Friday 5 for March 18, 2022

1. Swanson Students Complete Page Program with VA House of Delegates

Two students at Swanson Middle School recently finished an 11-week program as pages with the Virginia House of Delegates. This selective program welcomes eighth and ninth-grade students to Richmond from across the Commonwealth to learn about the legislative process and assist the House of Delegates. Chandani Rathod and Jacqueline Ake were the only two students chosen from Arlington County. Both students said the experience was amazing and that they came away from the program with in-depth knowledge of the legislative process. Read more on our website.

2. VIDEO: Student-led Substance Abuse Task Force at Williamsburg

In this video, learn how the Substance Abuse Task Force at Williamsburg Middle School is a student-led effort that helps take the stigma away from talking about dangerous substances. The task force’s mission is to promote positive choices and optimism.

3. Summer School Registration and Job Listings

Summer is just around the corner! APS is recruiting teachers for summer school now. View the job listings here. Elementary families with eligible students were notified during March Parent-Teacher Conferences and need to register by March 31. More information and the registration forms for both elementary and secondary students can be found on the summer school website. The middle and high school registration deadline is May 31; families will be notified of eligibility during May.

4. APS Needs Your Input

APS is seeking community feedback on three surveys. Your feedback is important to us and helps us gather actionable data to strengthen student services, operations and more.

–  2022 Your Voice Matters Survey (Deadline: Apr 10): Families received an email from Panorama Education with a personalized survey link on Mon, March 14. This is the biannual survey APS conducts to gather input on family engagement, student well-being, school climate and other vital areas. Responses are confidential. Details online.  

– School Bell Times Study Survey (Deadline: Mar 28): The APS Bell Times Study Survey has been revised and reissued based on community feedback. Changes were made to the staff, student and family surveys. If you already took the survey in its original form, we kindly ask that you take it again because your feedback is important to us. Take the survey.

– 2022 SEL Survey (Mar 21-April 8): The Panorama Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Survey for students (grades 3-12) opens next week on Mon, March 21. This is administered online in a classroom setting on topics such as well-being and sense of belonging. Details, including the sample surveys, are available online.

5. February APS All Stars Winners Announced

APS is excited to announce the March 2022 APS All Stars, selected out of several hundred outstanding staff nominees! These individuals demonstrate excellence in collaboration, equity, inclusivity, integrity, innovation and stewardship. They are members of the APS team who are the first to pitch in, who bring a positive attitude to their work, and go above and beyond to serve students.

Chris McDermott, Teacher, Williamsburg
Kristen Patterson, Extended Day Staff, Discovery
Alam Lainez, Bilingual Family Liaison/Instructional Assistant, Kenmore
Lyzbeth Monard, Bilingual Family Liaison, Carlin Springs
Morgan Payne, Pandemic Response Coordinator, Trades Center

Congratulations to these individuals. Read more about what makes them shine. Nominate an APS All Star today!

Other News & Notes

School Board Member Cristina Diaz-Torres to Host Virtual Open Office Hours on Mon, March 21