October 2, 2020

Office Max Makes Donation to the DPS Education Foundation!

Jay Jones, Principal at Gibson Elementary, accepts a generous donation of $816.59 from OfficeMax - Danville 6454. The donation was made possible because of a recent school donation drive! Thank you, because #PartnershipsMatter!

Goodyear and USW 831 Donate to DPS Education Foundation!

Goodyear Tire & Rubber and USW 831 partnered to make a donation of balls and school supplies to the Danville Public Schools Education Foundation. Goodyear employees donated balls and school supplies that will be distributed to local schools and child care centers. Pictured: Laura Singleton (Communications and Training Manager) dropping off the donation of balls to Jonathan Fain (DPS Athletic Director) and Julio Rojas (PE Teacher at Woodberry Hills Elementary). #PartnershipsMatter

Danville City School Officials, Parents Discuss Concerns for In-Person Learning!

(WSET) -- Danville City Schools made sure to hear back from parents before making any decisions about when students will return for in-person learning.

Officials and parents had the opportunity to meet on Tuesday night, Sept. 29 to discuss what the future of learning could look like.

Mother Tara Venable attended the meeting alongside her son Ray J, who is in the third grade and has asthma.

Due to health concerns, Venable is a little bit hesitant when it comes to her son returning to school.

"Right now, we're kind of comfortable being at home, doing school, but then it's the thought of him going back into the classroom that really makes me nervous," Venable said.

Tuesday night's meeting is one in a series with each school in Danville having its own meeting time.

Danville City School's Interim Superintendent Dr. Catherine Magouryk said that she wanted to give parents the chance to weigh in on their children's futures during these unprecedented times.

"I truly felt like if parents want to send their children back to us, then they would send them more readily if they knew what was going on, if they felt heard," Magouryk said.

Those at the meeting paid attention closely to the concerns being voiced.

"It really kind of puts things in perspective, how much more understanding I have for what our children are dealing with on a daily basis," Stephanie Haynsworth and Allison Parris, two teachers at Forest Hill Elementary School, said. "The good, the bad, the different."

As of Tuesday, the school district has no date set in stone for when students will return.

The one decision they made regarding a return to in-person learning is that students will slowly be phased into classrooms week by week.

At the end of the day, parents want safety to be a priority for their children.

"I appreciate the opportunity to come out and express my concerns, and I just encourage everyone to please think safety first, especially for our little guys, because they are our future," Venable said.

All meetings are held at George Washington High School and will continue until mid-next week.

Superintendent Magouryk will propose an in-person learning plan with a return date in mind at the next school board meeting on October 15.

Click here for the story and the video.

National Custodians Day and National Principals Month

The Department of Human Resources would like to acknowledge the important people in our schools who are celebrated during the month of October. Please say 'thank you' to your school custodians, principals, and assistant principals! We appreciate all that you do!

(L) Johnson Elementary Celebrates Custodian’s Day! (R) Gibson Elementary decorated a door to honor their custodians!

DPS Hosting Parent/Guardian/Student Meetings to Discuss Return to the Classroom!

DPS has been hosting meetings with parents/guardians and students over the last week to discuss the potential return to the classroom date for those students who selected face-to-face instruction.

The remaining schedule is listed below.

All meetings will take place in the George Washington High School Auditorium, located at 701 Broad St., except for the Danville Alternative Program which will meet in the Langston Auditorium, located at 228 Cleveland St. The meeting dates and times are based on where your child attends school.

Bonner Hosts Virtual Career Day Expo!

Check Out This Week's Chalk Talk!

On this week's Chalk Talk, Student Support Services meets with parents out in the community to stress the importance of student attendance.

October is Bullying Prevention Month!

In an effort to promote awareness of school bullying, the Virginia School Board Association (VSBA) Board of Directors has designated the month of October as VSBA Bullying Prevention Month. Students who experience bullying are at increased risk for depression, anxiety, sleep difficulties, lower academic achievement, and dropping out of school. Bullying can also happen online. Reports of cyberbullying among public school attending students are highest for middle school (33%), followed by high school (30%), combined schools (20%) and primary schools (5%). School board members, superintendents, teachers, and parents play a critical role in creating a climate where bullying is not tolerated. It has been proven that when adults and children stand together bullying ends.