The Star News

It's hard to believe we are already a month into the 2023-2024 school year! Students are making friends, reading, writing, and discussing relevant material in every class, every day, and participating in essential activities like athletics and the fine arts to stay safe and connected after school. Working together, we can ensure it will be a successful year for all students, teachers, and families!

Be sure to join your school's PTA/PTSA! You will receive valuable information and resources about upcoming events and how to stay engaged with student's school. We also encourage you to follow Roanoke City Public Schools on social media, visit our website at rcps.info, and scroll to the bottom of the newsletter for important upcoming dates! Remember, your school is also a great source of information, so be sure to follow it on social media, too.

Thank you for your continued support of Roanoke City Public Schools. As always, we welcome your thoughts, questions, or suggestions by emailing info@rcps.info.

RCPS Family,

We are excited to welcome our students, families, and staff to the 2023-2024 school year! Our Roanoke City Public Schools community has much to be proud of, and I know we will continue to inspire and ignite a love of learning for our students. Together, I look forward to continuing to celebrate our collective accomplishments throughout the school year as our students set and achieve their goals.

I hope you will take a moment to familiarize yourself with the Parent Handbook, which is available electronically by visiting bit.ly/rcpsparenthandbook. The handbook includes a wealth of information to ensure you are aware of your student’s rights, how to receive assistance, and much more. The division website and school-based websites are also resources for you to learn more.

As we progress through the school year, our teachers will continue to engage our students in

effective, high-quality instruction, with an emphasis on literacy and graduating with a diploma

and a resume of rich skills and experiences that will benefit them for a lifetime. To that end, we are

excited about the expansion of Career & Technical Education and the opening of the new Charles W. Day Technical Education Center. The new center will physically open in January 2024, but students began taking classes at alternate locations when the school year began. This expansion has doubled our seat capacity for CTE programming and added six additional program areas. This type of a robust head-start benefits our community, as our students will be ready, willing, and more than capable of entering tomorrow’s workforce.

We encourage you to stay involved with your school’s PTA and engaged with your student’s

education. We also encourage you to let your school know if your contact information changes or if

you move so you don’t miss any important messages from your school or the division. We also hope our elementary families will join us each Wednesday at 7 p.m. for 52 Weeks of Reading program, which is generously sponsored by Cox and Gentry Locke Attorneys. Students and their families are invited to tune in for a virtual story time, featuring special readers and discussion questions to promote literacy, critical thinking, and family engagement.

As a reminder, the Superintendent’s Challenge Coin honors students, employees, and community

members throughout the RCPS community who are going above and beyond, and I invite you to

nominate those who you feel are deserving of this honor. We have many heroes in Roanoke City

Public Schools, and we need to give credit where credit is due.

Together, we can ensure our students remain happy, healthy, safe, and strong. It is going to

be a great school year, and I thank you for your continued support of Roanoke City Public Schools.

We Are One!

Sincerely,

Dr. Verletta White
Superintendent

Monday, October 9 is a non-student day. Staff will take part in Professional Development throughout the day.

Students will dismiss two hours early on Friday, October 27.

Monday, November 6 is a non-student day, and all schools and offices will be closed on Tuesday, November 7 for Election Day.

The U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy, has outlined steps we can take to reduce a rising sense of loneliness and isolation in our society. He states: “We are called to build a movement to mend the social fabric of our nation. It will take all of us…working together to destigmatize loneliness and change our culture…each of us can start now, in our own lives, by strengthening our connections and relationships.”

In his report, he talks about six important things to help people connect better. His final suggestion is to “Build a Culture of Connection.” In other words, creating a friendly and caring culture. How can we do that?

We can create a culture of connection by cultivating values of kindness, respect, service, and commitment to one another. These are simple practices we can do in everyday life. Dr. Murthy calls these “a source of healing hiding in plain sight.” Everyone can contribute to the collective culture of social connection by regularly practicing these values. Science tells us that we learn how to behave by being around other people. So, if we're around people who are kind and caring, we'll become kind and caring too.

You can even try a simple way to be kinder in your daily life. Click here for a simple informal practice. You can practice this anytime, anywhere, and then notice how it makes you feel.

Roanoke City Public Schools will continue to do our part throughout the school year to build a culture of connection. In every setting, we are focused on making sure everyone feels connected and like they belong.

Have a question about Mindfulness?

Laurie Seidel, Coordinator of Mindfulness Education
P: (540) 853-1726 | E: lseidel@rcps.info

Visit our website!

Welcome Your new Director of Community Engagement!

Mr. Corey Allder began serving as Director of Community Engagement in August 2023. Previously, Mr. Allder served as Supervisor of English Learner and World Language Programs. He looks forward to the opportunity to help RCPS strengthen engagement between schools, families, and partners throughout the community.

Don’t forget to join your school’s PTA.

Parent Teacher Associations (PTA) and Parent Teacher Student Associations (PTSAs) offer the opportunity for families to be involved and engaged in their child’s education and school community. The PTA is a volunteer group composed of parents, teachers, staff, and students committed to supporting and improving the educational success, safety, well-being, and health of all students. Support ranges from hosting afterschool parent engagement events at school to sponsoring field trips or activities.

Getting involved with your school's PTA/PTSA is a great way to stay engaged with your student's school and what they are learning! To join your school's PTA/PTSA, please contact your child’s school.

Have a question about PTA or Family & Community Engagement?

Corey Allder, Director of Community Engagement

P: (540) 853-1359 | E: callder@rcps.info

Visit our Website!

• If you aren’t receiving robocalls, your phone number may be deactivated or incorrect in the RCPS mass notification system. Please contact your child’s school to ensure you continue receiving these important messages. In addition, if you have moved, make sure to provide your new address to the school as well.
  

• Need help resolving an issue that impacts student learning, the school-work environment, or understanding how RCPS works and where to go for assistance? The RCPS Constituent Services Office may be able to help! Click here for more information.

• Are you looking for a job that allows you to be on the same schedule as your child? Apply to become an Instructional Assistant, School Security Officer, Bus Driver, Bus Aide, or Food Service Worker! Other part-time and full-time positions are also available. Visit our website to learn more.

• Your child's school is a great source of information. They always welcome you to contact them directly with questions. Visit rcps.info/schools for school contact information.
• Missed an edition of The Star News? Access previous issues here!

Roanoke City Public Schools serves approximately 14,000 students in grades pre-K through 12. RCPS provides an inclusive and equitable, student-centered culture that empowers lifelong learning. Through meaningful, relevant, and engaging learning opportunities, RCPS will empower all students to dream, excel, and meet their full potential to benefit our city and its citizens.