August 7, 2020

DPS Welcomes Dr. Catherine Magouyrk!

Dr. Catherine Magouyrk has been appointed Acting Superintendent for Danville Public Schools, starting July 15, 2020. The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) and members of the School Board approved the appointment of Dr. Magouyrk at the regular school board meeting on Thursday, July 9, 2020.

Dr. Magouyrk will be acting Superintendent until a Superintendent is hired later this year.

Dr. Catherine Magouyrk is a qualified leader in education, with thirty-eight years of experience in public education. Magouyrk worked as Superintendent of Manassas City Public Schools from July 2012 until he retired in June 2018.

Magouyrk's determination is born out of his leadership philosophy that includes putting students first in all decisions and actions, maintaining high expectations for everyone, creating support systems through family and community participation and promoting truth, transparency and collaboration.

Magouyrk earned a bachelor's degree in education from Troy University in Troy, Alabama; a master's degree in school administration from the University of West Georgia; a major at Jacksonville University in Jacksonville, Alabama. She also earned a PhD from Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama in school administration.

′′ The Danville Public School Board welcomes Dr. Magouyrk to Danville Public Schools and our community ", said Crystal Cobbs, president of the School Board. ′′ We are excited to work alongside someone with their level of experience and knowledge during this transition!"

Click here for a recent story in the Register and Bee.

DPS Launches New Community Engagement and Communications Tool!

DPS is introducing a new way for community members to engage with division leaders - and for the division to better serve the community. Let’s Talk!, an online customer service and communication solution, is now available on the division’s website.

With Let’s Talk!, anyone can submit a question, comment, concern, suggestion, or compliment 24 hours a day, seven days a week from any computer, tablet, or smartphone. Submissions may be anonymous, but the division guarantees a direct response for people who leave their contact information.

To start a conversation, simply click the "Let’s Talk! Contact Us" tab, located in the lower right-hand corner of the DPS website, and select a topic. There’s also an app for iOS and Android devices. After downloading the Let’s Talk! app, users can enter the DPS ID number (DC2636) to access the Danville Public Schools’ Let’s Talk! page.

Let’s Talk! gives us the opportunity to track our responsiveness, ensures submissions are routed to the best person to respond, and lets our community members rate our service.

DPS Invests in Disinfecting Machines for Schools!

Parker Cotton, a Danville Register and Bee reporter, got a personal demonstration of how the HYGIENICA Electro-Hygiene System will be used in disinfecting our schools. The school division has purchased 18 of the backpack-like sanitizing machines to equip custodial staff in each school and other district buildings with a fast and effective disinfecting tool. The full Register and Bee story can be found here. In the below picture, Alonzo Jones, Director of Maintenance, wears the backpack-like machine as he prepares to disinfect school chairs.

DPS Invests $2.7M in Technology to Assist with Virtual Learning!

Danville Public Schools has spent nearly $2.7 million this summer on technological upgrades to facilitate virtual learning for this fall.

The funds came from the $3.2 million the district received from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Recovery and Economic Security (CARES) Act in late March.

The purchases, which range from laptops to cellular hotspots to WiFi capability on buses, allow the school division to be flexible and accommodating during a school year that will see at least some measure of virtual learning. Click here for the full Register and Bee story.

Decide How To Show Up!

Our teachers and staff decide how to show up every day and then pour happiness into our children, even in the midst of a crisis! This thoughtful video made me think of all of you as we prepare to reopen schools in a different way and the impact you will have on our children, even in the simplest of ways.

The Face of a 2020 Teacher!

Watch Alabama High School Principal in “Can’t Touch This” Parody!

According to AL.com, an Alabama high school principal created a parody video of the 1990 MC Hammer classic “Can’t Touch This” to encourage students to stay healthy at school this year. I am throwing down a "challenge" to our principals!

School Board Approves Reopening Plan!

At last night's regular meeting, the Danville School Board unanimously approved the DPS Reopening Plan. A presentation was also made about what blended and virtual learning looks like for our students and how the day will look for them.

Reopening Plan:

https://bit.ly/3gBgn2g

What Virtual Learning Will Look Like for DPS Students:

https://bit.ly/2PBvpZG

To view last night's meeting: https://www.youtube.com/user/dpslive

The approved Reopening Plan states that all students will start the school year in a virtual environment, except for students in the Preschool Program. Preschool students will begin the year attending Monday-Tuesday and Thursday-Friday.

Beginning September 15th, the superintendent will begin considering a recommendation to the School Board whether students who selected the Face-to-Face Program will start attending school through a phased opening at a later date. The decision will be based upon the spread of COVID-19 and the phase the state of Virginia is in at that time.

If you have questions or comments, please submit them via Let's Talk!, our online communications and community engagement tool. Please click on the Let's Talk! Contact Us tab located in the lower right-hand corner of the DPS website at https://www.danvillepublicschools.org/ to submit your question or comment.

Resolution Presented to Child Nutrtion Staff!

The Dept. of Child Nutrition was honored at last night’s school board meeting. A resolution from the General Assembly, and signed by Delegate Danny Marshall, was presented to the department in recognition of its inclusion in the No Kid Hungry Summer Hall of Fame for 2019!

In regard to meal distribution for this year, Child Nutrition has served close to 400,000 meals since schools closed in March due to COVID-19.

Pictured are Crystal Cobbs, School Board Chair, and Phillip Gardner, Director of Child Nutrition.

DPS is Hiring!