Congratulations Eagles!
The J.T. Christopher Stadium on George Washington High School’s campus was filled with parents, family, friends and school staff on Tuesday for an in-person graduation for the Class of 2021.
At the stadium, 195 students sat next to their classmates on the football field where the GW Eagles have seen victory after victory. For the Class of 2021, their in-person ceremony was added to that list, after having spent the past year learning virtually or six feet apart with masks.
Congratulations to GW's Class of 2021!
School board approves strategic plan
The Danville School Board approved the division’s 2021-2026 strategic plan during their June 3 meeting.
Since the beginning of the year, Danville Public Schools staff has been working to create a strategic plan for the next five years that will serve as a roadmap to success and address the division’s gaps to become a better school district.
In collaboration with the Virginia School Boards Association, the division started the process by surveying teachers, students, staff and community members, as well as holding community meetings. In reviewing the data collected, stakeholders established goals, objectives and a mission.
“Some of the most powerful community meetings we held were with the students,” Superintendent Dr. Angela Hairston said of the planning process.
Feedback allowed staff to come up with a mission statement, which is to “inspire, educate, and develop students in collaboration with families and the community, to ensure students graduate college and/or career ready.” The division’s vision is to create a school division that cultivates excellence for all.
The plan, as approved by the board, identifies five goal areas of improvement:
Student achievement: Danville Public Schools will raise student achievement, close the achievement gap, and enable students to take ownership for their learning.
Operations and internal processes: Danville Public Schools will ensure efficient and effective operations and processes aligned with board policy and supportive of improved working and learning conditions.
Staff learning and growth: Danville Public Schools will recruit, hire, develop and retain highly qualified staff and provide opportunities for continued learning and professional growth.
Stakeholder engagement and communication: Danville Public Schools will strengthen partnerships and communication with families, local businesses, community agencies and advocacy groups in order to engage families and community stakeholders to support improved academic achievement.
Culture and climate: Danville Public Schools will foster an inclusive climate that values the safety and well-being of students, faculty, and staff and fosters an equitable environment that creates a sense of belonging.
These strategic goal areas are “big buckets” of work that shape DPS’ map for success.
“These goal areas were derived from a review of data, listening sessions, and survey data,” Hairston said. “They’re gaps we need to fill in a large area.”
Each of these goal areas has specific objectives, such as increasing the graduation rate for all students in the area of student achievement, and initiatives and action steps to achieve that objective.
For increasing the graduation rates, an example of an initiative would be for the division to develop a high school-to-work plan. An action step for this would be to develop a career pathways plan for students who will enter the workplace directly after high school graduation.
Each of the objectives also has “indicators of success,” which are measurable performance indicators to let the division know they are improving, such as the graduation rate.
Now that the plan is approved by the board, the division staff will work towards improving the five goal areas by using the Strategic Plan to guide them.
The full strategic plan can be viewed here.
To give feedback in regards to the Strategic Plan, please fill out the survey here or reach out to us on Let’s Talk via the home page of danvillepublicschools.org.
Students at Bonner had the chance to taste test some potential new state-wide menu items with the Department of Child Nutrition last week.
George Washington High School's Precision Machining class took a tour of Goodyear Rubber and Tire Plant on Wednesday, May 26.
Partnership to improve student attendance and reduce the number of students placed in foster care
In order to prevent youth from entering foster care and often being placed in out of home placements, which are costly to the locality, Danville Social Services partners with Danville Public Schools to identify youth in middle & high school that have been referred to the Truancy Response Team for attendance challenges and may potentially have a Child in Need of Supervision/Services (CHINS) petition filed against them in Juvenile Court.
A Safe & Stable Families Committee was formed with community partners and developed a plan to engage local vendors to provide services to these identified youth. Several proposals were submitted for review and the committee selected one of the vendors to provide the services through Promoting Safe & Stable Families (PSSF) funding.
The vendor provides Holistic Intensive Engagement (H.I.E) with the youth and families. It involves a holistic approach that encompasses three main focuses: 1) Home Life, 2) Academic Life and 3) Social life. All participants go through an Intake Process which includes two Youth Outcomes Assessment as well as the Ansel Casey Life Skills assessment. The services are provided for a period of 30-90 days The vendor participates in Family Assessment Planning Team Meetings (FAPT meetings). The FAPT meets to identify resources and services to remove barriers to student attendance and success. There is a process to ensure that services are monitored and adjusted as needed.
Only one child that received the services entered foster care in the last school year.
Danville Social Services has enjoyed our partnership with the local vendor, Life Push & the Danville Public Schools.
We will continue to utilize funds to keep this program going due to the high success rate.
Bonner names honor roll students
Congratulations to O. Trent Bonner Middle School students who finished the year on the "A" or "A-B" Honor Roll. Congratulations is also extended to the students who achieved Perfect Attendance for the year. The administration, teachers, and staff of O. Trent Bonner Middle School are very proud of your accomplishments during this challenging year. Way to go Broncos!!
8th Grade "A" Honor Roll
Ali, Usman
Boyd, Symhon
Cobbs, Joslyn
Gunter, Christian
Hungerland, Charles
Lackey, Sydney
Motley, Tildon
Pacello, Francesco
Payne, Skylar
Qazi, Haya
Smith, Anaya
Theodore, Jerusha
Weller, Margaret
Williams, Makiya
8th Grade "A-B" Honor Roll
Carter, Daishanique
Chapman, Amileia
Crews, Jameea
Edwards, Destiny
Fitzgerald, KeiAdra
Henry-Calloway, Codedra
Jackson, Janiya
Lewis, Coleman
Liggon, Cora
Mahmood, Ali
Motley, Knyla
Price, Naomi
Sellers, Haleigh
Snipes, Imoni
Stone II, Christopher
Townes, LaParis
Wyatt, Lucas
8th Grade Perfect Attendance
Ali, Usman
Hungerland, Charles
Lackey, Sydney
Motley, Knyla
Motley, Tildon
Pacello, Francesco
7th Grade Perfect Attendance
Keen, LaPriannah
7th Grade "A" Honor Roll
Adams, Braelynn
Blachura, Kathryn
Dietz, Dallas
Eugene, Krystie-Shiomara
Keen, LaPriannah
Longerbeam, Nicholas
Michalski, Norbert
Miller, LeNya
Moore, Lyric
Newell, Elizabeth
Potts, Piper
Warner, Amirah
7th Grade "A-B" Honor Roll
Breakley, Christian
Ford, Isabella
Hankins, Ay’Treyvona
Ingram, Victor
Jones, Austin
Khan, Daniyal
Leigg, Franklin
Li, Sophia
Lyons, Saniah
Matos, Antonio
Mayo, Aleesha
Mayo, Aleeyah
Mease, Dominique
Moyer, Ziare
Nyamboga, Joanna
Salazar, Kaylee
Shroff, Serena
Smith, JaShawn
Takbir, Sila
Washington, Zerrod
Zain-Alabideen, Zain
6th Grade Perfect Attendance
Hylton, Emma
Hylton, Madisyn
Jones, Paishence
O’Brien, Kaylee
Patel, Prithvi
Syvanthong, Madison
Toomer, Wesley
6th Grade "A" Honor Roll
Alababseh, Gana
Alazzam, Lamar
Harris, William
Hylton, Emma
Hylton, Madisyn
Jones, Paishence
Kemp, Alivia
Logan III, Hugh
Marshall, Kloe
O’Brien, Kaylee
Patel, Prithvi
Robertson, Ramire
Syvanthong, Madison
Wales, Pearson
6th Grade "A-B" Honor Roll
Abel, Isaiah
Almquist, Nova
Alvarez Pacheco, Samantha
Ata, Talha
Bolen, Aubrey
Casteel, Jacob
Davis, Xavier
Douglas, Sha’Nitha
Eisner, Barrett
Fitzgerald, Christian
Fuller, Kymora
Gao, Raymond
Kemp, James
Lea, Christopher
Lightfoot, Jenee
Loftis, Amond
Logan, Shaniyah
McCain, Kaeleb
Middlestate, Mylee
Pinchback, Legend
Riggs, Riley
Rodgers, Charlize
Scales, Bryson
Smith Curley, Breonah
Swanson, DeZire
Thomas, Jacoby
Thomas, Tamariona
Toomer, Wesley
Tubbs, Maddox
Walters, Tarahj
Warren Jr., Brian
Weeks, Trinity
White, Kyle
Wilkes, Hayleigh
Students recognized in Steve Padgett Honda's Drive for Excellence program
Drive for Excellence is a recognition program for Danville City and Pittsylvania Country Seniors that promotes excellent school attendance, academic achievement and scholastic improvement. Steve Padgett Danville Honda offered one lucky senior a new 2020 Honda Fit or $10,000 in cash. Through partnership with American National Bank, scholarships in various denominations were awarded along with tools, like laptop computers, to help make the transition to college easier.
GW student Aimee Wooten (above) was awarded a $500 scholarship. Galileo student Jackson Adcock (left) was awarded a Surface Pro. Galileo student Sydney Stone (not pictured) was awarded a $1,000 scholarship. Students are pictured with Joyce Culley, Director of Career and Technical Education, and a representative of Steve Padgett Honda
Schoolfield holds student awards ceremonies
Both 100% virtual and in-person K-5 classes participated in awards ceremonies to recognize student achievement. Students received goodie bags, certificates for academic achievement and outstanding attendance, SOL academic medals, and positive words of encouragement!
Ms. Williams (5th Grade); Ms. Simmons, Proud Principal; Mr. Chapman (5th grade); Mr. Johnson, Retired Principal; and Shamaurie Forest (Awesome 5th Grade Student)
Zion Metts (Kindergarten) with his mother (left) and grandmother (center).
Schoolfield holds student SOL parade
Students in kindergarten through second grade lined the hallways to cheer on their fellow third through fifth grade Jaguars as they prepared to take the Virginia SOL assessments. The older students were greeted by our younger students who held pom poms as well as posters with words of motivation and encouragement. Students visited various test-taking strategy stations throughout the school where they received treats and cheers from teachers and staff. Virtual students also participated. Let's go Schoolfield!
At Schoolfield, Girls Get Science...Guys Do, Too!
Schoolfield teachers enjoyed providing SOL aligned hands-on science experiences at the district sponsored S.T.E.A.M. event. Participants learned about buoyant force, sound, and even used engineering skills to create paper plate pinball games. Science inquiry is fun at Schoolfield! DPS is #1!
Picture left to right: Ms. Patsy Stewart (Kindergarten), Ms. Claudia Woods (5th Grade), Dr. Sheila Robinson (3rd Grade), and Ms. Willistine Lockhart (Guidance Counselor)
Pictured in back: Pamela Cameron (2nd Grade)
GW student performs in Charlottesville
The GW Band wants to congratulate rising senior HaLeigh Giles on a wonderful performance at the Cari Shipp MM Flute Performance Spring Recital in Charlottesville, Virginia on June 2!
PATHS administering COVID vaccines Saturday
Four-day work week schedule begins this coming week
Effective June 7, DPS will begin the four-day work week schedule for the summer, which means four (4) ten-hour work days Monday through Thursday. All offices, sites, and schools, with the exception of high school summer school classes, will be closed on Fridays for each of the weeks listed below:
June 7 - 11, June 14 - 18, June 21 - 25, June 28 - July 2, July 5 holiday (closed)*, July 12 - 16.
*Due to the holiday, this week's schedule will be (4) eight-hour work days Tuesday, July 6 through Friday, July 9.