A message from Richmond City School Superintendent
Dr. Yvonne w. Brandon

Fall 2010

The 2010-2011 school year has begun with a number of positive developments for Richmond Public Schools. First of all, the district has achieved a remarkable and historic milestone as 100 percent of the city's schools earned full accreditation based on results from the state's Standards of Learning (SOLs) tests. So, exactly how extraordinary is this accomplishment? Well, consider this: only 19 percent of Richmond's schools were fully accredited in 2002-2003.

Additionally, this year our students posted gains in both reading and math scores used to determine if schools meet the Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) benchmarks required by the federal government's No Child Left Behind Act. In fact, the percentage of Richmond City schools that meet AYP requirements exceeds the statewide average for the fourth consecutive year.

Although we have not yet reached the midway point of this school year, a number of teachers, students and schools have already earned acclaim. For example, Bellevue Elementary School is one of only nine Virginia schools to be named a 2010 National Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education. Also, the Thomas Jefferson High School Marching Vikings Band has been invited to perform at the 2011 Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida. And finally, Brown Middle School science teacher LaTonya Waller was recently named Virginia's 2011 Teacher of the Year. After being selected as the state's most outstanding public school teacher, Ms. Waller will now compete for the national award.

Without question, the 2010-2011 school year has started on a very successful note for Richmond Public Schools. Along with our continued rise in student test scores and on-time graduation rates, we have also launched three regional preschool learning centers and have begun a middle school renaissance via partnerships with EdisonLearning and Higher Achievement, both nationally recognized school reform organizations.

We began this school year with a vision to make Richmond Public Schools the choice for educational excellence. The early results indicate we have remained focused on that vision and have moved forward on our promise to ensure student achievement, forward-thinking action and fiscal accountability.

Back to School Message from Superintendent
Dr. Yvonne W. Brandon

August 2010

Welcome to the 2010-2011 school year and our ongoing campaign to serve as a national model for urban public school excellence defined by achievement, action and accountability.

As we look forward to another outstanding year, it is only right to reflect on the district's recent success. For example, the eight young people who served as our 2010 class valedictorians graduated with a combined 4.367 grade point average. The district also produced three 2010 Gates Millennium Scholars, with each receiving renewable college scholarships for both undergraduate and graduate studies from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Several of the district's teachers and administrators were recognized for their excellence by the R.E.B. Foundation, including Holton Elementary School principal David Hudson, a 2010 recipient of the R.E.B. Award for Distinguished Educational Leadership. He was joined by four Richmond City teachers who won the R.E.B. Award for Teaching Excellence: Mary Bennett, Munford Elementary School; Sherrard Gardner, Holton Elementary School; LaTonya Waller, Brown Middle School; and Lisa Williams, Maggie L. Walker Governor's School.

Of course, outstanding classroom teachers are the catalysts for student achievement, and standardized test scores often measure that achievement. In 2009-2010, Richmond's scores continued to impress and improve. In fact, the district's Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) results exceeded the statewide average for the third straight year as nearly 80 percent of schools met the federal government's No Child Left Behind requirements in math and reading. On Virginia's Standards of Learning (SOL) tests, nearly 94 percent of the district's schools earned full accreditation, including – for the fourth consecutive year – every Richmond City high school.

At the school level, U.S. News and World Report ranked both Richmond Community and Open high schools among America's best for the third consecutive year. The rankings, conducted by Standard and Poor's, evaluated nearly 22,000 public high schools. Additionally, Bellevue and Fairfield Court elementary schools both received the 2010 Governor's Award for Educational Excellence, the state's highest honor under the Virginia Index of Performance (VIP) incentive program.

This school year, we will continue to define excellence in public education by implementing programs and goals that truly constitute reform, including doubling the number of high schools that participate in the state's Advanced Placement project. This way we will increase not only the number of students enrolled in AP classes but also increase the number who pass AP exams. Another new component is the Higher Achievement program, which features partnerships and after-school programs with area universities and corporations designed to increase academic rigor and better prepare students for college coursework. We also will take a more concentrated focus on the middle school years. In fact, Edison Learning School Reform piloted at three secondary schools, two middle and one high. Edison Learning projects have enjoyed great success in some of this country's most challenged urban schools, and we expect the same in Richmond.

The 2010-2011 school term also signals the second year of operation for the Governor's Career and Technical Education Academy for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) at the Richmond Technical Center and the Franklin Military Middle Leadership Academy for sixth- and seventh-graders.

Without question, our recent past and promising future continue to promote student achievement through hard work and position the district for continued success through innovative thinking and positive change. Because of this, we can look forward to the 2010-2011 school year with confidence as Richmond Public Schools begins the second decade of the 21st century with its commitment to student achievement, responsible action and fiscal accountability stronger than ever.

A Message From Richmond City School Superintendent Dr. Yvonne W. Brandon

June 2010

This year's graduation and commencement season has come to its end, signaling the close of another school year. And for Richmond Public Schools, the 2009-2010 campaign was marked by achievement, action and accountability.

For example, the eight young people who served as our 2010 class valedictorians graduated with a combined 4.367 grade point average, including a remarkable 4.90 GPA posted by Thomas Jefferson senior and citywide valedictorian Claire Donnelly. Another trio of impressive graduates includes three Richmond Community High School seniors who were named Gates Millennium Scholars. The three, Kalyne Coleman, Jasmine Frazier and Chelsea Hopson, were among 1,000 students representing 45 states and three U.S. territories selected to receive renewable college scholarships for both undergraduate and graduate studies from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Richmond City students also won statewide recognition at this year's Virginia Future Business Leaders of America Leadership Conference, Virginia Technology Student Association Conference and the Virginia Council of Economic Education Stock Market Game.

Several of the district's teachers and administrators were recognized for their excellence, including Holton Elementary School Principal David Hudson, a recipient of this year's R.E.B. Award for Distinguished Educational Leadership. And, four Richmond City teachers joined Mr. Hudson as winners of the R.E.B. Award for Teaching Excellence: Mary Bennett, Munford Elementary School; Sherrard Gardner, Holton Elementary School; LaTonya Waller, Brown Middle School; and Lisa Williams, Maggie L. Walker Governor's School. Ms. Waller, a science teacher at Brown, also was named the district's 2010 Teacher of the Year.

Of course, outstanding classroom teachers are the catalysts for student achievement, and that achievement is often measured by standardized test scores. In 2009-2010, Richmond's scores continued to impress and improve. In fact, the district's Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) results exceeded the statewide average for the third straight year as nearly 80 percent of schools met the federal government's No Child Left Behind requirements in math and reading. On Virginia's Standards of Learning (SOL) tests, nearly 94 percent of the district's schools earned full accreditation, including – for the fourth consecutive year – every Richmond City high school.

At the school level, U.S. News and World Report ranked both Richmond Community and Open high schools among America's best for the third consecutive year. The rankings, conducted by Standard and Poor's, evaluated nearly 22,000 public high schools. Additionally, Bellevue and Fairfield Court elementary schools both received the 2010 Governor's Award for Educational Excellence, the state's highest honor under the Virginia Index of Performance (VIP) incentive program.

In 2009-2010, the district also implemented a number of instructional initiatives, including the launch of the Governor's Career and Technical Education Academy for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) at the Richmond Technical Center. The academy's curriculum, approved by the Virginia Department of Education last summer, focuses on two career pathways: engineering and technology and therapeutic services, including sports medicine. A partnership with Virginia Commonwealth University extends learning beyond the classroom as STEM Academy students shadow VCU athletic trainers and also participate in VCU School of Engineering activities.

Without question, this past school year we overcame challenge with initiative, promoted student achievement through hard work and positioned the district for continued success through forward-thinking and positive change. Because of this, we can look forward to the 2010-2011 school year with confidence as Richmond Public Schools begins the second decade of the 21st century with its commitment to student achievement, responsible action and fiscal accountability stronger than ever.

A Message From Richmond City School Superintendent Dr. Yvonne W. Brandon

April 2010

Spring is upon us and with its arrival comes a sense of renewed energy, spirit and vigor. Indeed, we need only look at recent accomplishments by Richmond Public Schools students, teachers and administrators to feel imbued with a contagious enthusiasm for life.

For example, Tevonte Grant, a senior at Open High School, was recently named the Boys & Girls Clubs Virginia Youth of the Year. Tevonte, the recipient of a $15,000 college scholarship, will attend Virginia Tech in the fall. Another young man who has earned statewide acclaim is Travis McKie, a Richmond Community High School senior and member of the John Marshall High School basketball team. Travis was named to this year's Virginia High School Coaches Association Group AAA first team. An all-academic selection, Travis will attend Wake Forest University on a full scholarship.

Another rite of spring in Richmond Public Schools is the district's Mind Games event, a competition of intellect, wit and problem solving coordinated by the system's programs for gifted. Teams from Holton and Fairfield Court won titles at this year's second- and third-grade and fourth- and fifth-grade events, respectively. At the secondary level, Richmond Community and Thomas Jefferson high schools both fielded teams at the 2010 FIRST Robotics regional competition sponsored by NASA and Virginia Commonwealth University.

Richmond City students have also excelled in the arts and in career and technical education. Albert Hill Middle School students Tim Crawford and Max Mattoon and Thomas Jefferson's Dominique Herbert and Alexis Taylor captured Gold Keys in the 2010 Scholastic Art Awards regional competition. And, Richmond Technical Center students won 23 awards, including seven first-place honors, at the 2010 Skills USA District II regional conference.

Finally, David Hudson, principal at Linwood Holton Elementary School, is one of four area principals to receive this year's R.E.B. Award for Distinguished Educational Leadership. The award, which includes a $15,000 cash prize, marks the second time the R.E.B. Foundation has honored Mr. Hudson. In 1998, he received the organization's teaching award. It should surprise no one that David will use this year's cash award to help fund an outdoor garden and environmental studies classroom at Holton.

Because of educators like Mr. Hudson and award-winning students like Tevonte, Travis, Tim, Max, Dominique, Alexis and others, I truly believe this is the time and now is the season to renew our commitment to academic excellence and outstanding student achievement.

Dr. Brandon's Welcome to our New Website

February 2010

Hello, I'm School Superintendent Yvonne Brandon and I'd like to welcome you to Richmond Public Schools' new website. Our staff has worked hard to redesign the site so that it's visually appealing, information driven and most of all - user friendly.

As you can see, we have created a special Breaking News section that will provide timely RPS alerts and updates on issues that are important to parents and teachers.

My Superintendent's Message and a current Calendar of Events now start on the homepage, and we've also redesigned our Featured Links so that you are simply one click away from locating information concerning School Board meetings, e-mail alerts, lunch menus, bus schedules and more.

Finally, at the top of the page we have created four major content areas: Students Learn, Parents Participate, Community Involvement and a Staff Guide.

We trust this new design will allow you to quickly and easily access information about the people and events of Richmond Public Schools. It also represents our commitment to maintain a strong network of communication that connects the school district with parents and the community.

Thank you - and keep the clicks coming.

A Holiday Message from School Superintendent Dr. Yvonne W. Brandon

Winter 2009-2010

As we enjoy the upcoming holidays, it is my fervent wish that each of you receives and returns the seasonal bounty of blessings and good tidings that make these days truly special. It is also during this time that I am reminded of my own good fortune to serve as Superintendent of Richmond City Public Schools. Indeed, my lifelong career as a public school educator has afforded me vast, varied and richly rewarding opportunities to teach and to learn from young people.

Of course, I believe the faces of our children best express the true meaning of this holiday season. They radiate a sense of unbridled enthusiasm, untainted hope and unabashed joy for life and the opportunities that await them.

Dr. Yvonne Brandon, Interim Superintendent Dr. Yvonne Brandon Superintendent

Indeed, no matter their circumstance or position in life, all children deserve to feel nurtured, accepted, valued, safe and loved. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote:

Between the dark and the daylight, When the night is beginning to lower, Comes a pause in the day's occupations, That is known as the children's hour.

This holiday season, my hope is that every child will have at least one caring adult who understands and shares the joy that comes when family and friends celebrate this time of year as "the children's hour." To the students, parents, teachers, staff and friends of Richmond Public Schools, please have a safe and joyous holiday season.

Welcome Back! A Message From Superintendent
Dr. Yvonne W. Brandon

Fall 2009

It is with great pleasure and steadfast confidence that I welcome parents, students, staff and community partners to the 2009-2010 school year. As we close out the first decade of the 21st century, Richmond Public Schools stands ready and prepared to fulfill its calling as one of the nation's premiere urban school districts.

This year we will continue our thrust to make each of our classrooms a true learning oasis for children, one that motivates every young person to reach his or her absolute maximum potential. At the elementary school level, we will expand our foreign language immersion program and continue our Core Knowledge Academies. For middle school parents, we have launched the Franklin Military Middle Leadership Academy for sixth-graders. And of course, Richmond Community High School - with its relocation to the former Chandler Middle School building - now has additional space and resources.

Last school year, Richmond Public Schools piloted Career Cruising, an online career exploration and portfolio tool that helps students identify specific career interests and then establish goals. The program served more than 3,000 students at Martin Luther King Middle, Thompson Middle, Elkhardt Middle, Boushall Middle, Henderson Middle, Armstrong High, John Marshall High and Huguenot High schools. This year, Career Cruising will be offered at Franklin Military Academy and at Brown Middle, Albert Hill Middle, Binford Middle, George Wythe High and Thomas Jefferson High schools.

Also this year, the district will launch the Governor's Career and Technical Academy for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math at the Richmond Technical Center. The curriculum will focus on two career pathways: engineering and technology and therapeutic services, with an emphasis on sports medicine. A partnership with Virginia Commonwealth University will allow students to shadow VCU athletic trainees and also take part in VCU School of Engineering activities. In addition to VCU, the academy's other partners include Virginia State University, Virginia Union University and J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College

Without question, our recent past has been one of success, evidenced by rising test scores, more fully accredited schools and more rigorous academic requirements. Just last year, several Richmond City schools earned national acclaim: Richmond Community and Open High ranked among America's best high schools by U.S. News and World Report; Fairfield Court Elementary named a National Title I Distinguished School; and J.E.B. Stuart Elementary honored with a 2009 Governor's Award for Excellence. Yes, our steady, at times spectacular, improvement has been the result of talented teachers, dedicated students, involved parents and committed community partners. In short, our campaign to make Richmond Public Schools the best and only choice for parents and students has truly been a "we" activity and a shared responsibility.

As Superintendent, I willingly and enthusiastically assume my responsibility as this city's chief of education. It's a challenge I welcome, a role I enjoy, a calling that I answer without hesitation. As this school year begins, I want every citizen, parent, teacher, student and community partner to share my belief that Richmond Public Schools is truly the choice for academic excellence, student achievement and fiscal accountability.

A Word from Superintendent Dr. Yvonne Brandon

June 2009

Achievement. Action. Accountability. These words are the foundation for all that we do in Richmond Public Schools. These three A's shape our classroom instruction, ensure rigorous academics and target fiscal integrity. Of course, student achievement is the district's top priority. Today, we expect far more from our schools than simply meeting the accreditation standards. In Richmond, earning accreditation is the minimum expectation. That's why we have targeted increased academic rigor as a goal, evidenced by the more than 200 percent increase in the number of students enrolled AP and/or dual enrollment courses.

To achieve any goal requires action. In Richmond, we simply do not have time to waste. So, we have aggressively pursued implementing and/or expanding programs that we know are effective. For example, next school year we will launch a third Performance Learning Center (PLC) site and continue our Twilight Academy program at every comprehensive high school - both designed to assist students recover academic credits toward graduation and reduce the dropout rate. We also plan to expand our AP and dual enrollment opportunities and provide parents and students with more instructional choices and class offerings.

We are all accountable for the students served by Richmond Public Schools. Parents and students should always hold the district's administrators, teachers and staff to the highest possible standards. In return, parents and the community must actively support teachers and administrators in delivering a world-class instructional program to every student. Together, our expectations for student achievement, for character development, and for 21st century workplace and career success must continue to rise and to be met.

Board Appoints Dr. Brandon as Superintendent

February 2009

Remove the word "interim" from her title. Dr. Yvonne Brandon is now Superintendent of Richmond Public Schools as School Board members - on a unanimous vote - selected the 30-year veteran to head the city school district. The appointment took place at a special Jan. 27 meeting of the Board." Dr. Brandon's unique qualifications and experience in urban public education rose to the top of a very impressive list of candidates," noted School Board Chair Chandra Smith.

Through multiple interviews and a lengthy screening process, both the Board members and the volunteers of our 14-member search committee realized that she had a unique combination of skills and capabilities that RPS needs to transform our school system."

Dr. Brandon, who started in Richmond Public Schools in 1977, has worked as a teacher, guidance counselor, assistant principal, principal, director of instruction, assistant superintendent and deputy superintendent. A graduate of Randolph-Macon College, she earned her master's degree at Virginia State University and her doctorate from Nova Southeastern University. She has also been a fellow at the College of William and Mary Leadership Institute, the Darden School of Business Administration/Curry School of Education at the University of Virginia and the Broad Urban Superintendents Academy.

"It is my vision that five years from now Richmond Public Schools will be the crown jewel of this community, the magnet that draws people to this city," Dr. Brandon said at the time of her appointment. "I have spent more than half of my life as a member of the Richmond Public Schools family - and I do mean family. That is why the pledge and promise that I make to the students, parents and staff of Richmond Public Schools are not mere words but are, in fact, inherent beliefs and convictions that I hold dear and will work every day to bring to fruition."

View a video of Dr. Brandon's Appointment (.mp4, 57 MB)

School Board Selects New Superintendent to Lead Richmond Public Schools

January 27, 2009

Richmond - The Richmond Public School Board has appointed a veteran education administrator as its new superintendent. Dr. Yvonne Brandon was elected by a unanimous vote today to take the helm of the city's 24,000 pupil school district. Brandon was selected after a rigorous and competitive recruitment process yielded 20 highly qualified candidates from around the nation.

Read the press release

Dr. Yvonne W. Brandon Remarks Tuesday, January 27, 2009

I am deeply honored by the Board's appointment of me as the Superintendent of Richmond Public Schools. Also, I am deeply humbled by not only the Board's confidence and faith in my vision for this wonderful school system, but by that of the parents, students and citizens of Richmond who have sent me words of encouragement since I became Acting Superintendent in August of last year. I thank you.

Read the rest of Dr. Brandon's remarks