New Kent County

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The Virginia Department of Education is now accepting applications from parents for tutoring microgrants for their children through Governor Glenn Youngkin’s K-12 Learning Acceleration Grants program. Youngkin created the program to help Virginia families address the impact of the pandemic on student learning. The $30 million program provides $1,500 grants to parents of school-age children for tutoring in English, mathematics, science and history, as well as foreign languages required to meet diploma requirements. Children from homes with family incomes at 300% or less of the federal poverty level may qualify for $3,000 grants. Grants may also be used for support services such as speech language pathology and reading interventions. “We are excited to open the K-12 Learning Acceleration Grants application window just as school divisions are providing parents with Student Assessment Summary Reports detailing their students’ academic strengths and the areas they need support to be on track with their peers,” Superintendent of Public Instruction Lisa Coons said. “It is essential that parents have both the information and the support that the report and the grants provide. I encourage every parent to take advantage of free tutoring to support their child.” Available services include in-person, online and hybrid tutoring provided one-on-one and in small group or large-group settings. Parents of students with disabilities may also use up to $750 of their awards for the purchase of assistive technologies specified in their child’s Individualized Education Plan or 504 Plan. The grant program is open to parents of any public, private, parochial or home-school student in grades K-12 residing in Virginia. The first step in the process is to visit VDOE’s K-12 Learning Acceleration Grants page and create an application account for either a $1,500 or $3,000 grant. Once parents are notified that their application has been accepted and approved, they will be able to log into the K-12 Learning Acceleration Grants “digital wallet” to select from a variety of vetted, pre-approved tutors. All grant payments will be issued directly by VDOE to selected tutors and service providers with no out-of-pocket expenses to families. At least $750 of each grant must be spent by August 15; otherwise, the remaining funds will be reallocated to other applicants.

New Kent County Public Schools are pleased to offer our enrichment program Summer of MORE July 10-27, 2023. Middle and high school students will participate at New Kent High School from 7:55-10:55 a.m. Elementary students will attend at New Kent Elementary School from 9:00 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Elementary courses being offered include Let's Learn Spanish, STEM Projects and Reading, Planting Adventures, The Anatomy of Being Healthy and Fit, Beat Boxing, Art in the Garden, and more! Elementary registration is closed at this time. The middle school program is offering Hathaway Homesteaders, Passports and Play, Creative Crafting, Exploring the Art and Culture of Manga, Mythical Creates, Hooked on Yarn, and more. CLICK HERE to learn more about the middle school program and to register your student. The high school program is offering Denim Exploration! CLICK HERE to register your student for the high school program. Additionally, high school remediation, recovery, and new courses will be offered July 5-27, 2023, at the high school. Students should register through their school counselors. See the flyer below:

On Monday, April 17, 2023, on her first day in her new position, VDOE Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Lisa Coons visited New Kent High School with Chief of Staff Dr. Jeremy Raley and Assistant Superintendent of Data, Research, Technology and Security Dr. David Myers. She toured the facilities and observed CTE courses in action with building and district administrators. After the classroom visits, the VDOE guests, district leaders, and CTE classes convened for an assembly. During the assembly, Mr. Christopher Valdrighi, New Kent High School principal, introduced New Kent County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Brian Nichols. Dr. Nichols thanked the VDOE guests and acknowledged the NKCPS School Board members in attendance: Ms. Sarah Grier Barber, Ms. Andrea Staskiel, and Ms. Kristin Swynford. He also noted that New Kent Education Foundation President Mr. Alan Files and Bridging Communities Regional Career & Technical Center Governor’s STEM Academy Executive Director Dr. Julie Ellis were present. Dr. Nichols then turned the podium over to Dr. Coons. Dr. Coons expressed how impressed she was with the NKCPS CTE program and particularly with the work of Mr. John Aughenbaugh, New Kent High School CTE teacher and department chair, has put into developing the NKCPS CTE program. She then announced that he is the 2024 Virginia Region 1 Teacher of the Year. Dr. Coons stated, “You know, I’m incredibly inspired by you, inspired that Virginia has amazing teachers like you, and [I] really want to recognize you as the Regional Teacher of the Year for Virginia Department of Education.” When she made this announcement, the stage curtains pulled back to reveal the New Kent High School cheerleaders and drum line with a banner to recognize Mr. Aughenbaugh’s achievement. Mr. Aughenbaugh took the podium and spoke about his work and the importance of CTE courses. There was a brief reception afterwards in the New Kent High School Media Center, which allowed Mr. Aughenbaugh an opportunity to celebrate with leadership and speak one-on-one with Dr. Coons about his work. Mr. Aughenbaugh will now advance to the state level of the Teacher of the Year competition. Dr. Nichols states, “John Aughenbaugh is incredibly deserving of being named the Region 1 Teacher of the Year. He is a strong advocate for career and technical education. Mr. Aughenbaugh has rebuilt the engineering program and expanded opportunities for New Kent High School students. He makes our school division better with his leadership.”

The VDOE Training & Technical Assistance Center at VCU will host a workshop about providing visual support at home titled "Show Me What You Mean" on Thursday, May 18, 2023 from 11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. virtually through Zoom. Participants will learn how visuals support communication and behavior; where, when, and how to use visuals at home; and how to create a set of visual prompts that you can use at home and in the community. Make and take materials will be delivered by the Parent Resource Center before the event. Participants will need scissors and a hole punch. CLICK HERE to register. Registration ends April 30, 2023. See flyer below for more details:

On Friday, April 14, 2023, New Kent County Public Schools division and school leaders surprised the building Support Staff of the Year winners. The winners will also be celebrated at a special event on June 1st. See information about each of our winners below:

Ms. Alyssa DiMarino, a College of William & Mary Teacher in Residence at New Kent Elementary School, has been selected by the William & Mary department of Curriculum & Instruction as a 2023 Teacher of Promise. The Teachers of Promise Institute was established in 2004 to identify and recognize the best prospective teachers from college and university schools of education across Virginia. The 2023 Teachers of Promise Institute will be held March 24-25, 2023, at the Thomas R. Fulghum Conference Center in Midlothian. The William & Mary Teacher in Residence program is a partnership between William & Mary and New Kent County Public Schools that provides graduate students in Curriculum & Instruction seeking initial licensure with an opportunity to complete student teaching requirements as a paid internship. For more information about the Teachers of Promise Institute, visit http://www.teachersofpromiseinstitute.com/. To learn more about the William & Mary Teacher in Residence program, visit https://education.wm.edu/academics/oteps/teacher-in-residence-program/index.php#:~:text=W%26M%20Teachers%20in%20Residence%20become,over%20instruction%20in%20the%20classroom.

NKCPS Kindergarten registration will be held on April 14, April 21, and April 28, 2023 by appointment. Parents/guardians should register at their zoned school by scanning the appropriate QR code below or clicking one of the following:

Worrell Named VCTM Elementary Math Educator of the Year Ms. Megan Worrell, a math support teacher at New Kent Elementary School, has been named as the Virginia Council of Teachers of Mathematics Elementary Educator of the Year. This recognition began with a nomination from a colleague who believes her contributions show passion, ingenuity, and dedication to the field of mathematics education. Additionally, nominees must have at least five years of teaching experience; be a current classroom teacher, math resource teacher, or math specialist; and have made notable accomplishments in teaching mathematics. Ms. Worrell will be recognized for her work during the VCTM 2023 Annual Conference on Friday, March 17, at George Mason University. NKES administration celebrated Worrell on site with a certificate and flowers on February 9 (see image below). In addition to her role as a math support teacher, Ms. Worrell serves as the NKES webmaster and as a member of the School Leadership Team and Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports Team. For more information about VCTM, visit https://www.vctm.org/.

Please read through the Early Learning Program brochure for more information prior to completing this application. If you need assistance with the NKCPS Early Learning Application Form, 2023-2024, please contact the registrar at either New Kent Elementary School, (804) 966-9663, or Quinton Elementary School, 804-557-3105. New Kent County Public Schools is excited to open the application process for new students to enroll in our Early Learning options for the 2023-2024 school year. We will again be providing Early Learning services at both New Kent Elementary School and Quinton Elementary School. Our Early Learning Programs are for 2-5-year old children whose eligibility and services are determined by their Individualized Education Program (IEP), as well as, 3- and 4-year old children who do not have an IEP. For the 2023-2024 school year, NKCPS Early Learning classrooms will operate with the same calendar as the New Kent County Public Schools K-12 program. All Early Learning classrooms will operate on a full day schedule. Students should anticipate attending for the full day unless specified in an individual student’s services guided by their Individualized Education Plan. New Kent County Public Schools has applied for 2023-2024 Virginia Preschool Initiative Funding for eligible students aged 3 or 4 by September 30, 2023. All applications received prior to March 7th will be invited to setup a required screening appointment during the last two weeks of March. Applications received after March 7th will be placed on a waiting list. If slots are available following the initial selection process, then the division will reach out to families on the waiting list on May 8th. Student selection and placement will be determined by student eligibility described further on in this form. * If a child has an IFSP (a plan written by a local early intervention organization that provides special education services), please contact NKCPS Student Services for more information at (804) 966-8525. * If you have concerns about your child's development, contact the registrar at New Kent Elementary (804) -966-9663. The Parent Child Development Corporation manages the Head Start program for New Kent County and has classes as well. If you believe your child would qualify for Head Start services, you are encouraged to visit their website and complete their application process. All students that qualify for services through Head Start will be referred to their program prior to enrolling in the New Kent Early Learning Program. The PCDC information may be found at https://www.pcdcva.org/head-start_home/.

On December 29, 2022, the U.S. Department of Education awarded the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) the five-year, $15 million federal grant for Virginia’s Comprehensive Approach to Recruitment and Retention of School Mental Health Professionals. New Kent County Public Schools Department of Exceptional Education and Students Services is collaborating with the Virginia Department of Education office of Student Services as a partnering division in this grant award to increase the number of qualified mental health service professionals providing school-based mental health services to students.

On Friday, January 6th, division and school leaders surprised the building Teacher of the Year winners. On Wednesday, January 11th, the Division Teacher of the Year, Mr. John Aughenbaugh of New Kent High School, was announced and recognized. He will represent New Kent County Public Schools at the state level of the competition. See information about all of our winners below:

Irvin Acree, a custodian at New Kent High School, was selected by our partner SSC Services for Education for their employee recognition program called GEM (Great Employees make Magic). Acree was chosen as New Kent's GEM of the Year, the Regional GEM of the Year, and the Division GEM of the Year. There are only four Division GEM award winners selected out of SSC's more than 10,000 employees nationwide for both the Higher Education and the K12 Division of SSC. District and school leadership attended a holiday gathering for NKCPS SSC employees at the high school on Monday, December 12, where Irvin was presented with his award. "We are so very proud of [Mr. Acree] and his recognition. It is well deserved; he's simply THE BEST!" stated NKCPS Chief Administrative Officer Haynie Morgheim.

Dr. Brian Nichols Named 2022 Superintendent to Watch by NSPRA Dr. Brian Nichols has been selected as a 2022 Superintendent to Watch by the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA). Nichols joins just 24 other superintendents nationwide who were selected for the honor in recognition of their innovative and effective use of technology to engage and inform the school community, and to expand two-way communication and outreach efforts. “I am humbled and honored to be selected. I am proud to be the superintendent of such a dynamic division with an incredible team of teachers and staff,” stated Nichols. Nichols showcases the work of Team New Kent through various media forms and by being a constant advocate for the county and his team. “This year’s honorees understand just how important effective communication is in building trust and relationships with families, employees, students and community members in their districts,” said NSPRA Executive Director Barbara M. Hunter, APR. “These emerging leaders have proven to be dedicated champions of innovative communication efforts to advance their district’s success.” NSPRA had a record number of nominations this year—nearly 60—and many exceptional candidates, making the selection process very competitive. Since the 2015-16 school year, NSPRA has recognized 127 school district leaders as Superintendents to Watch. Honorees must have fewer than five years of experience as a superintendent and must demonstrate dynamic, fast-paced leadership with strong communication at its core. Visit www.nspra.org/superintendents-watch to learn more about this award. About NSPRA As the leader in school communication, NSPRA serves more than 2,500 members who work primarily as communication directors in public school districts and education organizations throughout the United States and Canada. NSPRA provides high quality professional development programming through on- demand learning, an annual National Seminar, webinars, online forums and resources. For more information, visit NSPRA’s website at www.nspra.org.

NKHS is starting the Trojan Alumni Spotlight and looking for alumni who are willing to help kick off the Trojan TV morning announcements. We are looking for videos that showcase your career. Recording Tips: Length: 45 seconds-1 minute Steady recording Decent lighting Mindful of noise Simple, clutter-free background Wear professional clothing--consider company shirts Content to Consider (First 4 + 2 More): State your name. Share your graduation year. Tell about your career title. Be sure to add line at the end, "Please Stand for the Pledge." What do you like about your job? What two skills do you use the most? What training was required for your career? Where did you go for training? Share simple advice. Send phone recording to Mrs. Spiak: [email protected] CLICK HERE for a video example.

NKCPS has initiated a Wellness Challenge program using Burnalong that will run from 12/1/22-5/31/23. NKCPS employees who complete the challenges are eligible for raffle prizes. See the flyer below for more information. Not signed up for Burnalong yet? Visit our For Staff: Virtual Wellness: Burnalong webpage for more details.