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

September 5, 2025

Sep 18, 2025 | Raptor Rundown

Good afternoon, CodeRVA Families-

We’ve got another busy edition for you this week!  Let’s get going!

First, we’ve got our first Flex Day coming up on September 17!  For our new Raptor families, Flex Day is when we have all the fun activities most schools host after school, but because of our students’ long bus rides, we actually stop instruction all day 1 or 2 Wednesdays a month, and we have a variety of activities occur.  In the morning students will attend meetings with their School Counselors, Special Education Case Managers (as applicable), and receive extra reading support (as applicable).  After Raptor Rotation, students choose 3 activities to attend.  They can go to 3 different activities or stay in the same one if it is offered more than once.  Students will have access to sign up for activities through their Raptor Rotation Canvas slides.  One special new activity I would like to highlight is a new partnership we have with the Pauley Heart Center, which is part of VCU Health.  This link will tell you more, but if your student is interested in a medical career, I strongly encourage them to consider signing up for this activity before the spaces fill up!

Flex Days are also an opportunity for our Raptor family members to volunteer if they are available.  We have 3 activities we could use another adult or two for.  You will be matched with a CodeRVA staff member who will supervise the activity, but having another adult presence would be very helpful.  Below are the timeframes for each Flex period so you know if it fits in your schedule or not.  You are welcome to stay for the duration of the activity or just come for one portion.  You will have to sign in through our background screening process, and you should dress for the activity and the weather if you are joining our basketball crew (although you don’t have to play or be any good if you do play).  If you join Dungeons & Dragons you do not need to dress in character, nor do you need to know anything about what they are doing.  You’re just there in case any actual dragons show up.  For Card Games, that activity is pretty self-explanatory and sedentary.  Interested in volunteering?  Please email our Flex Day Coordinator Mr. Jernigan at zachary.jernigan@coderva.org.

Volunteers Needed For:

Flex 1: 12:48 – 1:28 PM

  • Card Games

  • Basketball

Flex 2: 1:32 – 2:12 PM

  • Card Games

  • Basketball

  • Dungeons & Dragons

Flex 3: 2:16 – 2:56 PM

  • Card Games

  • Basketball

  • Dungeons & Dragons

Related, we also have several students asking to start a Robotics Club.  We do not have enough staff with expertise to cover this activity, so if you could commit to coming most of our Flex Days, please let me know at kume.goranson@coderva.org so I can discuss specifics with you.  Here are all the Flex Day dates for 2025-26:

  • 9/17, 10/08, 10/29, 11/19, 12/10, 1/07, 1/28, 2/25, 3/25, 4/15, 5/20

Here is an update our 9th and 10th grade families have been waiting for!  YMCA access!  We are so grateful to the YMCA of Greater Richmond for once again giving us a free student membership for each of our 9th and 10th grade students enrolled in Health/Physical Education 9 or 10.  (Unfortunately there are no memberships available for 11th or 12th grade students since they do not take these classes.)  Check out this: CodeRVA YMCA Activation Guide 2025-26.docx to sign up if you are interested.

Attention all CodeRVA Families!  It’s almost School Picture Day!  Please see the message below, and assist us in making this a positive experience for your student by preparing them to remove any headcoverings except those worn for religious reasons.  If you feel your student needs an exception to this request, please contact Dr. Harmon at rebecca.harmon@coderva.org. Thank you!

  • Strawbridge will be at CodeRVA to take school portraits on Thursday, September 18. All underclass students (grades 9 – 11) will take pictures during Rotation 1, Rotation 2, or Raptor Rotation. These pictures are for use in our Yearbook, and students will also receive a student ID with their school picture. Senior portrait makeups will occur on Thursday, October 23. Complete information on Senior pictures can be found here. To order underclass school photos, check out the flyer from Strawbridge here. To subscribe to notifications from Strawbridge on underclass school portraits, including emails letting you know when pictures are ready to order as well as promotional deals and discounts on your child’s pictures, fill out the form here.

Attention all Chesterfield County families!

Here is an important update about free mental health services available for families whose students are zoned for Chesterfield County Public Schools.

Last but not least, as if the construction on Rhoadmiller Street was not enough for your nerves, please note one of our neighbors, Tool Bank, is having an event on Friday, September 12 that will limit our normal traffic pattern. You will not be able to pick up your student by using the parking lot that goes alongside I-95.  Please use the main gate for picking up your student on Friday September 12.

That is for today, Raptors!  We’ve got a couple of warm days ahead and then I think we get to go back to autumn for a bit.  Have a fun and safe weekend, and we’ll see you Monday!

#WeAreCodeRVA

***25-26 CodeRVA: Raptor Scholarship Sheet

Need a transcript?  Create a self-service Parchment account here: Ordering a Transcript from Parchment

Previous Raptor Rundown Reminders

Save the Date for our annual Back to School Night!  

  • September 16, 2025; 6-7:30 PM

  • We will not have printed schedules available.  We encourage families to take a picture of their student’s schedule on Canvas or write down their courses.  Use your student’s schedule to visit classes in any order you choose.

  • Dr. Harmon, Ms. Heath (our new Testing Coordinator), Mr. Winn, and Mrs. C. Whitaker will be in Room 116 to answer any School Counseling or JSRCC DE-related questions.

  • Mr. Jones, Ms. S. Dowe, Mr. Hilterbrant, Ms. Mitchell, Ms. L. Dowe and Mr. A. Whitaker will be in the 400s to answer any questions related to Raptor Rotation, Special Education, or the Internship.

  • Teachers will be waiting in classrooms to receive families.  There will not be a formal presentation.  This event is just a chance for you to meet your student’s teacher.

  • The PTSA will have a membership table in the 100s.

  • Families who have questions about HPE9, HPE10 or EPF can watch those asynchronous teachers’ videos.

  • Dual Enrollment teachers who are on CodeRVA’s staff (Jernigan, Samuels, Wenberg) will record videos, but JSRCC DE teachers will not.  They will also not be present on Back to School Night.

  • You will be provided with this handout when you enter.

  • Families can access Back to School Night recordings using this link starting on 9.19.25.

Want to join the PTSA?  Click here to donate and/or join: https://coderva.givebacks.com/shop

Please remember you can see their real time grade at any time by asking them to open up Canvas.  We will send printed paper report cards home with students at the end of Marking Period 1 and each subsequent marking period except for MP6 when we will mail them.  This is a change from previous practice.  In the past we mailed home report cards, but cutting back on postage costs is part of our budget for future years.  We will remind you when we send home your student’s paper report card, and we will rely on them to deliver it to you.

Here is a message we don’t want you to miss!

  • 2026 Yearbook Orders!  Order your 2026 yearbook online now at yearbookordercenter.com (school code: 17686). 

  • Yearbooks are $30.

  • All orders will be distributed to students at CodeRVA in May.

  • Seniors only! While ordering your yearbook online at yearbookordercenter.com (school code: 17686), families and friends can design a Senior Pride Ad. Personalize your ad with your favorite photos and an encouraging message to your graduate.

  • Please direct questions to scott.ludlow@coderva.org

Attention all Families of the Class of 2026!  For those students who may be interested in an early release or late arrival option as a Senior, check out this form.  We have excerpted the information from the form below so you know whether or not you even need to click it.

  • Seniors in good academic standing (which includes being on track for graduation) have the option to request an early release or late arrival if their schedule allows.

  • Students considering this option should discuss possible implications for college admissions and Virginia High School League (VHSL) eligibility with their School Counselor prior to reducing their schedule.  If your family is interested in removing courses not required for graduation and leaving early or arriving late on a daily basis, please complete this form.  Please note the requirements below.

    • Students may not drop more than two courses.

    • Students may submit this form at any time, but no requests will be granted until the end of Marking Period 1 when the student has demonstrated good academic standing.

    • Students must have their own reliable transportation to receive approval to leave early/arrive late.

    • This option can be revoked by administration at any time, especially if the student is no longer in good academic standing.

    • Students may not choose to stay at school unless given permission by administration.

  • Upon approval, your School Counselor will contact you to discuss your student’s revised schedule.

  • Once families select this option, students must follow their revised schedule and leave on a daily basis at the scheduled time or arrive on a daily basis at the scheduled time.

Here is our CodeRVA Student Code of Conduct 2025-26 BOARD APPROVED FINAL VERSION.pdf for your reference.  We encourage all families to review this information if they are new to CodeRVA.  For returning families, there were no major changes.

If your student is planning to drive to school, please note families will need to complete this form.  (We will also have paper copies available in the main office if needed.)  No students may drive to school without a completed form, and there is no parking fee associated with this form.  Even if a student has a completed form on file from last year, we must have a new form completed for this school year.  As a reminder, CodeRVA students should park their vehicles in the parking lot at CodeRVA only. Students should not park at FeedMore or at any other restricted locations as they may be towed and CodeRVA will not be held responsible for any vehicles that are towed from the areas surrounding our school.

Did you know we have our own CodeRVA Clothes Closet filled with new and gently used casual, professional, and semi-formal items?  With autumn and Homecoming just around the corner you may want to browse!  If so, please contact your School Counselor!