Visit to Hollymead Elementary School

 On the last day of school, I had the pleasure of visiting Hollymead Elementary School during their picnic for the fifth-grade class. I so enjoyed taking a walk around the school. Many things I saw were familiar, such as students helping teachers pack up for the summer. What remained unfamiliar was how few students and staff were on the grounds. I am so looking forward to welcoming back all of our educators, support staff, students and families to our schools this fall.

 

 

 

Video Spotlight

I have heard stories of all kinds of unique end-of-year celebrations like that at Hollymead. You all are so creative and supportive of our students and families! Here is a link to a video of End of 20-21 School Year Celebrations at Crozet and Mountain View elementary schools. I love it!

Also, in case you missed it, I shared an End-of-Year Message with all of you in the Compass recently that included a Thank You to Our Teachers and Staff video message.

Operations Update

You might be aware that there is a push for Virginia school systems to begin using electric school buses. ACPS has applied in the past for grants to help us begin piloting electric school buses. I learned recently from our Transportation Services Department that we are applying again to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality for two electric school buses. I greatly appreciate the leadership of “T-port” for making this extra effort. Everyone, please keep your fingers crossed that we will be successful.

Class of 2021 Graduation Finale

Over the past few weeks, I have mentioned the graduation celebrations of Albemarle, Monticello, and Western Albemarle high schools; Community Lab School; and CATEC. ACPS has one more secondary and one post-secondary school that hosted graduation ceremonies during the second and third weeks of June: Post High and Ivy Creek School. I was able to attend graduation ceremonies for both of these schools, and I congratulate the students and staff for their excellent work! Taisya Kindrick is our Ivy Creek graduate, and Christopher Lopez, Autumn Foy, Dylan Coleman, and Kobe Copeland-Davis graduated from Post High. Best wishes to these and all of our ACPS graduates and their families!

Books for Consideration

• Breakthrough Leadership: Six Principles Guiding Schools Where Inequity Is Not an Option (2021), by Alan M. Blankstein & Marcus J. Newsome
  
  I think this is a good read for anyone working in public schools during our time. I am thinking about doing a book study this year on this work with interested staff.

• Underland: A Deep Time Journey (2020), by Robert Macfarlane
  
  I think educators who love science will love this book, but I think there is something in it for all educators to think about it as the author touches on literature, history, math, art, and other fields as well.

If you would like a copy of either of these books, be the 10th and 11th person to email Christine Thompson at cthompson@k12albemarle.org. Please be sure to include your work location.