Posts by PageH:
- Basketball (Balls & Hoop)
- Soccer balls
- Footballs
- Jump Ropes
- Hula Hoops
- Bubbles
- Sidewalk Chalk
- Velcro Catch (tennis ball & mit)
- Scoop & Ball Catch
- Bean Bag Toss
- Badminton Rackets & Birdies
- Street Hockey
- Board Games
- Books
- Puzzles
- Drawing Materials (crayons & paper)
- Thursday, May 6: Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings
- Thursday, May 13: Keller Williams
- Thursday, May 20: Jay Farrar
- Thursday, May 27: Carbon Leaf
Infant Care Options
August 16th, 2010It’s time to revisit the childcare options available for infants in our neighborhoods. This is always such an intensely personal decision. We’re not here to say what type of care is right for you and your child, just to share info. I found it incredibly difficult to find infant care so good luck to all those who will soon be making that decision! Click through to see some suggestions and to add your own. Read the rest of this entry “
Farm to Family Bus at Forest Hill til 5:30pm Today
August 13th, 2010In front of Ireland Cleaners, you’ll find Mark Lilly and his veggie bus
Veggie Bus is @ Westover Hills + Forest Hills Avenue till 5:30ish. Concord grapes, gala apples, peaches, blueberries, blackberries, plums, asian pears, corn, heirloom and hanover tomatoes, peppers, 3 kinds of watermelons, cantaloupe, GF and wholegrain bread, tofu, vegan sausage, maple sausage, BBQ, milk, yogurt, cheese MMMmmmmm!
Dog Lost During Storm
July 30th, 2010
From Westover Hill’s Stray Watch we learn: “Lexie,” a small (50-pound) spayed female golden retriever, ran off during the storm. She lives in the 5500 block of Riverside Dr. She has all her tags and a microchip and was wearing a blue collar. If you find or see her, please call Dottie Cleal at 230-8834.
PHSSA Seeks Equipment Donations
July 29th, 2010The long-awaited opening day for Patrick Henry School of Science and Arts is fast approaching and there are a few items that the staff is requesting. If you have these items or you’d like to make a monetary donation, it would be greatly appreciated.
Item 1) 20 ft of cubicle wall or room dividers needed - contact Ms. Hill at lthill82@gmail.com
Item 2) Playground equipment – contact Ariel Lister at agl8v@virginia.edu
Playground / Blacktop Wish List
Outdoor
For inclement weather recess will be held inside. We will need an supply of quiet games for grades K-5
Indoor
Westover Hills Library Renovation Update
July 28th, 2010
We’ve been crossing the river to the Belmont Library for the summer, but we sorely miss our own neighborhood library which is undergoing renovation. Library manager, Clay Dishon, has posted an update on the renovation:
A warm hello to all—
By late last Friday afternoon, the scent of drywall compound was prominent inside the branch and the completed work gives a real glimpse into just what form our library’s new interior will take. At this point, the channels that were cut through the cement to house new wiring have been covered, most of the drywall has been placed, and work continues on the relocation of the HVAC ducts. Additional analysis of roof condition and structural supports has become necessary and installation of the metal roof will begin once that procedure is complete. The next short while will see work undertaken on the ceiling grid, light fixtures, windows and doors. [...]. In these snapshots, notice the vanishing of interior doors and windows to accommodate aspects of the new design.
Check back for occasional updates in this very same space. Take good care…
City-wide Drive for School Supplies
July 24th, 2010Many families in Richmond have trouble buying and filling backpacks for students returning to school in the Fall. You can help by either dropping off new school supplies or making a monetary donation. For a list of supplies, download this PDF. Supplies can be delivered 8am-4pm August 9-11 at the Arther Ashe Center. If you’re already shopping for school supplies, it’s easy to pick up extras to share. Checks made payable to Richmond Public Schools Education Foundation can be mailed to 302 North Ninth Street, Richmond, VA 23219.The events at which these supplies will be distributed are both on Saturday, August 28 from 10am-12noon at John Marshall HS and George Wythe HS.
Meet the New Teachers at Patrick Henry
July 23rd, 2010Patrick Henry School of Science and Arts will be opening August 11th and today they posted some of the teachers who will be leading the classrooms. Today is also the last day to mail in applications for the 12 kindergarten spots that became available. Other RPS schools will open September 7, after Labor Day. Part of the charter school plan is to have the same number of school days, just spread throughout the year to minimize the lengthy summer breaks when kids seem to forget so much. You can see this year’s calendar in PDF form here. The YMCA will be offering childcare during the intersession breaks.
Patrick Henry Reopens 12 New Spots for Kindergarten
July 14th, 2010
PHSSA is slotted to open August 11 and as often happens during school registration, additional spots in the kindergarten classes have been identified.
Interested families need to download and complete the application and mail it or drop it off at the school on designated days over the next two weeks. Applications must by postmarked by July 23rd to be considered for enrollment. No preference will be given to families who get their applications in early. If applications exceed space, which is an estimated 12 spaces, a lottery will be performed. Families will be notified of enrollment by July 30th. See more about the application process on their website.
RTD Discusses Patrick Henry School’s Funding Issues
July 11th, 2010The new charter school, Patrick Henry School of Science and Arts, opens in its temporary location, August 11. Dress codes and supply lists have been sent out, and the teachers have been selected and should be hired shortly. The Richmond Times-Dispatch discusses the funding issues the school has been facing to update the old Patrick Henry School Building, which is an integral part of the charter contract.
The school needs to raise the $1 million to make the building handicap-accessible and for some operational expenses. Patrick Henry has found about half of that in grant funding, which will be dispersed over three years, but actual dollar support from the community has been harder to find.
“What we keep hearing from people is that they’d like to see the program up and running first,” said Kristen Larson, who has been on the Patrick Henry board for about a year and a half.
Police Perspective on the Robberies at the 48 Hours Store
June 24th, 2010Many neighbors are alarmed that the 48 hours convenience store at Prince Arthur and Forest Hill Avenue has been robbed twice in just 17 hours. Our sector leader, Lieutenant John O’Kleasky, had good insight into the situation. He echoes many of the commenters from our earlier post that the owners could do many things to reduce the likelihood of additional robberies; removing signs and obstacles from the windows and doors; brightly lighting up inside and out of the store; cleaning up on the sides and back of building etc. Unfortunately, they are unwilling to do so.
In fact, the FasMart on Semmes used to be one of the most robbed stores in the city. When the police approached the management, even the regional manager got involved, they followed the above recommendations and have not had a robbery since November of last year. The owners at the 48 hours store are not interested in doing any of these things.
Just a few months ago the CITY actually installed a video surveillance system worth $5k for them, so the police department has been trying to work with them to stem these robberies. They got good pictures of the two men suspected of the most recent robberies and should get them into custody soon.
Lieutenant O’Kleasky’s opinion on the matter is that although these robberies are startling to us as neighbors, we shouldn’t be too concerned that this means we’re under threat. These kinds of robberies are up nationwide and the men committing them are spending about 20 seconds flashing a gun, sometimes just a BB gun, taking cash and walking out. His perspective is, if the 48 hours store is not willing to take proven measures to reduce the robberies, then we shouldn’t patronize the store. This is unfortunate as I find their extensive beer and wine selection nice to have so close at hand. But if they’re not willing to be a good neighbor, I will just have to make do with the selection at CVS or head down to our favorite purveyors of such things, Once Upon a Vine.
A Plethora of Hillsandheights School News
May 17th, 2010Here’s a roundup of local school news. Do you have news from your school that you’d like to share? Email us, we’d love to include it here on Hills & Heights. Click through to see info on VPI classes, Patrick Henry and J.B. Fisher Elementary. Read the rest of this entry “
Huguenot High Replacement Meeting Tonight
May 5th, 2010The Richmond Times- Dispatch is reporting that school and city officials will hold a community meeting tonight to provide information about construction and to seek input from the community about the new Huguenot High School. 6-8pm, May 5, at the school located at 7945 Forest Hill Avenue.
School Board Approves Patrick Henry’s Temporary Location
May 4th, 2010In a 5-4 vote, the school board for RPS approved the charter school’s use of a temporary location at Woodland Heights Baptist Church. It is unclear what would have happened if it hadn’t been approved but it would have been a huge stumbling block to the school’s opening this summer.
There are several stories online about the vote and Kristen Larson, spokesperson for the school says “Thank you to everyone who spoke, sent letters and came in support of the vote last night at City Hall. Several RPS Board members mentioned the strong parental and community support.” School District 4 Rep, Adria A. Graham Scott, voted for the move and District 5 Rep, Maurice Henderson, voted against.
Jane Ellis, director of charter school lending for the North Carolina-based Center for Community Self-Help, spoke at yesterday afternoon’s board work session. She revealed that Self-Help sent a commitment letter to provide a two-year loan of $200,000 to Patrick Henry’s board for first-year renovations.
Lease for Patrick Henry School Building Being Reviewed.
May 3rd, 2010
Today is a big day for the Patrick Henry School of Science and Arts. Tonight the school board will vote on whether classes can be temporarily held at nearby Woodland Heights Baptist Church. If approved, classes would start August 11 with a staff that Principal Pamela Boyd has been interviewing. The school has the funds to teach its curriculum that it gathered through several grants and at this time. Roughly 120 children have registered to attend. Letters will soon be sent out to families on the wait list to fill out the classes.
Funds for the renovation, however, have been harder to come by but Richmond T-D and RVAnews are reporting that the school board submitted a proposed lease to the charter school, which may make it easier to raise funds. Without a lease, few potential benefactors felt secure enough donating money.
If you’d like to show your support for the Patrick Henry school, please consider emailing your school board rep or attending the school board meeting at city hall this evening at 6pm.
For those that were curious about volunteer opportunities at other schools, Richmond Times-Dispatch ran a great article about different organizations that place volunteers directly in the schools. For example programs like the Carver Promise program places students with mentors from the community. And Communities in Schools has, among many things, placed healthcare resources in George Wythe High School when it became apparent that many students there receive inadequate healthcare.
Groovin’ in the Garden to Grace Maymont in May
April 28th, 2010Henrico’s whoops is our woohoo! This just in from Lewis Ginter’s Facebook: The first 4 Groovin’ In The Garden concerts will be held at Maymont instead of Lewis Ginter. Due to an oversight by the producer, Haymaker Productions, Henrico Co. was unable to approve the permit for the May concerts.The June concerts will be held at the Lewis Ginter Gardents as scheduled.
This move effects the following shows:
I’d personally be psyched to see Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings (the Dap Kings were Amy Winehouse’s backing band and you haven’t heard real old school R & B singing until you hear Sharon Jones sing!) Jay Farrar is known for his former band, Uncle Tupelo, and their contribution to the No Depression Alt-country sound. He just recently collaborated with Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie to compose music to lyrics based on Jack Kerouac’s landmark 1962 novel Big Sur. Carbon Leaf is a well-known Richmond band but I don’t know who Keller Williams is, but found his website.
Lost St. Bernard Seen on Forest Hill Avenue
April 27th, 2010A St. Bernard was seen wondering at Bliley and Forest Hill Avenue this morning around 8:30. He doesn’t seem to have a collar but does look like he has been a pet recently. If you know someone who is missing a St. Bernard, please let them know where he was seen.
If You Support Patrick Henry School, Let Your School Board Rep Know
April 27th, 2010Not everyone supports the school, but if you are a supporter, Patrick Henry School of Science and Arts urgently needs your help. Since this school is open city-wide, regardless of what district you live in, tell your school board representative what positive effect you expect the school to have on our community and our children. Now, more than ever, they need to know how valued this school is to the citizens of Richmond. An email from PHSSA:
Urgent: We Need Your Help
Getting PHSSA, the first charter school in Richmond, up and running has uncovered many unforeseen challenges. We have been working with Richmond Public School Board for two years to try and make this school a reality for you – the many families who have pursued this option for your children.
This option to open the school at the EC-WHBC is not in PHSSA’s original contract with RPS and will therefore require a vote to be approved. We sent a letter to RPS School Board to request this change to the contract. They will vote to approve or deny this request on Monday, May 3rd at City Hall at 6 pm. We currently have 95 students enrolled in the school and we need your support to encourage your school board member to approve this vote. At this point, RPS has heard from very few families who are interested in and support PHSSA. They need to know that your children want to attend PHSSA in 2010! Let your voice be heard!! [Click through to see the ways you can be heard.] Read the rest of this entry “
Patrick Henry School
April 26th, 2010With a July opening date looming, where does Patrick Henry School of Science and Arts stand? The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports on the school’s funding and development status and sums up many families’ situation.
But some Richmond parents are in limbo as they look ahead to next school year. They have taken a leap of faith and applied to a school that doesn’t exist except on paper but is scheduled to be up and running in July
As of now, the school has no permanent home, no staff other than a principal, and a confirmed enrollment of 95 of the 160 students with which it had hoped to start.
The next school board meeting scheduled for May 3rd, may answer some of the questions about location and start date for the school. As previously reported, PHSSA is requesting that the school hold classes at Woodland Heights Baptist Church, while they secure necessary leases and funding to begin construction to bring the original Patrick Henry School building into ADA compliance.
To answer some of the questions raised in the article about enrollment and staffing; there will be a registration event this Thursday, April 29th from 7:30-9:30pm for families to bring in all necessary info to register their child. After this event remaining spots in the classrooms will be offered to families on the waiting list. Also individuals were interviewed this past weekend for the classroom positions at the school.
Update: RTD also ran a great article about Pamela Boyd, the new principal of PHSSA.
Forest Hill Lake Stocked with Fish (Don’t Get Your Fishing Rod Out Yet)
April 24th, 2010A small crowd of 40 or so gathered with folks from Parks and Rec to release fish into Forest Hill Lake Saturday, April 24. J.R. Pope, head of P&R, said a few words and then turned the presentation to Carl (whose last name I didn’t catch). Eager young children learned about cool sciency stuff like the natural food chain and how these fish, as they grow, will encourage other animals like the blue herons and king fishers to come to the lake.
Three kinds of fish were released including big large mouth bass. The two smaller kinds of fish were destined to eventually feed the bass. The kids were then able to take squirming handfuls of silvery fish and put them in the lake. I do hope some of the fish survived the trauma of such eager environmentalists. Catch and release fishing will be allowed at the lake. UPDATED to add: No fishing license is required if you are aged 16 or below or over 65. A fishing license required for all other adults. Catch and release is the FHP/Park & Rec Dept standard that everyone regardless of age will be held to. The state game wardens will enforce periodically.
See the full set (or add your own!) in the hillsandheights flickr group.
Patrick Henry School Accepting Job Applications
April 20th, 2010Patrick Henry School of Science and Arts received 90 applications for 9 teaching positions and are now looking for applicants interested in the following positions; Administrative Assistant, Art Teacher, Media Center Specialist, Music Teacher and PE/Health Teacher. You can view the job descriptions on their website and then apply online.
Westover Hillian in Richmond Magazine
April 17th, 2010I had heard rumors that someone in our neighborhood had a backyard pizza oven. I thought for sure that I had caught a delicious whiff and finally verification! Richmond Magazine recently had a profile on Peter Gilbert, the rumored baker:
“The oven itself is essentially an earthen dome overtop a floor of firebricks,” he says. Because of the humid climate here in Virginia, it also needed a roof and a wooden door. “It was those components that slowed me down a little,” Peter says.
I got a chance to meet Peter and am STILL waiting for an invitation to pizza night!
Elephant walk tentatively scheduled for April 6
April 6th, 2010In “Why Richmond, why?” Richmond.com answers a recent question in our household; if the circus is coming to town, when will the elephant walk be? We’ve made a tradition of heading down to Legend Brewing, having a little dinner and then hitting the deck to see the animals being unloaded from trains before they cross the bridge towards the coliseum where the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus is held every year.
I heard a rumor that when the circus comes to town they close down either the Manchester Bridge or the Lee Bridge and parade the elephants across it up to the coliseum. Is this true? If so when is it happening? I saw that the circus was going to be here on April 7.
– Jessica
Martha Branch, with Branch Marketing Group who handles the Circus’ Richmond PR, answers:
There is an animal walk from the train to the Coliseum … I don’t yet have a specific time but it is slated for Tuesday.
Traditionally, the animals are taken off the train at 6th and Perry and the parade crosses the Manchester Bridge, continues up 9th St. and to the Coliseum from there.
From RVA News: Patrick Henry updates
April 5th, 2010RVA News’ Chris Dovi has a new article up about Patrick Henry and its recent fund raiser. There is also an update on the school’s proposed temporary alternate site.
[ Fund raising is] Critical, but perhaps less pressing if the School Board approves a charter amendment to allow the school to start its first year in the basement of nearby Woodland Heights Baptist Church. The building is not only ADA compliant, but has a seemingly endless supply of unused classrooms all tailor-made for a small school. The church’s kid-worthiness is further bolstered by the fact that the plaintiffs in an ADA lawsuit settlement agreement with Richmond Schools approved the site in a letter sent to schools officials this week.
This proposal still needs to go to RPS School board for approval, but having the plaintiffs accept the location is a good sign. With a July opening date looming, some parents I’ve spoken to are concerned that the original site may not be ready in time due to hitches in acquiring leases and funding for the required ADA updates.
Animal Control Conducts Informational Patrols
March 31st, 2010Just when the comment thread on our previous post on this subject quieted down, new fodder for the fire. Word on the street is that Richmond Animal Care and Control has been conducting informational patrols in several city parks over the last few weeks and giving warnings about leash and licensing laws. April 1st, the warnings stop and officers will begin to issue tickets in Byrd, Bandy and Forest Hill Parks. So if your dog wants to take a dip in the newly renovated lake, it sounds like you’ll be getting wet too!
Patrick Henry Holds Fundraiser March 30
March 31st, 2010
Patrick Henry School of Science and Arts held their first fundraiser last night at the school. Volunteers and board members worked hard to make the over-warm auditorium appealing.
Governor Robert McDonnell and Delegate Joe Morrissey both attended and spoke to the diverse crowd of philanthropists, politicians and citizens that attended. City Councilman, Marty Jewel, formerly opposed to the school but now a supporter, was there as were Kim Bridges RPS School Board chairperson and PH’s new Principal, Pamela Boyd. There was also a woman who had attended the school in the very first kindergarten class. Read the rest of this entry “
