Roanoke City Public Schools: School Board Recap: October 12, 2021

Press release from Roanoke City Public Schools:

10/14/2021

New Supports for Teachers
Roanoke City Public Schools plans to implement additional supports for teachers to address teacher morale and staffing shortages, Superintendent Verletta White announced Tuesday during a School Board meeting. "The bottom line is that our teachers are stretched pretty thin, so we are looking for additional ways to support them without putting our parents in a bind or without jeopardizing the instructional program," Mrs. White said. Specifics on those supports are forthcoming. Mrs. White recently met with a teacher focus group and leaders from the Roanoke Education Association. Their feedback will be shared with principals and executive team members this week to help inform next steps. Mrs. White thanked those teachers for their "forthright feedback and candor." "I do want our teachers to know that this is something that is of concern to us as well," Mrs. White said, adding that RCPS is "close to finding those solutions for everyone" that will "provide relief and support to our teachers from now until this spring." Featured School: Monterey Elementary Monterey Principal Morgan Johnson-Strother shared an overview of her school’s culture and initiatives as part of the School Board’s monthly Featured School series. Monterey emphasizes connections and relationships between and among students, said Principal Johnson-Strother. For example, "circles" are used to bring students together and to allow every student to have a voice. "In turn, we organically build a classroom community that is excited about learning and growing and celebrating each other’s success," she said. Monterey also strives to meet students’ basic needs through support from the Monterey PTA, which provides funding for food and clothes closets, and community partnerships, such as Fleet Feet Roanoke and Rack Room Shoes. Bus drivers, food service workers, and custodians are also imperative to students’ success. Anyone who is part of Monterey is part of the Monterey family. "I truly believe our students know that if they need something, all they have to do is ask," Principal Johnson-Strother said. "When students know you care and they know they feel wanted ... they are more likely to succeed. Our students hear on the announcements every morning that if no one has told them today, they know they are loved at Monterey." Building the Constituent Services & Government Relations Office Dr. Alan Seibert, RCPS’ new Constituent Services and Government Relations Officer, shared a brief update about his position. During his first two weeks on the job, Dr. Seibert said he has built new relationships, strengthened existing ones, and done in-depth policy research. He is collaborating with the Communications & Marketing Department to prepare his webpage and working with the Chief Operations and Information Technology offices to establish software systems. He is also working to draft RCPS’ legislative priorities and positions, which will be turned into accessible “grip cards” given to legislators. The newly established Office of the Constituent Services and Governmental Relations provides an independent, confidential resource for the RCPS community that will address concerns and solve problems and other student-related issues. As CSGRO, Dr. Seibert also serves as a liaison between RCPS and state and national policymakers, including the Virginia General Assembly and the Virginia State Board of Education, to achieve the legislative goals of the School Board and promote the positive leadership of the school division regarding education policy and financing. To replay the October 14th School Board meeting, click here. The next School Board meeting is a workshop at 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 26. here

This press release was produced by Roanoke City Public Schools. The views expressed here are the author’s own.