Linwood Holton Community Chronicles
September Edition Volume 1
Welcome to the 2021- 2022 School year!
We are kicking off this year with a focus on Student Attendance. We need every student present, every day, all year - this can be a true possibility if we all work together. On the heel of an 18+ month hiatus from brick and mortar learning, our students will need to exercise their "going to school" muscles. Getting back into the habit of good sleep practices and morning routines will take support, effort, and encouragement.
For the 1st week of school, Linwood Holton Elementary is pushing for a 100% attendance rate. We want to see all of our Little Lions, back in our newly painted hallways and decorated classrooms. Their teachers have been hard at work making sure their spaces are not only safe, but conducive to their learning needs. We look forward to seeing all of our Little Lions on Day One!
#LionMentality
#HoltonPride
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This month we celebrate:
Hispanic Heritage Month
Classical Music Month
Attendance Awareness Month
Day One Attendance
Teachers across the district will be taking attendance on the first day of school and making sure supports are in place and available for the students/families in need. Our Attendance Team will be highly visible in our neighborhoods this year. If you are in need of immediate support please contact our School Social Worker - Ms. Terry @jterry4@rvaschools.net or our Parent Liaison - Ms. Courtney Jackson @cjackso5@rvaschools.net.
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First Day Tid-bits
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Our Next Virtual Community Meeting
Reopening with Love!
We will continue our virtual Community Conversations to help keep everyone informed of any updates and/or changes to our Safety Protocols, Staffing, Logistics, and overall events taking place at the school. For more district-wide information, please subscribe to Superintendent Kamras' daily email. Our next Community Conversation will take place Thursday, September 9th from 6:00 - 7:00 pm.
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PTA School-spirit Announcement
Show some love for your little Lions our Holton community with some new swag!
As a part of the Linwood Holton Elementary PTA, the Merchandise Committee sells school spirit swag to support our overall fundraising. Profits from sales will support school events and activities for students, teachers, and families.
As part of our first ever Bonfire Campaign, our goal is to sell as many shirts from this first “batch” as possible by Sept. 12th. Orders will ship directly to you from Bonfire on Sept. 20th.
https://www.bonfire.com/holton-lions-swag/
Thank you in advance for your support!
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LHES Community Request
Linwood Holton Community,
Each month, we would like to highlight and learn more about the cultures that help to create our wonderful school community. September 15th - October 15th, is National Hispanic Heritage Month. We are looking for families who are willing to record and share family stories, traditional recipes, or lead art activities during our Monthly Community Meetings.
If you are interested in sharing more about your Hispanic culture and heritage with us, please contact Dr. Hurt @ nhurt@rvaschools.net.
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LHES Fall Fundraiser
We are kicking off the start of our school year with a good old fashion popcorn sale! We will receive 50% of the overall sales we make. These funds will come in handy to help with all of the great things we have planned for our students this year.
Some of these activities include,
- Perfect Attendance Celebrations
- Student of the Month celebrations
- The "Lion's Den" Student Incentive Store
The fundraiser will start Wednesday, September 8th and end Friday, September 24th.
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Extended Day Overview
LHES Extended Day Program is run by a program administrator hired by RPS. The official title of this person is called "Student Intervention Liaison". This person will be responsible for overseeing the overall program - which includes, but it not limited to;
- Student enrollment/managing registration (closed at this time)
- Daily attendance, scheduling of academics & enrichment, and discipline for students
- Hiring and recruitment of Extended Day staff
- Following district/state protocols for Covid and Contact Tracing
Our Extended Day Program will begin Monday, September 20th and will run from 2:45 pm until 5:00pm. More information will be forth coming from the program administrator. Thank you for your patience in getting this information to you.
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Grade Level Academic & ENCORE Schedules
LHES Student & Family Handbook
Student Code of Responsible Ethics (SCORE)
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District Announcements
Top 10 Reminders for Day 1
1) First Day – We're back on Wednesday, September 8, for preschool-12th grade in-person instruction and preschool-5th grade virtual instruction (6th-12th grade virtual instruction began last week). RPS is closed on Monday, September 6, in observance of Memorial Day, and on Tuesday, September 7, in observance of Rosh Hashanah.
2) New Start and End Times – We have new start and end times for school this year. Click here for all the details and please contact your student's school if you have any questions.
3) Symptom Checking – Please use the symptom checker below before you head out the door. If you have any symptoms, stay home and get tested. Do this for yourself and for the RPS family.
4) Bus Routes – Our bus routes are now available on our website at www.rvaschools.net/busstops. Families of exceptional education students will receive phone calls on Monday with bus stop information.
5) School Access Rules – To further prevent the spread of COVID-19, parents and caregivers will NOT be allowed to enter schools without an appointment. I know many families like to walk their young children to class on the first day but we can't allow this, as it would introduce too many people into our buildings and impair our ability to contact trace in the event of an infection. I've asked principals to hold firm on this so please extend them grace and understanding. Thank you.
6) Meals – To prevent students from crowding together for long periods in traditional lunch lines, we will be using "grab and go" meals that students will pick up from kiosks in various locations. We will likely continue this practice until we feel it's safe to return to a more traditional set up. That means there won't be hot meals for the time being. Thank you for your understanding.
7) Chromebook Password Reset – You may remember this one from last year. For security reasons, we'll be doing a password reset for all student Chromebooks on Tuesday, September 7, at 9 am. See below for all the details.
8) Health and Safety Protocols Video – If you haven't already, please tale a few minutes to watch the video about our COVID-19 health and safety protocols for in-person learning. Many thanks to Chip Jackson, Director of Workforce Innovation at Oakwood Arts, for directing this project!
9) Vaccination – Vaccination remains the most effective way to prevent the spread of COVID-19. If you haven't already taken this step, please consider doing so for the children in your life, particularly for those who are too young to be vaccinated themselves. To help, we're holding COVID-19 vaccination clinics in partnership with the Richmond City Health District on Wednesday, September 8, and Wednesday, September 29, from 3 pm - 6 pm, at Clark Springs (1101 Dance Street). You can find additional walk-up COVID-19 vaccination events here. As a reminder, all RPS employees must upload proof of full vaccination by October 1. Please visit www.rvaschools.net/vaccine for more information.
10) Grace – Hundreds of unsung heroes have been working around the clock for months to prepare for next Wednesday. Custodians have been cleaning, disinfecting, and painting. Facilities personnel have been upgrading HVAC systems, installing hospital-grade air scrubbers, and repairing bathrooms. Family liaisons have been pounding the pavement to share information in every neighborhood across the city. Academic personnel have been planning for our "moonshot" literacy program. Recruiters have been head-hunting all across the Commonwealth and beyond. Administrators have been translating COVID guidance into concrete action plans. And, of course, teachers have been preparing to welcome back our students with love. We're prepared for Wednesday because of these incredible people. Please shower them with love and extend them grace as we all begin yet another unprecedented year.
With great appreciation,
Jason (Superintendent Kamras)
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Special Thank you!
Linwood Holton Elementary would like to thank,
To our amazing community partner - Thrive Church, who always make sure our students and teachers start the year knowing they are thought of. This year they gifted over 100 book bags and boxes of school supplies for our students. Thank you to every person who donated to our PTA to help raise money for our outdoor seating area. We cannot wait to see our Little Lions enjoying lunch in the sun and fresh air.
In closing, to everyone who sent a special thought into the universe for the safe return and covering of our faculty, students, and staff -you are much appreciated!
Here's to another amazing year!
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Bizarre, Special, and Unique Holidays For September 2021
Month:
- Classical Music Month
- Hispanic Heritage Month
- National Courtesy Month
Weekly Events:
- National Indoor Plant Week - third week of month
September 2021 Daily Holidays, Special and Wacky Days:
8th: International Literacy Day
11th: 911 Remembrance
12th: Grandparent's Day - first Sunday after Labor Day
13th: Positive Thinking Day
15th: Yom Kippur - begins at sunset, date varies
17th: Citizenship Day & Constitution Day
19th: National Women's Friendship Day - third Sunday in September
21st: World Gratitude Day
22nd: Autumn Equinox - Fall begins! - date varies
25th: National Hunting and Fishing Day - Fourth Saturday in September
26th: Johnny Appleseed Day
28th: National Good Neighbor Day
29th: Confucius Day
30th: National Mud Pack Day
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Resources & Crisis Support
Crisis Support – Please reach out if you need help.
- Mental Health – Call the Richmond Behavioral Health Authority crisis line at (804) 819-4100.
- Domestic Violence – Call the YWCA Greater Richmond regional hotline at (804) 612-6126.
- Child Abuse – Call the Virginia Child Protective Services crisis line at (800) 552-7096.
- Suicide – Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at (800) 273-8255.
#ReopenWithLove Links
Local, State, and National Public Health Links
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Linwood Holton Elementary
"Home of the Lions!"
#WeAreHolton
#HoltonPride
#LionMentality
Email: LinwoodHoltonSupport@rvaschools.net
Website: https://www.rvaschools.net/LHES
Location: 1600 West Laburnum Avenue, Richmond, VA, USA
Phone: 804-228-5310
Twitter: @LinwoodHoltonES