2601 Durham Street, Richmond, VA 23220 804 968 1820 info@coderva.org

September 20, 2024

Sep 23, 2024 | Raptor Rundown

Good afternoon, CodeRVA Families-

I hope you’re somewhere comfortable reading this update because it is packed with information!

First, thank you to all the families who attended Back to School Night this week!  If you were not able to attend, all of our staff have created short videos so you can do your own mini-BTSN at home on your schedule.  Please note this is a live document, so if there are any videos missing, they will be added shortly.

Next, here is a final reminder about Virtual Virginia in the main part of the Raptor Rundown before it moves to the Previous Reminders section below:

  • Virtual Virginia Reminder!  The deadline to drop your student’s World Language course without penalty is Friday, November 15, 2024 at 3 PM. Please notify your student’s School Counselor no later than 3 PM on November 15 if you wish to drop the course. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your student’s School Counselor.

CodeRVA is excited to welcome colleges and universities this fall to come talk with our Juniors and Seniors about what their programs have to offer. Students will have an opportunity to speak with a representative during their lunch time. Please see the below schedule of our upcoming college visits this month:

  • Friday September 27th: University of Richmond

Speaking of colleges, standardized testing season is quickly approaching.  Please note, CodeRVA offers a PSAT in October and an SAT in March free of charge, but we understand families may be interested in additional testing opportunities. If your student is interested in taking the SAT or ACT this year outside of CodeRVA and is in need of financial assistance, please reach out to your student’s School Counselor to request a fee waiver. 

Speaking of the PSAT/NMSQT, on Wednesday, October 16, 2024, CodeRVA will be administering a free PSAT/NMSQT test to all 10th and 11th grade students. To learn more about the benefits of your student taking the PSAT/NMSQT, check out this page of resources from CollegeBoard. As a reminder, the PSAT/NMSQT will be administered digitally, so please remind your student to bring their laptops fully charged on test day. Ninth and twelfth grade students should not report to be in the building on October 16 due to testing space constraints, but they will be expected to work on assignments at home. Transportation will be provided for 10th and 11th grade students like a regular school day; however, you are welcome to pick up your student after the test is finished.

Here is the last bit of information from our School Counseling department for this week about our upcoming Flex Day on Wednesday:

  • An Admissions Representative from Old Dominion University will be holding an information session for interested 11th and 12th-grade students.

  • 9th and 10th-grade students will review steps they can begin taking to prepare for life after high school with their School Counselors. This will include tips on planning for college and career exploration from the VA Opportunities Guide.

Here are the latest PTSA updates you will want to check out:

  • We’re thrilled to announce that the PTSA will be selling snacks and treats during selected Flex Days 12:50-1:50 PM this year! Be sure to bring cash, or you can pay with Apple Pay (please note that fees will be added to your purchase). Don’t miss out on these tasty treats!  First day will be Wednesday August 25.

  • Last call for teacher coffee bar donations!  We’re also in need of water flavor packets. If you have a favorite, sign up and send it in for our amazing staff to enjoy! Sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0C4AA5A923A0F49-50562450-september#/

  • The PTSA is seeking donations for our Fall Festival Raffle, one of our biggest fundraisers of the year!  If you have any connections or items to contribute, please reach out to the PTSA board at codervaptsa@gmail.com. Every donation makes a difference!

Here is another note for parents about threat assessments and safety from the Virginia Department of Education that we have been asked to pass along

  • Please share this resource with families as part of the Virginia C.A.R.E.S. for School & Campus Safety Program.

Attention Families of Students Enrolled in Brightpoint Dual Enrollment Classes:

  • Earlier this month, your students were provided an overview of expectations as a Dual Enrollment student at CodeRVA. Expectations for academic performance, attendance and withdrawal information was covered during this time. Your student was sent home with a expectations form to have signed, which can also be found in the CodeRVA Dual Enrollment Handbook. If you have any questions regarding your student’s DE classes, please contact your student’s School Counselor.

Attention all Junior and Senior families!  This information has been shared multiple times before, but we want to make sure you have marked your calendars now that we are all settled into the routine of school.

  • All 11th grade students on the Associate Degree pathway should plan to attend in person during all marking periods except for Marking Period 3 (11/18/24-1/17/25). During MP3, students should plan to work virtually on their Physics course and any additional online electives. These students should also plan to attend for two weeks during Summer 2025 to complete a Dual Enrollment computer science course.

  • All 11th grade students taking Dual Enrollment classes through J. Sargeant Reynolds that are not on the Associate Degree pathway should plan to attend in person during all marking periods. During Marking Period 3 (11/18/24-1/17/25), students will be given the option to arrive late or leave early (depending on when their Dual Enrollment classes occurred during the day) if they have transportation available. More details will be shared during the fall about this option. Students who do not arrive late or leave early during this time will be assigned to a specific location to complete work. These students should not plan to attend during the upcoming summer for any Dual Enrollment courses.

  • All 11th grade students on the Web Design pathway should plan to attend in person during all marking periods. During Marking Period 3 (11/18/24-1/17/25), students will be given the option to leave early following Rotation 3 if they have transportation available. More details will be shared during the fall about this early release option. These students should not plan to attend during the upcoming summer for any courses required for the Web Design pathway.

  • All 12th grade students not enrolled in any Dual Enrollment courses should plan to attend in person through Friday, May 30.

  • All 12th grade students on the Associate Degree pathway should plan to attend in person all marking periods through the end of Marking Period 5 (4/16/25). At the conclusion of MP5, students on the Associate Degree will have completed all requirements for their high school diploma and Associate Degree (unless they are completing a world language course during their 12th grade year). These students should not plan to attend classes after MP5 concludes.

  • All 12th grade students taking Dual Enrollment classes through J. Sargeant Reynolds that are not on the Associate Degree pathway should plan to attend in person through Friday, May 9. Following the conclusion of their Dual Enrollment courses on April 16, students will be given the option to arrive late or leave early (depending on when their Dual Enrollment classes occurred during the day) if they have transportation available. More details will be shared during the spring about this option. Students who do not arrive late or leave early during this time will be assigned to a specific location to complete work.

  • All 12th grade students on the Web Design pathway should plan to attend in person through Friday, May 9. Following the conclusion of their Web Design courses on April 16, students will be given the option to arrive at the beginning of Rotation 3 if they have transportation available. More details will be shared during the spring about the late arrival option. Students that do not arrive late or leave early during this time will be assigned to a specific location to complete work.

  • All 12th grade students not enrolled in any Dual Enrollment courses should plan to attend in person through Friday, May 9.

Here is another note for Junior and Senior families that our students have seen, but we also want to share it with parents as well:

  • In 2020, the Virginia General Assembly passed legislation that requires all Virginia public high schools to provide to any enrolled student who is of voting age or otherwise eligible to register to vote access to Virginia voter registration information and applications, or access to the Virginia online voter registration system on a school-owned computing device, and the opportunity to complete such application during the normal course of the school day. Next Tuesday in Raptor Rotation, seniors will go over the VDOE history and social science informational presentation to provide information on registering to vote. They will also have time during Raptor Rotation to complete the registration.

Here is another reminder for families of 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students who are interested in learning how to drive.  The deadline to enroll is fast approaching!

  • CodeRVA is partnering again with Virginia Driver Education and Traffic Safety (VADETS) to provide a driver education course to our students. The DMV website has all steps for obtaining a Driver’s License here. The VADETS program satisfies the classroom component of the DMV’s Step 1: “Successfully complete a state-approved driver education program.” Upon successful completion of the VADETS driver education program, families will receive a signed completion card in the mail. This card can be given to the behind the wheel instructor. Behind the wheel is offered through many home school divisions and private companies.  Unfortunately CodeRVA does not offer a behind the wheel option for students.  Please note we are often asked about the two topics below, and we have tried to provide responses.  These slides will be shared with students at CodeRVA, and it may be helpful for families to preview them in advance.

  • Obtaining a learner’s permit is separate from completing a driver education program like VADETS.  Learner’s permits can be obtained at the DMV when students turn 15 and 6 months, and CodeRVA does not have to be a part of the process.

  • The test to obtain a permit or driver’s license is not the same as the final exam students take with VADETS

  • If you are interested in signing up for VADETS Driver’s Ed with CodeRVA, please read the following information carefully.

    • Families will be responsible for a $120 payment to CodeRVA’s Online School Payment (OSP) before students are enrolled in the course. Families should only pay CodeRVA in order to register with the CodeRVA cohort. Payments can be made on OSP from August 13 to October 11. CodeRVA will reimburse families of 10th graders upon successful completion of the course by the date below.  Students in other grade levels are welcome to register for VADETS as well, but families will not be reimbursed the $120 fee.

    • Once families have paid CodeRVA, students will receive an email invite to register for the course on VADETS Canvas. The email will prompt students to answer required questions for the course and create a password to enroll in the class. Ms. Cooper will send a verification when you have successfully entered the course.

    • The CodeRVA cohort of the VADETS course will run from November 4, 2024 – March 12, 2025. There will be no extensions past March 12 for completion of this course.

    • Students must spend a minimum of 30 hours on the course prior to taking a final exam that will be proctored at school. The VADETS course includes the state law-required 90 minute Parent/Teen video and contract, online coursework, and additional assignments such as a scavenger hunt for road signs and creating a video of setting mirrors. Since this course is not administered by CodeRVA, the course will not appear in PowerSchool, on transcripts, or on CodeRVA’s Canvas.

    • Please direct questions to Emily Cooper at emily.cooper@coderva.org.

As many of your students may have shared, we are again proud to host Teacher Residents as part of our VCU x CodeRVA Lab School partnership with Virginia Commonwealth University.  These Teacher Residents (Grace Hamilton and Elina Ortiz Rivera) will work at CodeRVA one full school year in a teacher residency similar to that of a medical residency.  We are also proud to have our first ever School Leader Resident Kiana Bradford.  We believe CodeRVA’s model is so successful that training professionals entering a new phase of their career here will enrich any school they join in the future.  If you know someone who is interested in pursuing a career in teaching, they can learn more about the residency model by checking out the VCU Teacher Resident Recruitment Flyer 24-25.pdf

Last but not least today, this is just a reminder that no one, not even CodeRVA, is immune from spoofing or phishing schemes.  Please know we will never ask families to complete a document that requests personal information unless it is sent via our regular channels of communication, such as through The Raptor Rundown or a specific message from our info@ account.  If there is medical or educational information about your student that we need to share with you, it will come from a real person, such as our School Nurse or a teacher.  If you receive an email that seems suspicious but mentions CodeRVA, please do not hesitate to call us at 804-968-1820 so we can verify the sender.

That is quite enough information for one week, Raptors!  I hope you have a wonderful weekend and return ready to learn on Monday!

#WeAreCodeRVA

***24-25 CodeRVA: Raptor Scholarship Sheet

Previous Raptor Rundown Reminders

Mark your calendars now for Homecoming 2025 on October 25!  We will host this event again this year upstairs at The Park 7-9 PM.  We will share more specific details about where to enter, a guest permission form that must be completed for any non-CodeRVA attendees, and more soon.  For now, please remember that students who still owe school fees will not be able to purchase a ticket or attend the dance.  Questions about your student’s outstanding fees?  Please contact our Office Manager Mrs. LaDonna Whitehead at 804-968-1822 directly.

If you need an outfit for Homecoming, we have two great options for you.  Please contact your School Counselor or Special Education case manager to request an appointment to shop our closet of new and gently used clothing.  We would love to move some merch!