School Days Spring 2015

SCHOOLHenrico County Public Schools

henrico.k12.va.us

Page 8

How the HENRICO EDUCATION FOUNDATIONmakes all our schools even better

Page 3

The links that keep Henrico Schools strong

FAMILYTRADITIONIs a Teacher-of-the-Year dynasty dawning?

2 APRIL 2015 SCHOOL DAYS

Hello, and happy spring! It’s good to be back from

a restful Spring Break, and I know that all of our students and schools are working hard toward their end-of-year goals. I’m delighted to have this opportunity to bring you up to date on a few things happening within HCPS.

One of our four core areas of focus is “relationships”, and by now you’ve noticed that’s the theme of this issue. On the following pages you’ll see several examples of the positive relationships being forged within our school division, as well as a few that I’ll mention here.

In March, the Henrico School Board approved our budget. We received additional input from the Henrico Board of Supervisors, and now we remain on schedule for its official adoption in May. If adopted as proposed, the budget includes a 2 percent raise for all county employ-ees, including our teachers and staff. This raise would be in addition to the nearly 3 percent raise that took effect back in January. We are so pleased to be work-ing with a School Board and Board of Supervisors that are supportive and recognize the value of the work HCPS em-ployees put forth each day.

In addition to raises for

our employees, the budget proposal includes more funding for the Posi-tive Behavioral Interventions and Supports program. In short, PBIS is a method of providing social and emotional support for students as part of our continuing effort to cre-ate a safe, supportive, and orderly learning environment.

Our Code of Student Con-duct proposal continues to move forward. This spring, the School Board will review an updated pro-posal that continues to evolve fol-lowing several rounds of feedback from our community stakehold-ers. We continue to welcome your thoughts, as well. Just visit henrico.k12.va.us and look for the link be-neath “Hot Topics.”

We also received a big dose of good news recently from the Vir-ginia Board of Education. The state board approved an expanded op-portunity for younger students in grades 3-8 to retake their SOL tests if they meet certain conditions. For

example, if a student came within 1-5 questions of passing an SOL test, he or she can now retake the exam following special tutoring sessions that HCPS will provide at no cost to families. Previously, students had only one chance to pass their exams. This “SOL sec-ond chance” (also known as an expedited retake) will ensure that students have a firm foundation in all subject areas before moving up to the next grade level. More stu-dents will now be able to end their year on a positive note, and build greater confidence heading into the fall. The program requires parental consent, so be on the lookout for a letter sent home with your student, if he or she is eligible.

Thank you for reading, and as always, we appreciate your support of Henrico County Public Schools!

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ABCDAWARDS

Helping Hand Award

PLACE YOUR AD IN SCHOOL DAYSFor more information

contact Chris OBrion at [email protected]

or call 804-652-3725

“Happy spring!”Dr. Patrick C. Kinlaw

HCPS Superintendent of Schools

ABCD, Helping Hand award winners “Above and Beyond the Call of Duty.” It might mean improving job efficiency, services or safety; conserv-ing resources; performing a humanitarian or heroic act; or independently anticipating and solving problems. The Henrico Education Foundation and Henrico Federal Credit Union join us in recognizing these individuals by providing a check to each recipient. Congratulations to all honorees!

February’s honorees were Linda Morley of Deep Run High School and Jason Bruffey of Holman Middle School.

Roma Harris of Donahoe Elementary School and Jeff Grow of Construction and Maintenance won March’s ABCD awards.

February’s Helping Hand Award for volunteer work went to Daquan Wig-gins of Henrico High School and Wilder Middle School.

January’s honorees were Lois Greene of Sandston Elementary School and Serghei Romanov of Constrution and Maintenance.

SCHOOL DAYS APRIL 2015 3

Winning a Henrico County Public Schools Teacher of the Year award is an unusual accomplish-ment. For a parent and child to each take home the honor may be unprecedented.

Kindergarten teacher Patricia Snead was named 2015 Teacher of the Year for Maybeury Elementary School. Her daughter, exceptional education teacher Jennifer Bilyeu, was Tuckahoe Elementary School’s top teacher.

Linda Thompson, the division’s assistant director of staff develop-ment, said that records aren’t kept on relationships among Teacher of the Year winners. However, in checking with staff members in-volved in the award process for more than a decade, no one could recall a similar situation.

There are striking similarities in the paths of mother and daughter.

Both women grew up in fami-lies where education was the main topic of conversation. Snead’s fa-ther was principal of Louisa Coun-ty High School, and wore many hats in the rural school system. She began her own education career in Louisa in 1977, before moving after one year to a position with Henrico Schools.

Both women also professed as teenagers that they’d never become teachers. The family pull of educa-tion, however, was too strong.

“Deep down I knew I wanted to be a teacher,” Bilyeu said. “But I said to myself, ‘I’m not going to do

this. This is what my mom did.’ I was resistant to it. I thought I’d try nursing first. That didn’t work out because I really don’t like science, so that was a little hard!

“But what I found out was that I really did want to teach … I pushed it away before I decided, no, this is what I really want to do.”

Although separated by decades, both attended Reynolds Commu-nity College at night before be-coming full-time teachers. Snead transferred to VCU and earned her bachelor’s degree; Bilyeu went on to earn a master’s from Old Dominion.

The pair became an educa-tional team early on. When Bi-lyeu was five years old, Snead got a variance from the school divi-sion allowing the girl to attend Maybeury. The two rode to school (and work) together each day. After school, Bilyeu would hang out in

her mother’s classroom until Snead was ready to drive home.

Her daughter “knew how to do bulletin boards, cutouts, lesson plans because she’d always been around it,” Snead said. “And when it was time to set up for a new school year, we’d both go and set up.

“I always wanted to write the kids’ names on the supplies [at the start of the school year],” Bilyeu said. “But she wouldn’t let me be-

cause it had to be in her handwrit-ing. We always moved the furniture together. We still move the furni-

ture together.”As children, both Bilyeu and

Snead saw firsthand the rewards of teaching, as well as the challenges and financial realities.

“Jennifer said, ‘I’ll never do what you do and get paid the mon-ey you get paid,’” Snead said. “And then you grow up and you realize it’s not all about the money.”

The two confer on teaching is-sues nightly by phone.

“We talk about a student that I’m having trouble with where I need advice,” Bilyeu said. “Or my own child who’s in kindergarten, or she’s got a question about a [special needs] student.”

“Because I do have some chil-dren with special needs,” said Snead, “I want to know exactly the right way I need to approach this, deal with this, help them, assist

“Both women also professed as teenagers that they’d never become teachers. The family pull of education, however,

was too strong.”

see FAMILY TRADITION, Pg. 6

Jennifer Bilyeu and her mother Patricia Snead both won Teacher of the Year honors at their respective schools.


Construction and Maintenance Department

Ward ES students make the school grounds brighter with help from the HCPS Construction and Mainte-nance Department and community partner Lowe’s.

Fairfield MS students celebrate with their adopted elementary school classroom. The older students provided them with “winter survival kits.”

CarMax associates organize and pack school supplies for 20 HCPS schools. The project was made possible by The CarMax Foundation, the Henrico Education Foundation and BrownGreer.

Varina HS students take GPS readings as part of a geospatial technology course, helping historic Hollywood Cemetery to map the sprawling grounds.

Relationships strengthen school division

VARINA

H

IGH SCHO

O

L

WARDE L E M E N T A R YWARD

E L E M E N T A R Y

Hermitage Technical Center cosmetology students team up with Project Homeless Connect to provide free haircuts for Richmond-area people without a place to live.

HCPS

All of Henrico County Public Schools’ other goals rest upon the theme of strong relationships. The school division’s commitment to excellence

relies on this intricate web of cooperation and involvement. These links include students, parents, teachers, staff, volunteers, the Henrico School Board, citizens, community organizations, and business and faith-based partners.


HCPS students get real-world work experiences by working with local business partners and community organizations.

The WatchDOGS program organizes fathers and father- figures to help out, increase security and act as positive role models in schools.

ManUp’s Fall Harvest Festival is one way the group inspires fathers and father-figures to grow as role models.

Henrico County Public SchoolsFatherhood Initiative

Varina HS students take GPS readings as part of a geospatial technology course, helping historic Hollywood Cemetery to map the sprawling grounds.

Relationships strengthen school division

Deep Run HS students dance for pledges to raise money for 12 nonprofits. The annual Deep Run Marathon Dance has raised more than $1.5 million for local charities in its nine years.

All of Henrico County Public Schools’ other goals rest upon the theme of strong relationships. The school division’s commitment to excellence

relies on this intricate web of cooperation and involvement. These links include students, parents, teachers, staff, volunteers, the Henrico School Board, citizens, community organizations, and business and faith-based partners.

Girl Scout Troop 5436, sponsored by Mt. Olive Baptist Church in Glen Allen, collected winter clothing and gave it to needy HCPS students.


“Change is the end

result of all true

learning.” ~ Leo Buscaglia

them, whatever. And I go to the one who has the answer.”

So what do the two Teachers of the Year think it takes to be a great teacher?

“It’s our life. We pour our heart and soul into this,” Snead said. “We wake up in the night, think-ing, ‘What can I do differently? How can I make this better?’

“That’s why we’re on the phone at night, talking it through: ‘What can we do to make their little lives here happy and successful?’”

Bilyeu said a great educator “is able to work with all kids. A great teacher should be able to work with any student on their roll, because that’s their student.

“Sometimes that can be a challenge. It can be draining on a teacher, but you need to exhaust your resources and figure out, what can you do for your student?”

Snead adds, “If they know you’re not going to give up on them, and they

know you’re going to keep pushing them in the right direction,” then a breakthrough will happen.

Snead said she experienced such a breakthrough this year while work-

ing to correct a student behavior issue. The change came after 96 school days.

“On day 96, the student turned it around. It was working 96 days to build that trust.”

Snead will retire from Henrico County Public Schools in June af-ter 38 years. Mother and daughter will still have plenty of chances to confer, however: In the fall, Snead will begin caring for Bilyeu’s son Landon in the afternoons until Bi-lyeu gets home from teaching.

“If they know you’re not go-ing to give up on them, and

they know you’re going to keep pushing them

in the right direction,” then a breakthrough will happen.”

FAMILY TRADITION

A Girl and Her Dog

De’Jah Cheek, tenth-grade Varina High School art student, submitted a depiction of the bond between dogs and humans in response to this issue’s theme, “relationships.”


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Looking Back:School Days Vol.2 No.2 1969

“Change is the end

result of all true

learning.” ~ Leo Buscaglia

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2009 HCPS Center for the Arts grad Rayvon Owen makes Henrico proud by starring in season 14 of American Idol - Congrats Rayvon!

Photobomb by the #hcps f lag

(& Maybeury’s Dwayne Caban-iss) as His Royal Highness Prince

Charles visits Washington DC.

2015 Graduation DatesJune 2 Adult Education Center June 3 Virginia Randolph Education Center June 4 Highland Springs Tech CenterJune 8 Hermitage Tech Center June 9 11am Highland Springs HS 3pm Glen Allen HS 7pm Henrico HSJune 10 11am Tucker HS 3pm Deep Run HS 7pm Hermitage HS

June 1 1 11am Varina HS 3pm Godwin HS 7pm Freeman HS June 12 Final half-day for students @HenricoSchools Mar 19


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Lisa A. Marshall Tuckahoe District

P.O. Box 231203820 Nine Mile RoadHenrico, VA 23223-0420804-652-3600 School Days is an award-winning publication

produced quarterly by the Department of Communications and Public Relations of HCPS. If you have questions about School Days, call 804-652-3725 or email [email protected] C. Kinlaw Superintendent

Beverly L. CockeBrookland District

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Henrico Education Foundation

What is the Henrico Educa-tion Foundation? Where does HEF fit into the school division?

We’re an independent, nonprofit organization whose focus is to pro-vide additional financing and re-sources to help Henrico County Pub-lic Schools. There are always things that our schools need, from school supplies to innovative classroom grants for teachers – things that help expand the county’s and the taxpay-ers’ investments.

Tax dollars don’t pay for every-thing. The division is very respon-sible and the community sup-port is high, but there are times when we can extend the coun-ty’s investment, or help parents who want to do something im-pactful in a child’s school.

Our focus areas are preparing students for college, career and the community; providing resources and professional development for teach-ers; developing strong school/com-munity relationships; lastly, we serve as the division’s catalyst for innova-tion. We provide grants to teachers for new teaching ideas, take the les-sons learned from those and help the division replicate it in other schools.

For example, we helped create a

community garden at Fairfield Mid-dle School – a big success. Now we’re going to try one at Wilder and put in place what we learned.

We are always guided by pro-viding research-based academic en-hancements that are in the best inter-ests of students and reflect where the division is going.

What are some major projects that HEF organizes?

The annual corporate spelling bee, a fundraiser that helps provide funds that come back to the schools. We do our annual golf tournament fundraiser.

Then we have initiatives all year to raise funds to enhance learning. We work with parents, with busi-nesses and organizations who want to help fund specific initiatives.

If someone wants to do some-thing special for a particular school or a specific program, we can be the conduit to make that happen. For ex-ample, we work with people all the time who want to recognize a loved one. We can set up program grants or put technology in the classroom and ensure that it’s what schools really need. HEF is often a matchmaker.

We also help families with things like the cost of a field trip when a par-ent has lost a job. For students who are missing a class credit and may be struggling to graduate on time, we can help find a solution such as an online course or a summer class.

What are some things you’d like to see HEF do in the next few years?

Our big initiative is our Commu-nity Learning Center Initiative: using the school as a hub of support ser-vices for students. School divisions across the country are having great success with it, by helping students come to school more prepared.

Our teachers are doing a fantas-tic job. But sometimes the challenge they have is students who don’t come in with the resources they need. If you have a parent who didn’t gradu-ate from high school, how are they supposed to help their child with trigonometry or a foreign language? Sometimes s t u d e n t s need help with men-tors or tu-tors or materials to provide that en-richment. And we can do that.

I’ll give you an example: at Ridge Elementary School this year, we funded the “One Child, One Book” initiative, because they’re trying to work on their reading skills. Every-one read the same book: the students, teachers, bus drivers. I read the book as well and the students talked about it, got excited about reading, and those kids are improving their read-ing.

Our aim is that when every child arrives in the classroom, each has the greatest possibility for success. With the out-of-school time, that’s not an area that the school division has a way to impact. But the foundation can provide after-school mentors or tutors or STEM programs to close those gaps.

Our goal is put some funding in every school across Henrico every year, either a need-based or innova-tive grant. In the West End and the East End, from school-to-school, that might look very different.

We’re going to significantly in-

crease our fundraising efforts and then put those funds right back into the schools in ways that help students, help teachers and make parents feel really excited about what’s happen-ing in their child’s classrooms.

You held a similar job in Chattanooga for six years. What has been your impression of Henrico County Public Schools?

We really have an outstanding school division. I’m coming from an environment where some schools did

not have arts programs or intervention-ists or many of the things

we have here, because there was no funding.

I also sit on the national advi-sory board for the American School Foundation Alliance, an associa-tion of education foundations, so I talk with school divisions across the country. In many places, we’re see-ing the loss of art, music and theatre. It’s wonderful to be part of a division that’s committed to keeping those things along with great academics.

I will have three kids in Henri-co Schools, and I’m excited to have them be part of this school system. That’s one of the reasons I was so ex-cited about coming to Henrico.

What else would you like people to know about HEF?

I’d invite people to reach out to me if they have a question or there’s an initiative they’d like to see happen at their school. We want to help make that possible.

Mike Taylor can be reached at 804-652-3869 or at [email protected].

Q&A

Taylor

with

Mike Taylor is the new executive di-rector of the Henrico Education Foun-dation. Taylor, a proud Tennessee Volunteer and a teacher’s son, talked recently about the foundation’s vision.

“If someone wants to do something special for a particular school or a

specific program, we can be the conduit to make that happen.”

“Our aim is that when every child arrives in the classroom, each has

the greatest possibility for success.”

Mike

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Documents

School Days Spring 2015