Category Archives: schools

Trash/Recycling Pickup Tomorrow

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This Wednesday is a red Wednesday, which means trash and recycling pickup. Please make sure you pick up containers after pickup tomorrow night. They do not belong on the sidewalk after tomorrow night.

Also, look for winners of the Sierra Club Falls of the James group’s 2012 Recycling Breakthrough contest to appear at the RVA Environmental Film Festival this weekend (it’s free to attend!).

In other local recycling news, VCU continues has begun to compete in RecycleMania. From Commonwealth Times article:

Competing to collect the most trash isn’t your typical varsity sport, but VCU has entered a nationwide competition to compare collected recyclables to the national average during the RecycleMania challenge this Spring.

In a 10-week competition, VCU and an estimated 630 schools will be racing to collect the largest amount of recyclables, least amount of trash and highest recycling per capita. The competition is set up similar to basketball brackets and continues weekly elimination rounds until one school is left. This is the second year of the RecycleMania competition. Winners of the competition ultimately receive bragging rights among university rivals, but can also win a recyclable trophy: a bowling pin made to appear like a tin man for the Waste Minimization Trophy.

Stephen Heinitz, the recycling and reuse coordinator for the Department of Environmental Conservation at VCU, said RecycleMania is “a way to educate the students, faculty and staff about recycling.”

Heinitz said he is committed to educating and empowering people about their contribution to recycling. He wants to give every person at VCU the opportunity to recycle along with educating them on why it is important.

“We are an education institution and we want to give everyone the opportunity to develop good recycling habits. If you want change, then make change,” he said.

That change is already taking place. According to the VCU Department of Environmental Conservation, the university community recycled 507 tons of paper, 266 tons of cardboard, 132 tons of scrap metal, 37 tons of computers and electronics in 2009 alone.

Junior English major Angelica Kennedy thinks the programs will motivate VCU to recycle even more. “I think (RecycleMania is) a fabulous thing because hopefully it will inspire people to not only recycle when they’re out and about, but also when they’re at home.”

Continue reading →

Congratulations to Ram Bhagat

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Ram Bhagat, celebrated Open High teacher, founder of Drums No Guns and the Richmond Youth Peace Project, recently received one of this year’s Pollak Awards. (Click here for article).

Here is a an earlier profile from a Richmond Magazine article on standout teachers:

Although Ram Bhagat’s students don’t always relish their time in his demanding science classes, the Open High School teacher says “99 percent” of them like him after the classes are over. In his large classroom lined with windows, Bhagat teaches chemistry and AP environmental science.

Open High, part of the Richmond Public Schools system, has always taken an expansive approach to education, allowing students to follow their interests and learn subjects in creative ways. So, when Bhagat’s students study how water molecules behave, they may invent a dance or go to the James River. A teacher for 27 years, Bhagat is a Virginia State University graduate who grew up in New Haven, Conn. In college, Bhagat says, he became engaged in learning, particularly about microbiology, his major. The teachers there were “very inspirational by the way that they taught and cared.”

VCU Officials Predict 5.5% Tuition Increase Next Year

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In the Nov. 26th issue of the VCU Commonwealth Times, there’s an article on page 5, written by Assistant New Editor Liz Butterfield, entitled “Officials predict rise in tuition, expenditures.”
I cannot find the same article online yet.

Excerpt:

Hanson’s office has predicted around a 5.5 percent increase to in-state tuition for undergraduates next year with no foreseen budget cuts and an emphasis on hiring new faculty. This could mean an increase of about $430 for in-state, full-time students if the increase is proposed and the Board of Visitors approved it.

Recent Criminal Activity Near W. Cary Street

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Fan of the Fan community news site reports that:

The VCU text alert system reported an armed robbery on the 900 block of Franklin tonight at 7:47PM. Less than an hour later (8:39PM), the same system reported another armed robbery near Laurel and Cary Street.

Times Dispatch also reported on the crimes and had some additional information:

In addition, three attempted robberies were reported – one at 8 p.m. at Grace and Foushee streets; the second at 8:30 p.m. at Laurel and Cary streets, and the third also at about 8:30 at Cary and Belvidere streets, VCU police said.

During the same time frame, a report of a man brandishing a firearm was reported at 8 p.m. at First and Grace streets.

Police said the victims were approached by an armed black male who demanded money.

The suspect was described as black, about 5 feet 8 inches tall and wearing a gray hoodie and baseball cap with his face covered. He was also wearing pajama pants with chili peppers on them, police said.

VCU police said the same suspect may have been involved in all of the incidents.

Also from the article:

(VCU President)

Rao said he was scheduled to meet later today with Richmond Police Chief Bryan Norwood and Wednesday with Richmond Mayor Dwight Jones to discuss the string of crimes that occurred Monday night on or adjacent to the Monroe Park campus.

“I will emphasize my concern for the continued need for a strong partnership between VCU and the city to prevent crime and protect the more than 50,000 students, faculty and staff who live and work on and near our campuses,” Rao said.

Also, an earlier Richmond police crime report listed the following from last week:

4th Precinct
THEFT FROM MOTOR VEHICLE
10/5/12 10:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
South Cherry and West Cary streets
An unknown person(s) entered the vehicle and stole several items.

Plan for Paint the Town Green This Saturday

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This Saturday from 8:30 am to 1 pm is VCU’s Paint the Town Green event. More information from Richmond.com calendar listing:

We will meet up at Monroe Park at 8:30AM on 10/13/12 for a free breakfast. This event will satisfy any community service hours needed as long as you sign in. We will group up and head to the pick up sites at 9AM and should finish at 1PM where we will return to Monroe park for a party.

We plan to clean up Jackson Ward, The Fan, Oregon Hill, Randolph, Carver, and maybe Mosby Court

Please wear a green shirt. Children are welcome if they are accompanied by a parent.

Contact:

Paintthetowngreenvcu at gmail.com

This is something that Oregon Hill neighbors have joined in the past and will do so again for the benefit of the whole neighborhood. Please consider doing this and then, perhaps, enjoying the Richmond Folk Festival.

Trash/Recycling Pickup Tomorrow

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This Wednesday is a red Wednesday, which means trash and recycling pickup. Please make sure you pick up containers after pickup tomorrow night. They do not belong on the sidewalk after tomorrow night.

As for recycling news, which local universities have their recycling game on? Sadly, according to the website, only two Virginia schools are participating in the Game Day Challenge: UVA and VMI. Where’s VCU, VSU, U of R, and VUU?

And don’t forget the Sierra Club Falls of the James’ Recycling Breakthrough Contest. The group is sponsoring a contest for Richmond Area Elementary and Secondary Schools. The goal is to foster greater recycling participation throughout the Richmond metropolitan area. First prize is $1,000! For more information, please click here.

School Board Candidate Forum

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From the flyer:

Richmond School Board Candidate Forum

This November, elections will decide who will represent you. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear the candidate’s vision for education.

September 20th 7:00 PM
VCU Student Commons Theater 907 Floyd Ave
(Between Main and Floyd at Cherry)
moderator Dr. Kim Allen

Sponsored By
L Douglas Wilder School of Government in partnership with
A Philip Randolph Institute – Richmond Alliance for Progressive Values – Coalition to Stop Gun Violence – People of Faith for Equality – RePHRAME – Richmond NOW – Sierra Club – Fall of the James Southerner on New Ground S.O.N.G. – Unite Women-Va – Virginia Organizing – Virginia New Majority – Central Virginia Chapter

For more information roland.winston@gmail.com

St. Andrew’s School and The Amazing Raise

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Another fundraising contest.

From the St. Andrew’s School FaceBook page:

Help turn $50 into $20,000 for St. Andrew’s School! The Amazing Raise is a 36-hour online give-a-thon that will take place from 6:00 a.m. Wednesday, September 19, 2012 until 6:00 p.m., Thursday, September 20, 2012. Your donation of $50 or more through giverichmond.org during this time will enter St. Andrew’s School into grand prize drawings for bonus incentives of up to $20,000 from The Community Foundation! The more unique donors who give a gift of $50 or more to our School, the greater the chance of us winning a grand prize of $20,000.