June 19, 2009 Vol. 1 • Issue 57

Genworth Financial bringsAgassi and Graf to Chimborazo

Richmond Public SchoolsPublic Information Office

301 North 9th Street, 14th FloorRichmond, VA 23219

P: (804) 780-7100 F: (804) 780-6988

Tennis legendsAndre Agassi andSteffi Graf visitedChimborazoElementary SchoolJune 16 as part of theGenworth FinancialVolunteer Day ofService. The world’smost famoushusband-and-wifetennis duo scored anace with students asthey fielded students’questions and thenasked a few of theirown. Along withbringing the coupleto Chimborazo,Genworth volunteersalso spruced up theschool’s library withbook donations, wallmurals and a newstudent-friendly See page 2

Genworth Financial sponsored a Volunteer Day of Service at both Chimborazoand Redd elementary schools June 16. The event at Chimborazo featured a visitby tennis legends Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi. Above the husband-and-wife ten-nis duo pose with Chimborazo fifth-graders Johnequea Whitaker and Ra’quanMayfield. An award-winning essay by Johnequea led to the couple’s visit.

SPOTLIGHT

Richmond Public SchoolsPublic Information Office

301 North 9th Street, 14th FloorRichmond, VA 23219

P: (804) 780-7100 F: (804) 780-6988

RPS TO TAKE PART IN VCU INITIATIVE

Tennisgreatsbringbooksto schoolFrom page one

reading corner. Hands On Greater Richmond also helped coordinate theevent. Genworth selected Chimborazo for the library renovation after fifth-grader Johnequea Whitaker submitted the winning essay in the “Think ItPossible” contest sponored by the Genworth Foundation. The topic ofJohnequea’s essay? Donating new books to her school’s library.

‘Bridging Richmond: A Richmond MetroP-20 Partnership’

Richmond Public Schools will take part in a new Virginia CommonwealthUniversity initiative that will support students from preschool throughcollege and into a meaningful career. The initiative, “Bridging Richmond: ARichmond Metro P-20 Partnership,” was announced at a June 18 pressconference held at VCU. Based on the “Strive” model used in Cincinnati, theprogram utilizes resources from education, business, nonprofits, community,civic and philanthropic groups with universities serving as anchors andchange agents. VCU is one of four new national sites selected to expand theStrive program network, which currently features partnerships with 39urban universities. The initiative is supported by Living Cities, acollaborative of 21 of the world’s largest foundations and financialinstitutions and the Coalition of Urban Serving Universities. For details,contact the VCU School of Education at 804-827-2415.

Richmond Public SchoolsPublic Information Office

301 North 9th Street, 14th FloorRichmond, VA 23219

P: (804) 780-7100 F: (804) 780-6988

Upcoming Events √

Miles Jones Elementary School launcheschapter of National Junior Beta Club

•June 22•4-day work week begins•Summer school begins

•July 6•Schools closed to observe July 4th holiday

•July 23:•Last day of summer school•High school graduation 5:30 p.m. Coburn Hall at VUU

•August 1:•4th District Choice Campaign Launch 10 a.m. - noon Thompson MS

•August 25-26•New Teacher Institute Armstrong High School Details: 780-7775

Miles J. Jones ElementarySchool recently inducted 11students into the school’sNational Junior Beta Club.Students tapped for Betawere: Szhanesha Becoat,Acacia Boyd, ThomishaCanada, Nikiria Conley,Alexia Garcia, DoNaejaHarris, Ashley Helton,Dinanyiris Hidalgo, JoseJimenez, Tehya Moore andTayajah Tyler. The National Beta Club wasformed in 1934. Since then,the organization has workedwith over 5.5 million students in grades 5-9 (Junior Beta Club) and grades 9-12 (Senior Beta Club).Guidance counselor Amanda Thornton serves as club sponsor.

Congratulations to RAEOP’s New Officers!Veronica Waddey, president; Denise Monroe, president-elect; Cartelius Teachey, recordingsecretary; Michelle Johnson, corresponding secretary; Sandra Bullock-Lomax, treasurer;

Phyllis Taylor, chaplain; and Deborah Wright, immediate past president.

it out

Information for In Focus should be emailed to: sbolton@richmond.k12.va.us.

School Board Notes•The number of student disciplinary infractions dropped by 7.5 percent from April toMay, according to a report submitted by Sharon Scott, director of Safety and Security.May’s total of 2,396 infractions was down from April’s figure of 2,590. For the year, thenumber of infractions has dropped by 20 percent, with the total number of infractionsfalling from 31,733 to 25,385. According to Scott, 30 of the district’s 48 schools recordeddecreases from April to May.

•More than 800 students enrolled in dual enrollment classes for the 2008-2009 schoolyear. That’s the figure included in a report presented by Nelson Colbert to the SchoolBoard’s curriculum committee. Dual enrollment classes include academic classes, tech-nical/CTE classes and fine arts. Dual enrollment courses are offered through J. SargeantReynolds Community College, Virginia Commonwealth University and James MadisonUniversity. Colbert noted that 184 RPS seniors took dual enrollment classes and 246enrolled in Advance Placement (AP) courses.

•In a 7-2 vote, the Richmond City School Board recently voted to approve the 2009-2010Student Code of Conduct booklet. The new version has been revised to reflect commu-nity suggestions, as well as disciplinary changes mandated by the Virginia General As-sembly. These include prohibiting districts from suspending students from school be-cause of truancy infractions, alone. The Student Code of Conduct booklets are sched-uled to be mailed to RPS households prior to the start of the new school year.

First Lady,Anne Holton,DeliversKeynoteAddress AtMLK MovingOn Ceremony