Patrick 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.

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.

From Patrick Henry email;

Dear Families,

Thank you to those of you that attended our lottery event on Thursday. We are diligently working to reconcile the data based on the rank given to students on the lottery night. But, we still have one outstanding issue that needs to be resolved regarding pre-lottery status with siblings. We hope to get feedback from our Local Education Authority, Richmond Public School Board, this week. We will be attending the RPS Board meeting tonight to present our need for quick resolution on this issue.

We know that many of you applied to PHSSA so that all of your children could attend the same school. That has been the intention all along, if one sibling is accepted, that the other siblings receive pre-lottery status. We are going to do everything we can to work with with Richmond Public Schools since families are the foundation of Patrick Henry School. We hope that you understand and stand behind us to find resolution.

We encourage you to join us at the RPS meeting tonight, Monday, March 15th at 6 pm at City Hall during the public information comments period (http://newweb.richmond.k12.va.us/administration/school-board/public-info-period.aspx) to express your support for Patrick Henry. It is important for the RPS School Board to continue to hear that this school was created by the community and will thrive because the community supports it.

Thank you,

Patrick Henry School of Science and Arts Board of Directors

Many anxious parents and curious bystanders attended last night’s lottery held at Patrick Henry School of Science and Arts. The school received 255 applications for 150 spots and the lottery was held to establish a ranking for the applications filed. Starting with 5th grade and working down, City Council President Kathy Graziano spun the bingo hopper for 5th-3rd  grades, and State Secretary of Education, Gerard Robinson took over those honors for 2nd through kindergarten.

As might be expected, there were many more applications for the lower grades, and there were emotional outcries as some children’s lottery numbers were called. Parents, whether they attended the lottery or not, will receive letters by March 20 letting them now of their spot in the classroom or on a waiting list.

You can see some news footage and reportage here:

CBS 6

NBC 12

Richmond Times-Dispatch

Patrick Henry School of Science and Arts will be holding it’s first lottery March 11, at 7pm as they received more than 250 applications for roughly 150 spots. The lottery is open to the public. The school also announced the breakdown of grades:

K – 3 classes
1st – 2 classes
2nd – 2 classes
3rd – 1 class
4th/5th combined

For more info about the lottery, click through to read the email sent to applicants.

Read more >

RTD:

City Councilman E. Martin Jewell is stepping up to the plate for Richmond’s first charter school.

The Fifth District representative sent a letter to School Board Chairwoman Kimberly Bridges on Saturday expressing his “deep concern” over lingering issues that could prevent the Patrick Henry School of Science and Arts from opening in July.

He requested a meeting with Richmond Public Schools officials and others to work out the issues.

Issues that are still looming include;

Patrick Henry spokeswoman Kristen Larson said the school’s organizers are grateful for Jewell’s support. She said they still are waiting for a lease to the building and to be recognized within the 2010-11 school budget, which was adopted last month and will be finalized in June after state and city revenue allocations are known.

Larson said the group also is waiting on a response to its three-year handicap-accessible building plan, which was provided to the board last November.

RVAnews writer Chris Dovi has this to say:

If any question remains regarding Gov. Bob McDonnell’s commitment to Patrick Henry School of Science and Arts, his plan to personally host a fundraiser for the city’s first charter school should dispel all doubts.

Officials with the school confirm that McDonnell, along with delegates John M. O’Bannon (R-Henrico) and Joe Morrissey (D-Henrico), have committed to hosting an invite-only event on March 30.

“As of right now the details are still being worked out,” says Antione Green, chief executive officer for Patrick Henry. “It will be a community fundraiser. People will have the opportunity to demonstrate their financial support for Patrick Henry and at the same time get an opportunity to meet the governor.”

RTD has details on the charter school legislation moving forward.

PHSSA is sponsoring an online holiday auction November 18th through December 9th, with a goal of raising $10,000.

“This auction is a great opportunity for Patrick Henry supporters and the general public to support the school, while simultaneously receiving great deals,” said Krista Simmerman, director of fundraising for PHSSA. “We hope everyone will take advantage of these holiday shopping bargains, as well as the convenience of shopping from home.”

There is a great range of items but if you are looking for the perfect gift for your H&H crew I would like to suggest this:

A Week in Exotic St. Kitts!

Press Release from Patrick Henry School:

Patrick Henry School of Science and Arts announced Wednesday that it has been awarded a federal grant for $471,800 by the U.S. Department of Education.

The grant will be metered out over three years, with $114,850 as the award for year one, the preparatory period. The funds for this year include money for principal’s salary and fringe benefits, staff development and teacher training, and ADA compliance renovations.

Read more >

Chick-Fil-A has a program called Spirit Night to help out local schools by giving them a percentage of each order. This Thursday it is Patrick Henry School of Science and Arts turn to get some greenbacks. On Thursday September 10th from 5-8 mention Patrick Henry when ordering at the Chick-Fil-A at Stratford Hills (7125 Forest Hill Avenue in front of Target) and Patrick Henry will recieve 20% of their total order.

I hope to post more goings-ons at Patrick Henry School of Science and Arts, but if you want first-hand information about the progress of the new charter school you’re opportunity is this Thursday, April 2, 8pm. 

Read more >

Every Thursday the folks driving the initiative to open the Patrick Henry School hold a meeting. The first Thursday of each month the meeting has more of an “Open House” agenda. This is a great opportunity for those not heavily involved (yet) to learn more.

Questions you can get answers to include:
When are you opening?
How do I apply?
What is a “progressive quarterly calendar”?
What is an “outdoor classroom”?
A healthy cafeteria?
Why is PHSSA different from other Richmond Public Schools?
Last month one of the Hills and Heights crew was able to attend and the subject was Patrick Henry going green so there might be an update on that as well.

Meeting Details:
Patrick Henry Elementary School of Science and Arts Community Update Meeting
Thursday, March 5th 8:00 p.m
3411 Semmes Ave

The Patrick Henry School initiative meets every Thursdays at 8 p.m. and now they are meeting at Patrick Henry.  Previously all meeting had been held at the Berryman Center. The meetings are always open to the public, but once a month (first Thursday of the month) is a more informal update meeting to answer questions and socialize. The  first such informal meeting is tonight Feb 5th at 8 p.m.

The meeting will provide snacks and a very quick status update. Additionally the group is doing canned food and baby item drive for the Berryman Center’s Garden of Gethsemane food pantry, to thank them for allowing them to meet at the Berryman Center for about 2 years. Donations of nutritious canned food and baby items baby formula or diapers) will be accepted.

Any questions, call Susan at 938-6687.

Jessica Hoffa let us know about new meeting times for Patrick Henry Initiative Meetings.

New Meeting Times!
Every Thursday at 8:30 p.m.
The Berryman Center
32nd and McDonough off Forest Hill Ave. (side entrance)

The change has been made on the calendar as well.