What does it take to feed over 11,000 students every day?
In this episode, Katie LaPira sits down with Jennifer Williams, Director of Food and Nutrition Services, to discuss the behind-the-scenes work that keeps Rockingham County students well-fed. Jennifer shares how her team of over 100 staff prepares meals across 23 schools, incorporates locally-sourced ingredients, and meets federal nutrition guidelines—all while accommodating dietary needs.
Jennifer also highlights the benefits of connecting students to local farms, explains how the free and reduced lunch program works, and provides tips for how parents and community members can support school nutrition efforts.
Listen in to learn more about the amazing system that keeps 11,600 students fed for breakfast and lunch! This episode is packed with insights into the care and strategy that go into serving nutritious meals every day.
https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-8af79-1778c39
🎉 Congratulations to Ella Li and Jackson Graves from Spotswood High School Activities for being recognized as the Brittany Lam—Kelly Coggsdale Character Counts Award winners!
Ella is recognized for her incredible kindness, hard work, and dedication to education! Teachers Jennifer Joyner, Chad Edwards, and Denise Lam recognized her character and leadership. Ella is genuinely making a positive impact in the Spotswood Trailblazer community
Jackson's character, integrity, and positive attitude have earned him the respect of his teachers. He is academically successful, interested in learning, respected, encouraging, and helpful. His positive attitude and hard work have made him a trailblazer leader, guiding others toward success.
#CharacterCounts
What’s next for Rockingham County Public Schools? In this milestone 20th episode of the RCPS Community Partner Cafe, host Katie LaPira chats with Superintendent Dr. Larry Shifflett to discuss the district’s proposed comprehensive plan for 2025 to 2029. This proposed roadmap is designed to shape the future of education, safety, and community engagement in Rockingham County. Dr. Shifflett unpacks the six key focus areas of the plan: school safety, academic excellence, employee recruitment and retention, community engagement, student behavioral health, and stewardship. Together, Katie and Dr. Shifflett explore the district’s ambitious goals for these areas and how they benefit students, families, and the broader community. Tune in to learn how RCPS is preparing for the next five years and discover how this comprehensive plan will foster growth, well-being, and success for every student in the district. Whether you're a parent, educator, or community member, this episode offers valuable insights into the future of our schools. https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-9t3st-1745de8
Today, we’re highlighting Jan Swanson, who has been making a big impact at South River Elementary. Thank you for your commitment to our students! 🌟
Mrs. Courtney Judd, Pre-K Teacher at South River, shared that Volunteer of the Year, Mrs. Jan Swanson, has been a constant presence at the school for 13 years. She volunteers weekly, works with individuals and small groups, and donates clothing, books, and classroom items. Jan's unconditional love and kindness make both staff and students happy, and her service is greatly appreciated.
Find out more about volunteering at your child’s school: https://www.rcps.net/page/volunteer
🎉 Congratulations to Josie Nieder and Darhyl Knight from Mountain View Elementary School for being recognized as the Brittany Lam - Kelly Coggsdale Character Counts Award winners!
Josie greets peers with a smile, is responsible and dependable, and offers help. She recently helped a wheelchair-bound student and remained helpful. Josie's positivity is contagious, making her a shining star in the classroom.
Darhyl is kind, considerate, responsible, and a happy-go-lucky student, making him a pleasure to have in class.
#CharacterCounts
🎉 Congratulations to Lane Swartzendruber and Ian Rice from Wilbur S. Pence Middle School for being recognized as the Brittany Lam - Kelly Coggsdale Character Counts Award winners!
Lane is a kind, polite, hardworking, and positive student who leads by example and is a role model for others to follow.
Ian is a respectful and kind student who consistently works diligently and maintains a positive outlook.
#CharacterCounts
🎉 Congratulations to Bryce Williams and Nahkiyaa Casidy from River Bend Elementary School for being recognized as the Brittany Lam - Kelly Coggsdale Character Counts Award winners! 🎓👏 Your commitment to being honest, respectful, responsible, fair, caring, and a good citizen is truly amazing!
Bryce consistently makes the best choices! He truly sets an inspiring example for those around him.
Nahkiyaa puts in a lot of effort, takes her duties seriously, and treats others with kindness.
#CharacterCounts
Rockingham County Public Schools will be closed on Tuesday, October 1 due to flooding in parts of the county.
Rockingham County Public Schools will be closed on Monday, September 30 due to flooding in parts of the county.
Are you passionate about supporting students in need? Consider becoming an Educational Surrogate Parent.
This role is a unique opportunity to advocate for students with special needs, ensuring they receive the education and services they deserve.
🗓️ Training Date: November 12, 2024
⏰ Time: 6:30-7:30pm
📍 Location: Rockingham School Board Office, Hulvey Room, 100 Mount Clinton Pike, Harrisonburg, VA
RSVP by November 8 to reserve your spot and be a champion for a child’s future!
👉 ahouff@rockingham.k12.va.us
What is RCPS doing to help prioritize safety? In today’s episode, host Katie LaPira sits down with Caleb Bailey, the newly appointed Director of School Safety and Security for Rockingham County Public Schools. Caleb shares insights from his extensive background in emergency response and discusses the comprehensive steps he's taking to elevate safety within the school system, including the introduction of cutting-edge technology, partnerships with local law enforcement, and an emphasis on ongoing training.
https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-382np-16e5258
Dear Rockingham County Public Schools Families and Staff,
As you may be aware, Harrisonburg City Public Schools has closed both their high schools for the day based on a specific threat to those schools. As a result of these closings, we have had multiple calls regarding the status of schools in Rockingham County. The threat in question was specific to Harrisonburg City and did not involve any schools in RCPS. We have received no credible threats toward any of our schools and our schools are operating on their regular schedule.
It is difficult to contain the rumor mill at this age group, however, I would ask for your support in reminding your students that our administrators and faculty are here to ensure they have a safe and positive learning environment. We would also like to ask for you to use this as an opportunity to remind your student that using threatening language or behavior of any kind, whether in person, via social media, text, or any other means, is a serious offense and carries heavy consequences. Threats are never a joke, they aren’t funny, and they won’t be treated lightly.
The safety and well-being of our school community is our number one priority. I also want to take a moment to recognize the support of Rockingham County’s Sheriff’s Department, School Resource Officers, and parents for their role in keeping our students safe.
Sincerely,
Larry Shifflett, Ed.D.
Division Superintendent
Congratulations to our teachers, Carrie Lillard and Miranda Lyle (and their 4th-grade students)! They are featured in a new episode of the MindShift podcast! The episode, titled "Humanizing History by Teaching with Primary Sources," highlights our 4th grade IDM on Barbara Johns and the 1951 Moton Student Strike. The podcast showcases how Carrie and Miranda have engaged their students in this powerful inquiry. https://tinyurl.com/mhkdb9js
This week, we celebrate the incredible power of the arts in our schools by recognizing Arts in Education Week! The arts ignite creativity, inspire critical thinking, and bring our communities together. 🎨🎻🎬 We would like to invite all community members to celebrate the creativity of our students during a community open house Fine Arts Expo on Tuesday, September 17 from 4:30-7:00 p.m. This annual exhibition is a showcase of the talents of our Rockingham students, as well as an opportunity for you to meet and greet our county art teachers who will be present throughout the night. We will have a digital scavenger hunt and light refreshments available for the artists, their families, and community members.
Are you curious about what is new in RCPS this school year? In episode 16 of RCPS Community Partner Cafe, host Katie LaPira answers community questions and shares important updates for the upcoming school year. From back-to-school nights to enrollment procedures, Katie provides all the essential information families need to get ready for the new academic year. Katie also highlights the vital role of community partnerships in supporting our schools, particularly the United Way of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County's "Tools for School" event.
Listen in to learn about important back-to-school dates, how to access supply lists, and important enrollment details to make sure that you are ready for the 2024-2025 school year. Hear how you can stay connected with the new RCPS app, register for the Tools for Schools event, and make the most of the new school year's opportunities. Check out the links below for more about all of the important resources mentioned in this episode. https://rcpscommunitycafe.podbean.com/
Important RCPS Links:
Health forms and calendars: https://rockinghamcountypsva.sites.thrillshare.com/page/families-students
Sign up here for RCPS text notifications: https://www.rcps.net/o/rcps/page/notification-sign-up
Enrollment page: https://rockinghamcountypsva.sites.thrillshare.com/o/rcps/page/student-enrollment
RCPS Rooms App: https://rockinghamcountypsva.sites.thrillshare.com/o/rcps/page/rooms-support
The Virginia Department of Education is hosting a virtual Commonwealth Conversation this Monday, August 5, 2024, at 10:30 a.m. to give parents, educators, and community members throughout Virginia the opportunity to share their thoughts on the best ways to achieve cell phone-free education and address the increasing evidence of the impact cell phone and social media usage has on education and youth mental health.
Parents, educators, and interested citizens throughout the Commonwealth are invited to attend and discuss their expectations for the upcoming policy changes that will take effect in January 2025.
Virginians who would like to join the virtual conversation can register through the Virtual Zoom Commonwealth Conversation page.
Learn more about Executive Order 33 and view the schedule of upcoming conversations being held throughout the Commonwealth on the Cell Phone-Free Education in Virginia webpage (www.doe.virginia.gov/cell-phone-free-education).
The Virginia Department of Education is hosting a Commonwealth Conversation on Wednesday, July 31, 2024, at 10 a.m. at Kate Collins Middle School in Waynesboro to give parents, educators, and community members the opportunity to share their thoughts on the best ways to achieve cell phone-free education in Virginia and address the increasing evidence of the impact cell phone and social media usage has on education and youth mental health.
Parents, educators, and interested citizens are invited to attend and discuss their expectations for the upcoming policy changes that will take effect in January 2025.
Share your thoughts or register for an upcoming Commonwealth Conversation here:
https://ow.ly/SKnr50SJ93b
You are invited to attend the State of Education 2024 event next Friday, July 26, 2024.
Employees are able to attend for free when registering with your RCPS email address. https://chamber.hrchamber.org/events/details/2024-state-of-education-14536
Character Counts in RCPS! 🌟 Congratulations to Miriam Stover and Jackson Williams for being selected as the 2024 Brittany Lam- Kelly Coggsdale Character Counts recipients from Pleasant Valley Elementary School. Miriam is a helpful, responsible, and motivated student and is a valuable asset to Pleasant Valley, embodying the Pillars of Character. Jackson is a pleasant, helpful, dependable, and caring student who greatly contributes to the success of "PLEASANT Valley" among his peers and adults. #CharacterCounts
