Recently Added – Page 5

Finalized 2016-17 school year calendar available

The 2016-17 school year has been finalized and is now available for print. The calendar, which was approved by the School Board in February, includes progress report and report card dates. Staff should note that the third nine weeks of the school year will end on the same day that grades are due, Friday, April…

Fair and Equitable Grading: A message from Dr. Spence

At its retreat last year, members of our VBCPS School Board expressed concerns about grading practices in schools across our city. In particular, they articulated concerns expressed by a few parents about the inconsistent application of grading guidelines in our secondary schools. They questioned the degree to which schools and teachers should have flexibility in making…

School-city partnership earns state award as Outstanding Mentoring Program

Each year, Virginia Mentoring Partnership (VMP) recognizes the contributions made by mentoring programs and volunteer mentors to the lives of young people in Virginia. At its 14th Annual Virginia Mentoring Awards event March 17, VMP recognized Virginia Beach READS as the recipient of its 2016 Outstanding Mentoring Program Award. The Virginia Beach READS mentoring program…

Charting progress on Compass to 2020

In December 2014, Virginia Beach City Public Schools adopted Compass to 2020, its strategic framework that sets the vision and guides our work for the next five years. But how do we know that we’re making progress? As part of the planning process, a cross-section of more than 70 stakeholders worked to identify key measures…

OLHS staff present at International Technology and Engineering Educators Association conference

The Partnership for 21st Century Learning (P21) and Ocean Lakes High School’s technology teachers Cecilia Hess and Scott Sonier presented at the International Technology and Engineering Educators Association’s (ITEEA) 2016 National Conference. Hess and Sonier’s presentation was in support of OLHS’s P21 designation of Exemplar School. The session entitled, “What Great Schools Do – Learning…

2013 National Teacher of the Year Jeff Charbonneau to present at National Speaker Series event April 14

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Kempsville Meadows calls out a kindness challenge to all schools

Like many elementary schools this year, Kempsville Meadows Elementary School (KMES) took part in the Great Kindness Challenge, a national effort dedicated to creating a culture of kindness on school campuses. However, KMES teachers, staff, parents and students took their challenge a step further. They pushed themselves to perform 100 acts of kindness in just…

Share your thoughts on preliminary grading recommendations

The Fair and Equitable Grading Practices Committee has been working since September 2015 to review current Virginia Beach City Public Schools (VBCPS) policy, research and best practices for grading. After thoughtful consideration, the committee has developed three preliminary recommendations: 1) Assess academic progress separate from behavior/work habits; 2) Revise the current grading scale; and 3)…

Chris Porter chosen to compete with elite runners in Shamrock 8K

Hundreds of VBCPS students and staff members are signed up to compete in races associated with J&A Racing’s annual Shamrock Marathon weekend March 18-20 at the oceanfront. One teacher, King’s Grant Elementary School physical education teacher Chris Porter, has been selected for the Elite for a Day program and will race against American and international…

After school classes ‘pop up’ the excitement at Brandon

Crowded together at a lab table in the science room, the three girls passed around the sample slides, small bottles and clear, plastic trays in front of them. Locked arm to arm, they compared skin tones and skin types – debating which materials they would personally need and eagerly awaiting their chance to get started.…

Alsop receives James D. Mullins Leadership Award

Congratulations to Tina Alsop, who received the Virginia State Reading Association’s (VSRA) James D. Mullins Leadership Award at its annual conference held in Norfolk, March 3-5. Alsop is the Title I coordinator in the Department of Teaching and Learning. The James D. Mullins Leadership Award was established in 1994 to recognize administrators who show exceptional support of…

Teachers tackle personalized learning in VBCPS classrooms

New Castle second-grade student Chloe Rothaug was eagerly aligning her yellow vocabulary cards in neat stacked columns. “We’re aligning them according to short or long letter sounds. It’s so we can have better grammar,” said fellow classmate Amelia Egert. “We get to choose one rotation every day and today we wanted to work on word…

2017 Citywide Teacher of the Year finalists announced

VBCPS is proud to announce the 2017 Citywide Teacher of the Year finalists, who were selected from all of our individual schools’ teachers of the year : Jenna Free, English/Family and Consumer Science Teacher, Tallwood High School Melissa Smith, kindergarten-five reading specialist, Parkway Elementary School Adrian Hayes, Grades 7/8 English Teacher, Kemps Landing Old Donation School…

VBEF Pearls of Wisdom discounted tickets available through March 16

Don’t miss out on one of the Virginia Beach Education Foundation’s (VBEF) biggest fundraisers, the Pearls of Wisdom Oyster Roast and Barbecue, Saturday, April 16, 1-5 p.m. at 24th Street Park at the oceanfront. Discounted adult tickets of $40 are available through March 16, and the price increases to $50 March 17. Tickets for children…

VDOE incentive awards earned by three VBCPS teachers

Three VBCPS teachers recently received awards from the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE). The Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Teacher Recruitment and Retention Incentive Award is geared toward attracting, recruiting and retaining high-quality individuals to teach STEM subjects in Virginia’s middle and high schools. Mary Hardesty, a math specialist at Bayside Middle School and…

VBCPS staff members go the extra mile

Staff members exhibit great discipline and hard work each and every day in the classrooms, offices and hallways of our schools and buildings. Some of those same staff members apply the same characteristics to their personal fitness and exercise goals. Check out our staff who have this year completed marathons – and be sure to…

Reamon visits correctional centers to share motivational speeches

Earlier this month, Tommy Reamon, physical education teacher and head varsity football coach at Landstown High School, brought his message of hope and perseverance to young men at both the Buckingham and Dillwyn Correctional Centers in central Virginia. As part of the Department of Correctional Education’s celebration of Black History Month, Reamon shared experiences from…

Last day to submit Employee Survey is quickly approaching

Don’t miss your chance to be heard! The last day to submit the 2016 Employee Survey is this Friday, March 4. A survey invitation was sent to all employees Feb. 8. Your responses to the survey—which is anonymous—will give the school division input on issues that directly affect you as an employee. This survey continues…

Congratulations to the 2017 VBCPS Teachers of the Year

Congratulations to the 2017 Virginia Beach City Public Schools Teachers of the Year. Each school and specialty center has one teacher named as its Teacher of the Year. The 86 honorees will be celebrated at the Teacher of the Year dinner held this May. Dan Stringent, Adult Learning Center Michael Weber, Advanced Technology Center Coleen…

Whiteside earns Public Utilities honor

Green Run Elementary Assistant Principal Joseph Whiteside was selected as the “Staff Member of the Quarter” by Virginia Beach Public Utilities. Green Run Elementary and the Virginia Beach Department of Public Utilities have a special partnership. Staff members at Green Run fill out a nomination form each quarter and the Public Utilities staff pick a…