December 2023
RCPS Division Newsletter
![December 2023 RCPS Division Newsletter](https://cdn.smore.com/u/thumbs/34d9/thumb-8991be541258456b5c8d2ef6bc11e874.png)
A Look Back at the Month in Pictures
Story Time with the Superintendent
On Friday, December 8th, Dr. Grimsley visited PreK classrooms and Ms. Brooke's and Ms. Kim's students to surprise them with a fun holiday story time. The students listened as the superintendent read " How to Catch an Elf" to the young audience. Following the story, the kids each received a stocking filled with goodies. Judging by the numerous grins and giggles, it's safe to say that the students immensely enjoyed this annual tradition.
Photos by Holly Jenkins
RCHS Holiday Extravaganza
The RCHS Music Department, led by Ms. Kalia Page, wowed the crowd with a blend of delightful melodies and toe-tapping rhythms at the Holiday Extravaganza on Dec. 7th. The event featured stellar performances from the Aca-Panthers, Percussion Ensemble, Jazz Band, and Concert Band. The amazing student musicians delivered an exceptional show that truly showcased their talents and entertained the audience.
Photos by Holly Jenkins
RCES Grinchmas
The grinch-themed family engagement night was a hit with fantastic attendance from students, families, and staff. Thank you to everyone that made it a huge success, including the event organizers, Ms. Katherine Todd and Ms. Bethany Bostic.
Photos by Tim Stockdale, Holly Jenkins, Bethany Bostic, Katherine Todd, and Michele Fincham
Thank you, Ms. Maeyer
At December's regularly scheduled meeting, the RCPS School Board recognized Ms. Lucy "Pud" Maeyer for her exceptional service to Rappahannock County Public Schools. Ms. Maeyer, a former RCES teacher, has been a board member representing the Hampton District since 2016. We would like to express our gratitude to Ms. Maeyer for her unwavering commitment to education and her eight years of service on the board.
Photo by Holly Jenkins
MyFuture Activity in STEAM
During STEAM class, 3rd grade students learned how the cost of labor is an important part of the cost of goods and services. Students had a good discussion, watched a video and completed scenario cards to practice the new vocabulary learned.
Photo by Erin Sherry
Engine Simulator Provides Hands-on Learning
Chris King, Agriculture Power Systems teacher and head mechanic at RCPS, has recently implemented an innovative engine simulator to provide students with more hands-on experience. King constructed the simulator himself at the beginning of the semester, allowing students to develop their skills in identifying and repairing common motor issues like bad spark plugs or faulty wires. With this simulator, students can quickly diagnose and fix problems before moving on to the next challenge. This collaborative and interactive approach to engine repair has been a resounding success and greatly enjoyed by students.
Photo by Holly Jenkins
RCES Winter Concert Assembly
Under the direction of Mr. Fullard, the RCES Bands performed a sneak peek of their winter concert to the elementary school students. The delighted student audience clapped and cheered for the musicians between each song.
Photos by Holly Jenkins
SCA Coat Drive
Following a successful coat drive, the RCES SCA delivered several bags of winter coats to the RCES Cottage on December 15th. Thank you to everyone that donated to this great cause.
Photo contributed by Jason Williams, SCA President
RCHS Spirit Week
High school students were feeling the holiday spirit during a festive Spirit Week.
Photo by Tim Stockdale
7th Graders Visit Kindergarten
On December 11th, Ms. Cubbage's 7th-grade English class visited Ms. Estes's class to assist the kindergarteners with a holiday craft. The classroom visit concluded with the older students reading a holiday-themed book to the attentive kindergarten class.
Photo by Bethany Cubbage
Special Recognition
During this month's Board Meeting, Betsy Dietel was presented with a signed resolution recognizing the incredible contribution that her parents, William and Linda Dietel, made to education and the profound impact it had on RCPS students. Betsy Dietel, who has made immeasurable contributions to education herself, happily accepted the framed resolution honoring her parents’ legacy.
To read the entire resolution, click here.
Photo by Holly Jenkins
Kids Market Day
Third grade students had a wonderful time participating in the 2023 Kids Market Day on December 14th. This program, provides students with an opportunity to experience the process of determining a marketable product, the effort of creating a product, and finally, selling the product, with the hope of making a profit. Thank you to the MyFuture team and everyone that volunteered to make this event a huge success.
Photos by Erin Sherry (top) and Jason Williams, SCA President
Handmade Gifts
During the final week of school, Mrs. Bremmerman's students were busy creating unique winter ornaments to present as gifts for loved ones.
Photo by Natasha Bremmerman
Student Recognitions
Congratulations to our Jr. Panthers of the Month! This month’s students were selected by their teachers for demonstrating good citizenship and leadership amongst their peers. On December 1st, the students were treated to a special recognition luncheon with Ms. Wissinger and Ms. Lowe-Barton.
November Jr. Panthers of the Month
PreK- Bella Vickers
Kindergarten- Lila Crouse, Anna Baranski, Harper Lind, Freya McPeak
1st Grade- Griffin Lang, Cora Moon
2nd Grade- Justin Ennis, Skylar Ross, Ellie Stockdale
3rd Grade- Barrett Jenkins, Rylee Sisk, Randall Crawford, Gabriella Ruiz Bayly
4th Grade- Kaiser Ludwikowski, Abigail Jenkins
5th Grade- Harper Hanback, Jair Garcia Loya, Lilah Stell
6th Grade- Skylar Bright, Gianelli Garza Mejia, Thomas Starks
7th Grade- Anderson Garcia, Wyatt Pullen, Mateo Canales
Photo by Holly Jenkins
Following an all-day audition on Saturday, Dec. 9th, RCHS seniors Payton Cillo, Elijah Lowe, and Rhys Milam were accepted to the highly competitive district band! Additionally, Rhys was ranked number four percussionist, making him eligible for all-state band! Please join us in extending a huge congratulations to Rhys, Payton, and Elijah for their remarkable achievements, as well as our other Panthers musicians who competed in this rigorous event.
Photo provided by Kalia Page, Band Director
Announcements & Reminders
Fit Kids Clinic
The Fit Kids Clinic is open for students and staff. If your child gets sick at school, it's not always easy to leave work. Telehealth makes it easier. With your consent, our Tele-Health Presenter will use video telehealth technology to connect your child with a provider at Valley Health. In most cases, your child can be diagnosed without leaving school or you having to leave work. Conditions treated include: asthma, allergies, cough, colds, flu, ear aches, sore throats, fever, headaches, head lice, pink eye, and skin irritations. This clinic saves valuable time (for students and parents) and reduces absenteeism. The clinic is available for all students in grades PreK-12 with parental consent. Parents and Guardians- you can find the necessary paperwork HERE.
Behind the Wheel
We are scheduling Behind the Wheel session for RCPS students and non-students. Please click the following link to learn more and to sign-up your student. https://forms.gle/J9WhhcbdTZhbPKer9
Pictured: Our Behind the Wheel Instructors, Ms. Sell and Ms. Fox
RCPS Communications Committee
Join the RCPS Communications Committee! This committee will collaborate to identify strengths and areas of improvement to better share our story and relay communications with our families and stakeholders. Our first meeting will be held in January. For more information, please contact Holly Jenkins at hjenkins@rappahannockschools.us.
RCHS Alumni Spotlight
Calling all RCHS Alumni! We would love to hear all about YOU. Each month, we will share recognize different graduating classes. Stay tuned for more information in our January newsletter!
Important Upcoming Dates
To view the PDF version of our community events, CLICK HERE. Additionally, this calendar can be found on our district website homepage.
Helpful Information
Mental Health & Wellness Resources
To view the list of helpful mental health and wellness resources for students and families, CLICK HERE.
Connect With Us
Website: www.rappahannockschools.us
Facebook: www.facebook.com/rappahannockcountypublicschools
Instagram: www.instagram.com/_rcps_