumni, family, and friends came out to support the inductees. The fifteen individuals inducted were:

• Billy Martin Sr. - Wrestling Coach
• Lefty Driesell - Basketball Player/Coach
• Richard "Dickie" Jennings - Football, Baseball, Basketball Player
• Gray Simons - Wrestling Player/Coach
• Joe Boone - Wrestling Player/Coach
• Roy Beskin - Tennis Player
• Robert Thompson - Baseball, Basketball, Football Player
• Ed Geth - Basketball Player, Track competitor
• Demetrius "Pete" Allen - Football, Basketball, Baseball Player
• Levi Brown - Football, Basketball Player
• Marty Bechto - Athletic Director/Coach
• Marie Petran Waldron - Field Hockey, Basketball Player
• Genevieve Weaver - Basketball, Field Hockey, Softball Player/Coach
• Gloria Meeks - Teacher and supporter of all sports
• William "Bill" Lloyd - Tennis Coach

The Granby Athletic Hall of Fame was created to honor individuals who have supported Granby High School’s athletic success. Plaques for each inductee will be hung for display in the gymnasium foyer of Granby High School.

Norfolk Public Schools returned to an in-person event for its annual Specialty Programs Showcase, which took place Thursday, December 1, 2022.

The showcase allowed parents and guardians of 5th and 8th grade students to hear first-hand about the rigorous, specialized programs at each of NPS’ high schools and some of its middle schools.

Specific programs include:

• The Academy of the Arts at Booker T. Washington High School
• The Academy of Leadership and Military Science at Lake Taylor High School
• International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme at Granby High School
• The Leadership Center for the Sciences and Engineering at Norview High School
• The Medical and Health Specialties Program at Maury High School
• The Norfolk Science, Technology, and Advanced Research (NORSTAR) Program at The Rosemont Center
• The Academy of International Studies at Rosemont
• Young Scholars at Rosemont
• International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program at Academy for Discovery at Lakewood
• Medicine and Health Care at Blair Middle School
• Southside STEM Academy at Campostella

You and your scholar(s) are encouraged to attend open house events at select host schools listed below. These events will begin at 6:00 PM on dates between December 7, 2022, and January 12, 2023, as follows:

December 7, 2022 – Medical and Health Open House at Maury High School

December 8, 2022 – Southside STEM Academy at Campostella (SSAC) Open House at SSAC

December 14, 2022 – Academy of Discovery at Lakewood (ADL) Open House at ADL

December 14, 2022 – IB Open House at Granby High School

January 4, 2023 – Leadership Center for the Sciences and Engineering Open House at Norview High School

January 5, 2023 – Academy of the Arts Open House at Booker T. Washington High School

January 10, 2023 – Blair PMHE Open House at Blair Middle School

January 11, 2023 – Academy of Leadership and Military Science Open House at Lake Taylor High School

January 12, 2023 – Academy of International Studies (AOIS) and Young Scholars Open House at AOIS - Rosemont

The application process remains open through Tuesday, January 31, 2023. Applications are available on each school’s webpage, as well as at www.npsk12.com/specialtyprograms. The site includes a complete listing and overview of the programs.

Do you know someone who wants to teach?

The Teacher in Residence (TIR) Program is now accepting applications. TIR offers a tuition-free master’s degree through Old Dominion University with licensure in math, science, or special education, all while earning a stipend!

For more information on the TIR Program and to apply, click here.

Applications are being accepted through Sunday, December 11, 2022.

Questions? Contact Dr. Kala Burrell-Craft at Knburrel@odu.edu.

Currently, fifteen schools in Norfolk Public Schools have been honored with the Virginia Purple Star designation. Northside Middle is the newest to join this impressive list of schools.

The Virginia Purple Star designation is awarded by the Virginia Council on the Interstate Compact on the Educational Opportunity for Military Children. The designation goes to military-friendly schools that meet rigorous qualifications.

Norfolk Public Schools is proud of the Purple Star distinction and what it conveys about each school’s commitment to our military community, especially our military-connected students.

Purple Star schools receive a resolution of recognition, an award coin, and the opportunity to proudly display the Purple Star logo for three school years.

NPS’ list of Purple Star recipients can be found here.

Click here for to learn more about the Purple Star designation.

Don’t forget about Month of the Military Child, which is recognized every April. Planning is underway now for a fun month of activities, including Purple Up Day, to honor our military-connected students and their families.

Norfolk Public Schools is excited to honor our 2022-2023 All City Teaching Team in a ceremony on Thursday, December 8, 2022. This event will take place at the DoubleTree by Hilton Norfolk Airport.

Although the 2023 Teachers of the Year will be named much earlier than in the past due to the VDOE’s updated timeline, they will not assume their roles until the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year. Each school’s 2022 teacher of the year will remain this school year’s teacher of the year.

Find the listing of all recognized teachers on our website, and stay tuned this month for the announcement of the City-Wide Teacher of the Year!

Computer science education week: this annual observance encourages K-12 students to learn computer science, advocate for equity, and celebrate the contributions of students, teachers, and partners of the field.

International Human Rights Day and Month: December 10th is Human Rights Day. It commemorates the 1948 adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations General Assembly.

The School Board of the City of Norfolk will hold a governance training, work session, and public hearing on Wednesday, December 7, 2022, at the School Administration Building (800 E. City Hall Avenue, 23510). The governance training starts at 12:00 p.m., followed by the work session at 4:00 p.m. and public hearing at 6:30 p.m.

At the public hearing, residents may comment on the Re-Imagine Maury High School: Phase II Modernization Versus Replacement Feasibility Study" and Ruffner Middle School’s “School Academic Programming Proposal for Grades 3-8: Focus on Career Exploration and Pathways.”

To view information regarding the Maury study, click this link: www.npsk12.com/Page/19051. Click here www.npsk12.com/Page/19627 to view Ruffner Middle School’s "School Academic Programming Proposal for Grades 3-8.”

The public may attend in person or view the live stream at https://norfolkpublicschools.swagit.com/live/, YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/user/NPSk12va/live, or tune in to WNPS Ch. 47.

If you are unable to attend the public hearing and would like to provide public comments, please send an email to schoolboard@nps.k12.va.us. by 4:30 p.m. the day prior to the School Board meeting. NPS cannot guarantee anonymity for those submitting public comments. You are required to note "Please post for Public Comment” or “Do not post for Public Comment” in the subject line or within your e-mail message. All comments will be provided to board members for that meeting.

On November 16, students at Willard Model School celebrated Teddy Bear Day by reading with their favorite stuffed animal. The students also collected 42 new stuffed animals to donate to the Teddy Bear Brigade, a charity organization that provides plush toys to children who have experienced a natural disaster in their community.

Norfolk Public Schools seeks your input! Find our open surveys at www.npsk12.com/surveys or under the “Surveys” button on the npsk12.com homepage. The Indicator 8 survey for parents of children with disabilities who receive special education services is open.

Winter can bring inclement weather. Please be sure to update your contact information with your child’s school so NPS can reach you with important announcements such as school delays or closings. Additionally, please follow us on Facebook and/or Twitter. As always, you can find important division announcements on our website, www.npsk12.com.

Schools are closed for Winter Break from Monday, December 19, 2022, through Friday, December 30, 2022.

We wish you Happy Holidays and look forward to seeing you again on Monday, January 2, 2023!

For a printable version of this year’s Academic Calendar, click here.

Free, hot meals for children 18 and under will be offered at select schools on four occasions during NPS’s 2022 winter break.

Time 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Dates:

• Monday, December 19, 2022
• Wednesday, December 21, 2022
• Tuesday, December 27, 2022
• Thursday, December 29, 2022

Sites:

1. Azalea Gardens Middle School
2. Berkley/Campostella Early Childhood Center
3. Booker T. Washington High School
4. Camp Allen Elementary
5. Norview Elementary School
6. Oceanair Elementary School
   
   

Please note: access points will be indicated with signage and may be located around the side or back of the school buildings.

Please visit the Department of School Nutrition’s webpage for additional information regarding changes to the overall program this year: https://www.npsk12.com/nutrition.