Notice: The Monthly School Board meeting will be held on Tuesday, October 14th.
Will Your Graduation be On-Time?
Each year students from across Virginia get dressed up to walk across the stage and toss their graduation caps in the air. Just how many of them are graduating “on-time” is the question that the Virginia Department of Education is setting out to answer.
On Wednesday, October 8 the VDOE will release the On-Time Graduation Rates for Norfolk and the other 131 school districts in Virginia.
Each school district will be provided with a district-wide graduation rate as well as graduation rates by high school and by subgroups of students.
Virginia began tracking individual students who entered the ninth grade in 2004-05. The goal was to determine the percentage of those students who graduated on-time, meaning in the four years of a traditional high school career.
Prior to the new On-Time Graduation Rate, rates were calculated and reported in a handful of different methods. But the National Governor’s Association task force in 2005 recommended that all states adopt a graduation rate to determine how many students finish “on-time.” North Dakota is the only state currently not looking at making the change.
With the new formula will come new numbers and a different way of talking about graduation rates. Got questions about the new rate and how it is calculated? Well we’ve got answers!
Click here for a Q & A about On-Time Graduation Rates.
Middle School Football Highlights
Watch Highlights of Middle School Football's first week.
Click here to see the Middle School Football schedule.
Parent Convocation Draws Large CrowdWhen it comes to raising children, you must follow the three C’s—be CLEAR, be CONSISTANT, and above all, CHEER for your child. “Parenting doesn’t end when your kids turn 18,” said Judge Glenda Hatchett. “Whoever said that was lying. You will always be a parent.” Hatchett served as the keynote speaker last weekend for Parent Convocation 2008. More than 2,500 parents and students from across Hampton Roads were in attendance. Norfolk Public Schools, in partnership with Calvary Revival Church and Norfolk State University, hosted the event on the campus of Norfolk State University. Over 60 workshops were made available free of charge for parents looking to be more involved in their child’s educational process. |
Mentorship Program Grows In Leaps and Bounds
It’s never too late to lead by example, and it’s never too early to start building new relationships. When it comes to being a mentor for a child, ever minute you donate is right on time!
This year, 41 of Norfolk’s 49 schools are actively participating in the Student Mentorship Program, otherwise known as SMP. This program matches students with volunteer mentors from the community and the schools.
“I think if you reflect on your children you probably remember someone who was a mentor to you, a person you could trust and who made you feel special,” said Regina Davis, community engagement coordinator for Norfolk Public Schools. “Mentoring can and does help our young people succeed.”
According to Davis, every mentorship relationship is unique; however, mentors usually provide friendship, help students develop life skills, provide new opportunities and enable students to build their communication skills.
In all, there are 58 mentorship site coordinators who will organize and head up the SMP at various Norfolk schools this year. And outside of the regular one-on-one and group sessions that students get with their mentors, the SMP will be offering special opportunities throughout the year for program members to mingle and have fun.
On Wednesday, October 22 from 5 to 8 p.m. the SMP will be sponsoring a Rock and Bowl at Liberty Lanes bowling Center. For more information, please contact 757-628-3951.
Shameka Hardy honored as a 2008 No Child Left Behind American Star of TeachingSurprise, Shameka! It wasn’t the Publishers Clearing House prize patrol, but the excitement of the announcement took Shameka Hardy of Booker T. Washington High School by surprise as she responded to being named the U.S. Department of Education’s 2008 No Child Left Behind American Star of Teaching award recipient on Sept. 25. As the curtains rolled back to unveil her family and friends, Rogers Johnson of the U.S. Department of Education congratulated Shameka for being one of 51 educators from across the country to receive this prestigious award for raising student achievement and using innovative classroom strategies to educate her students. Superintendent of Schools Dr. Stephen Jones, Principal Cynthia Watson, school board members, local legislators, and an auditorium full of her students shared in this exciting moment. She began her career with Norfolk Public Schools as a student teacher at Booker T. Washington High School and has remained for the last four years. She is a ninth grade Algebra I teacher and ninth grade transition teacher who has modeled innovative teaching strategies that helped her students receive a 100% pass rate on the Math SOLs in 2006-07 and a 93% pass rate for 2007-08. Shameka continues to make a positive impact on the academic progress of her students as she incorporates the belief system that “All means All” for Norfolk's students. Her goal is to mold and prepare students to become globally competitive for the world of tomorrow. |
Superintendent Convenes Student CabinetLooking sharp in suits and ties, skirts and high heels, these students were dressed to impress. And when they descended on the school board office last week, their voices were heard. Dr. Stephen C. Jones convened his Superintendent’s Student Cabinet this month, kicking off a school year of planned cabinet activities. In its fourth year of existence, the cabinet meets five times a year with the superintendent. “It’s exciting,” said Booker T. Washington High School Senior Vincent Greer. “This is a great opportunity to really have a say in what is going on with Norfolk Public Schools.” The Student Cabinet consists of four student representatives from each of the division’s five high schools. Students range from freshman to seniors and have varying interests. Together, they provide an opportunity for Dr. Jones to hear from the student body. “We can talk about what we think is going right in our schools and where we think we need changes,” said Noview High School Freshman Dondre Walker. “It is also a learning experience.” At the first meeting, students were introduced to key administrators, did group activities about the positives and negatives at their schools, and were provided a tour of the Channel 47 television studio. This year, the cabinet will also play an integral role in the formation of a student portal on the NPS website. |
Calling all High School Seniors! Have you picked your college yet? If college is in your future and you’re not sure which one you want to attend? Come to the annual the Tidewater College Fair on Tuesday, Oct. 28 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. (11 a.m. to 12 p.m. - open to middle school students) at the Batten Convocation Center, Virginia Wesleyan College. Representatives from more than 100 in-state and out-of-state colleges, private and vocational schools, the military and apprenticeship training programs will share valuable information to help you make your selection.
Students and parents will receive information and tips on the application process, scholarships, and other educational resources. An ACCESS counselor will be available to answer questions on financial aid and scholarship opportunities for students.
This annual event is co-sponsored by Norfolk Public Schools and Portsmouth Public Schools. For more information, contact Joyce Beamon at 628-3901 or a guidance counselor in any local high school.
Norfolk Celebrates Full Accreditation in 44 of 49 SchoolsNorfolk Public Schools is making its mark!
Ninety-percent of the division’s schools have earned the title of full SOL accreditation. According to a report released on Sept. 25 by the Virginia Department of Education, 44 of the division’s 49 schools met or exceeded benchmarks in each of the four testing content areas for the 2007-2008 school year.
NPS officials believe a dedication to ensuring that all students are successful is evident in scores across the division. In fact, all five of the city’s high schools are fully accredited as are all but one of the division’s elementary schools. Five of the nine middle schools are also fully accredited.
The benchmark passing rate for elementary reading is 75 percent, while the benchmark for the majority of other core subjects is at 70 percent.
Highlights of the division’s test scores include:
Only five schools didn’t meet full accreditation. Of those five, Blair, Lafayette-Winona, and Northside middle schools are accredited with warning in math. Lake Taylor Middle School is conditionally accredited in math, and made significant gains over previous years. Lindenwood Elementary School is accredited with warnings in English, math, and science.
Ocean View Elementary Boasts Blue Ribbon Victory
Ocean View Elementary School is busy making waves- nationally!
Last week, U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spelling named 320 schools as the 2008 No Child Left Behind Blue Ribbon Schools, and Ocean View made the list. One of only 11 schools in Virginia to earn the top honor, Ocean View is the only school which boasts a Blue Ribbon this year in Hampton Roads. Norfolk’s Taylor Elementary School earned the honor last year.
Click here to read full story.
No Pencil? No ExcusesAt Monroe Elementary School, not having a pencil or paper is not a math equation that equals up to failing. In fact, not having school supplies is never a reasonable excuse. That’s because Monroe, along with 19 other Title I schools in Norfolk, recently received a generous donation of school supplies through Wavy TV 10’s Operation School Supply program. Wavy TV placed bins at area Farm Fresh Supermarkets, Langley Federal Credit Union branches, and select Jackson Hewitt Tax Service locations throughout the summer. People were asked to donate items such as paper, binders, notebooks, magic markers, glue sticks, scissors, and more. Norfolk is one of 24 school districts which received supplies through the program. Regina Davis, community engagement coordinator for Norfolk Public Schools, used a team of volunteers to distribute the donated school supplies to the 20 designated sites. Schools like Ingleside. “Thanks to these donations, our students will receive incentives and practical classroom supplies to promote learning on a daily basis,” said Tamara Glover, a student mentorship coordinator at Ingleside. “The 60 pound boxes of supplies were prepared with compassion to continue the legacy of providing students with a world class education in Norfolk Public Schools.” Felicia Allen, a guidance counselor at Monroe, said the supplies are greatly appreciated. “The kindness of the community allows our students to receive much-needed supplies,” Allen said. “Our school thanks the people who are helping our students to become lifelong learners.” |
Australian Educators Visit Norfolk Public Schools 
Four Australian educators from Courtenay Gardens Primary School visited Norfolk Public Schools in September to discover how to improve non-fiction writing in their school.
New Planning Department created to implement Long-Range Facilities Study recommendationsNorfolk Public Schools’ administration has participated in a year long efficiency audit, long-range facilities planning, and budget process to address the optimal needs of our school system. The findings revealed a need to align our capital projects to support our instructional goals, and optimize the utilization of our facilities to prepare ourselves for future challenges.
The Long-Range Facilities Citizen Advisory Committee gave a report to the School Board on Sept. 16 outlining recommendations it designed to address MGT of America’s Facilities Plan.One of the committee’s recommendations was to establish a NPS Department of Planning that will address the implementation of those recommendations.
Effective Oct. 1, John Hazelette, current Senior Director of Transportation, will serve as the new Senior Director for Planning. According to Chief Operations Officer Michael Spencer, “John has been with NPS for 18 years and has a rich background in planning, logistics, and is skilled in the capacity to work with a variety of professionals as he oversees this major project.”
NPS appointed current Assistant Director of Transportation Don Hammond to assume the leadership role of Senior Director of Transportation.
Click on the links to view the complete reports for the MGT of America Facilities Plan and the Long-Range Facilities Advisory Committee Report.
