Five simple ways you can show love for Richmond Public Schools right now

This fall marks my tenth year teaching elementary art in Richmond Public Schools. The past decade has been a crazy ride with constant shifts in leadership and a pervasive feeling that we are barely keeping our heads above water. Regardless of this, I continue to believe that I am right where I belong and that my work allows me to truly live out my values. I know firsthand how hard the teachers in RPS work and how much they give despite the challenges we face. I also know how awesome our students are and how much many of them have to overcome on a daily basis.

This fall is also my second year as a parent of an RPS student and I am so thankful for the love my child experienced last year in Kindergarten and for his enthusiasm for learning and school. I know that the Richmond community wants to see things get better so that ALL of our children can experience this joy and support in our public school system.

If you feel like I feel, there are many ways to help, right now. Richmond native, Arthur Ashe said, “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” Join me and so many others as we shift the negative narrative about Richmond Public Schools and allow our values to speak through our choices and actions. Thanks for giving your love, Richmond!

1. #CleartheList

Many teachers have created Amazon wishlists and are using social media to share their needs for the school year. (I’m updating mine today!) The hashtag #clearthelist is trending this summer as many celebrities are endorsing this movement to provide teachers with classroom supplies. This whole thing was actually started by a Virginia teacher this July through a facebook page that went viral.

2. Donors Choose

You may have already heard about the website, Donors Choose, which allows teachers to create requests for funding of supplies, projects, professional development and even classroom trips or visitors. It’s super easy to use and you can search by city or zip code to find live projects. Often there are matching funds available through organizations.

3. RPS Shines

Local volunteer organization, Hands on Greater Richmond, has partnered with Richmond Public Schools to organize volunteers this summer for the second annual RPS Shines initiative. There are opportunities for community members to sign up and come out for a three hour shift to beautify schools before the students return in a few weeks. My son and I will be helping out at our school this Wednesday. Giving time is a great way to help if you can’t give money.

4. STAY RVA

Supporting Together Area Youth (STAY) RVA is a movement comprised of parents and neighbors who want to help Richmond’s local public schools thrive. We are a positive-minded, solution-oriented, action-based organization. We want you to be a part of STAY… STAY in the city, STAY committed, STAY open-minded. We want to build communities of support around every school and engage in honest conversations about why schools have not had the resources they need. We want to BECOME genuine community members who work to form relationships with all people.

5. The Ultimate Backpack

The goal of The Ultimate Backpack is to fill 15,000 backpacks before the school year starts. The Ultimate Backpack presented by CoStar Group school supply and backpack drive will take place on August 14, 2019 from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m..at Hardywood Park Craft Brewery on Ownby Lane in Richmond. Participants can drop off donated backpacks or any school supplies from the supply list below to Hardywood Brewery (Downtown). You can make a monetary donation and we will purchase the needed supplies. These donations will help us purchase school supplies at a discount and fill any gaps not covered by the community. Please contact Timmy Nguyen at VCU if you have any questions.

Needed school supplies include:

• Composition notebooks
• Crayons
• Erasers
• Folders
• Glue stick
• Highlighter
• Loose leaf paper
• Markers
• Pen & pencils
• Pencil pouch
• Scissors (blunt tip)
• Spiral notebooks