November 2, 2018

Kids To Parks Day National School Contest

Kids to Parks Day is May 18, 2019!

National Park Trust (NPT) invites students across the country to participate in the 9th annual Kids to Parks Day (KTP), a nationwide grassroots movement to celebrate America’s parks and public lands.

In honor of this day, NPT is once again hosting the Kids to Parks Day National School Contest to help educators engage their students with their local parks. This national contest is open to all Title I schools in the United States (grades pre-K through 12). Classes can receive funding for a KTP event at a local park or public land/waterway in their community. Click here to learn more! Click here for a cool video highlighting photos from different states that participated in Kids to Parks Day 2018.

Grant Opportunity - Ezra Jack Keats Foundation

Ezra Jack Keats (1916-1983) was a pioneer in American children’s literature. He based the lives of his multiracial characters on his childhood but added loving parents, friends and pets. He wanted no child to be an outsider. “If we could see each other exactly as the other is,” he wrote, “this would be different world.”

The mission of the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation is to bring the multicultural, creative spirit of Keats into children’s lives and literature by developing programs that support arts and literacy in public schools and libraries. Ezra championed diversity in children’s literature; the Ezra Jack Keats Book Award celebrates new writers and illustrators as well as their diverse audience. The awards, fellowships, grant programs and performance series variously serve children and families, teachers and librarians, and children’s book creators and scholars. The Keats Archive preserves Ezra’s original work, art and papers. Through all these efforts, we are keeping his spirit alive to future generations. Click here for more information.

Vote Your Main Street Campaign Update - Danville WINS!

Danville, Virginia finishes in the top ten in the “Vote Your Main Street” campaign to secure $150,000 grant for work at 206 and 208 North Union Street! Despite competing against much larger cities and dealing with Hurricane Michael, the Danville community pulled it off, one click at a time. Click here or on the video below as Mark Aron makes the announcement with Diana Schwartz, the Executive Director of the River District Association. Video courtesy of River City TV.

First Ever Youth Engagement Talent Show to be Held at Bonner

The City of Danville Police Department is holding their first Youth Engagement Talent Show on November 17, 2018 at Bonner Middle School and they want you to be apart of it! Prizes include Nintendo Switch, Beats By DRE Headphones, or a $50 Gift Card! Officer Sylvia Brooks was at the GWHS Homecoming Football game this past Thursday night holding auditions. Good Luck to all of the contestants! For details, click here courtesy of Mark Aron and River City TV.

First Lady Pam Northam Visits Northside and Grove Park Pre-Schools

Below are pictures taken from Northside and Grove Park's wonderful morning with First Lady Pam Northam that took place on Monday, October 29, 2018. She visited Northside Preschool first, toured the building and read to Ms. Clara Yeatts's class. She then traveled across the river to Grove Park Preschool, toured the building and read a story to Mrs. Kim Godfrey's class. Being a former Occupational Therapist, the First Lady was quite impressed with the Sensory room at Grove Park Preschool. Dr. Jones, Dr. Andrews, Ben Davenport, Ann Stratton and Rhonda Wright were along for the visit.

Lynn Lawrence Retires After 33 Years of Service!

Lynn Lawrence, a 33 year employee of DPS, officially started her retirement celebration on October 31, 2018 at 5:00pm. Lynn began working for DPS in 1985 in Community Education. She then worked with Title 1 and then the last 15 years with the Finance Deptartment. Pictured below is Lynn with Superintendent Stanley Jones. Congrats Lynn!! Best of Luck!

Galileo Beta Club Members Volunteer for Monster Mash!

The Betas represented Galileo in a big way on Halloween, volunteering at the Monster Mash downtown where more than 5,000 children came for a safe Halloween experience. They were in charge of the crafts and really hit it out of the park with the kids! So much fun!

Beta is a national club that recognizes community service, leadership, and academics. Students must have at least a 3.2 GPA to be inducted and have to be present at monthly meetings and participate in monthly service projects to stay an active member.

Transportation Staff Celebrates Spooky Spaghetti Wednesday!

Transportation drivers and staff celebrated Spooky Spaghetti Wednesday with a driver sponsored luncheon on Halloween. The luncheon was attended by all sorts of dubious characters looking for a stringy, slippery, scrumptious meal before disappearing back into the spooky mist. Where is Michael Adkins, the Chief Hooligan, in this photo?

What's New in Economic Development for our Students?

Yesterday, Gov. Northam was in Danville and helped make an announcement that a UK-based manufacturing company is investing $8 million to locate its first U.S. precision sheet metal fabrication plant in Danville, bringing 49 NEW JOBS!

Harlow Group Ltd. is a United Kingdom-based company that will establish a U.S. Training Center of Excellence, a new facility with a focus on additive manufacturing, which will be located in the Danville-Pittsylvania County Regional Industrial Facility Authority-owned Cyber Park.

The Governor cited that the pipeline of skilled talent in manufacturing was one of the deciding factors. The hard work and heavy lifting done every day by Danville Public Schools, Pittsylvania County Schools, Danville Community College, and the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research continues to payoff for our Precision Machining students. For full WSET story, click here.