Dr. Jennifer Coleman, Principal
Michael Farrell, Dean of Students
Laura Faulcon, Assistant Principal
Brandon Petrosky, Assistant Principal
Marcie Terry, Assistant Principal
Michelle Wilder, Assistant Principal
Laurie Hogan, School Counseling Coordinator
Chip Boone, Director of Student Activities
Bell Schedule
Warning Bell7:14
1st E/O Period 7:20-8:15
AEP/Homeroom 8:20-8:55
Tech Center students leave at 8:25
2nd E/O Period 9:00-10:20
3rd E/O Period10:25-11:45
Lunch11:45-12:25
4th E/O Period 12:30-1:50
3 Hour Early Release Bell Schedule
Warning Bell7:14
1st Period7:20-7:50
2nd Period7:55-8:50
3 Period8:55-9:50
4 Period9:55-10:50
School Calendar
First Semester Second Semester
9/8First Day of School 2/15 Schools and Offices Closed 9/30 Three-Hour Early Release 2/24 Three Hour Early Release
10/28 Three Hour Early Release 3/25 Three Hour Early Release
10/30 End of 1st 9 Weeks 3/28-31 Spring Break
11/2Student Holiday/Parent-Teacher Conf. 4/1 Spring Break
11/3 Student Holiday/Teacher Workday 4/15 End of 3rd Nine Weeks
11/25-27 Thanksgiving Holiday 5/30 Holiday
12/21-31 Winter Break TBA Graduation
1/1Winter Break 6/11-12 Three Hour Early Release
1/18 Holiday-school closed 6/16/17 Three Hour Early Release
1/27 Three Hour Early Release 6/17 End of 4th Nine Weeks/Last
1/29 End of 2nd 9 weeks/1st Semester day for students
2/1 Student Holiday/Teacher Workday
Make-Up Time - The Superintendent determines make-up time. Jan 18 and May 30 will not be used for make-up time.
Grade Reporting Dates
ParentVUE/StudentVUE (Grades) End of Nine Weeks Report Cards Issued
9/25, 10/9, 10/23, 11/2 October 30 November 13
11/20, 12/11, 1/8, 1/22 January 29 February 12
2/19, 3/4, 3/18, 4/8 April 15 April 29
5/6, 5/20, 6/3, 6/17 June 17 June 27
The Blue Ribbon Seal of Excellence
Opened in 1994, James River High School is the first and only Chesterfield County high school to be recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence by the U.S. Secretary of Education.
Selection of Blue Ribbon Schools is based on an evaluation of written materials from the nominated schools and the reports of experienced visitors who evaluate schools. These reviewers make recommendations to the Secretary for final selection.
Schools selected for recognition have conducted a thorough self-evaluation, involving administrators, teachers, students, parents, and community representatives. The process includes assessing the school’s strengths and weaknesses and developing strategic plans for the future. James River is not only the first Chesterfield County Public School to be selected, but also achieved this recognition in May 2000, its first year of eligibility; schools must have existed for at least five years.
In 2008, James River High School was recognized by the International Center for Leadership in Education as a national model school. James River High School is annually ranked among the top public high schools in the nation by Newsweek Magazine.
School Traditions
School Colors – Forest Green, Purple, White
Nickname – Rapids
School Song – “The River”
Alma Mater – “We Are The Rapids”
Homecoming – A week, usually in October, of spirit-filled activities highlighted by the presentation of the Homecoming queen and king at the Homecoming football game on Friday night and the Homecoming dance on Saturday night.
Junior/Senior Prom – A formal dance, usually held in April or May, to which juniors and seniors and their dates are invited. The Junior Class hosts this event.
Senior Night – An activity for seniors which features entertainment, including senior superlatives, class poem, and class prophecy.
Class Day Assemblies – Recognition events for each grade, usually held on separate days in early June that highlight individual achievements.
Dean's List, Academic Awards and Letters– Different types of recognition for academic achievement: Students who have earned a cumulative weighted GPA of 4.0 or higher by the start of their senior year graduate with honors. Students who are ranked in the top 10% of their class by the start of senior year graduate with distinction.
The Rapids
Ground was broken for James River High School in May 1993, and the building, designed to accommodate 2,000 students, and was opened to students on September 6, 1994. The school and grounds encompass a 75-acre site bordering the James River, which has played an important role in the history of the Richmond area. Selected by a vote of all students who attend James River in its first year of operation, the Rapids is the nickname of the school. As a symbol of the force and power associated with nature, the Rapidsis a fitting nickname for the athletic teams. The name Rapids also reflects the school’s close proximity to the James River.
Respect, Responsibility, Honesty, Accountability
You are a person of character if you RESPECT others by treating them, as you want to be treated.
▪You can do this by being kind, caring, tolerant, appreciative of individual differences, courteous and polite, and by judging people on their merits.
▪It means you should respect the rights of individuals to make decisions about their own lives and have regard for the property of others as well as for the environment.
▪DON’T manipulate others, abuse, demean or mistreat anyone. DON’T use put downs, insults or ridicule to embarrass or hurt another person.
You are a person of character if you resolve to be RESPONSIBLEby being dependable, punctual, organized, and trustworthy.
▪You can do this by understanding that you make the choices for your actions (so make good choices) give your best effort, follow the rules, and take the time to correct mistakes.
▪It means that you should acknowledge and meet your obligations, honor your commitments, know what you have to do, and have a plan to do it. Know the difference between what you have a right to do and what is right to do.
▪DON’T look the other way when you can make a difference. DON’T quit or give up easily.
You are a person of character if you resolve to be HONESTby always being truthful and sincere.
▪You can do this by telling the truth, and by resisting social pressures to do things you know are wrong.
▪It means you should be forthright, candid, and sincere, knowing what is appropriate and necessary.
▪DON’T lie, cheat, steal; betray a trust; withhold information; be sneaky, tricky or deceptive.
You are a person of character if you resolve to be ACCOUNTABLE by accepting the consequences of your choices (not only what you do but what you don’t do).
▪You can do this by thinking how others will be affected by your actions, by exercising self-discipline, and by setting a good example for others at all times.
▪It means you should think of the long-term, plan ahead, and think about the consequences.
▪DON’T make excuses, DON’T blame others for your mistakes, and DON’T take credit for others’ achievements.
School Counseling
The mission of the Chesterfield County Public Schools’ School Counseling program is to provide high quality academic, personal/social, and career support services for all students through the collaborative efforts of students, staff, parents, and the community. Listed below are the staff members of the Counseling Department.:
School Counselors:
Mary Beall
Amy Cook
Sarah Cooke
Wallace Dietz
Laurie Hogan, Counseling Coordinator
Michele Lawrence
Julie O’Bryant
Counseling Office Support Staff:
Elizabeth Burke, Registrar
Beth Ann Sheehan, Records Secretary
Karen Brown, College & Career Center/Testing Coordinator
Services
The following school counseling services are available to all middle and high school students in Chesterfield County Public Schools:
- Academic guidance and counseling which assist students and their parents in acquiring knowledge of the curricula choices available to students, planning a program of studies, arranging and interpreting academic testing, and seeking post-secondary academic opportunities.
- Career guidance and counseling, which help students acquire information and plan action about work, apprenticeships, and post-secondary opportunities.
- Personal/social guidance and counseling which assist students in developing an understanding of themselves, resolving conflict, and defining individual goals that reflect their interests, abilities, and aptitudes.
Parents may choose to opt their child out of any or all school counseling services by sending a letter to the school principal. Parents may review any or all materials used in the school counseling program by making an appointment with the school counseling coordinator. Small group counseling or on-going, structured counseling of a personal/social nature requires written parental permission.
Resources
School and counseling services are available through the following delivery systems:
Classroom Guidance: a series of classroom lessons conducted by the school counselors in the classrooms at each grade level to include learning experiences designed to promote academic, personal/social, and career development for all students. The delivery system for classroom guidance is opt-out for Standards of Learning Objectives under the academic/educational and career domains, and E.11, M.12, S.12 of the personal/social domain.
[Note: Standards of Learning Objectives E.7-E.10, M.8-M.11 and S.8-S.11 under the personal/social domain will be available in small group counseling and individual counseling.]
Small Group Counseling: Available to students experiencing commonly shared concerns. Emphasis is upon problem solving and the development of positive attitudes and effective personal skills. The delivery system for small group counseling is opt-in for Standards of Learning Objectives at all levels.
Individual Counseling: Direct assistance to individual students. Counseling is conducted to help students learn more efficiently with emphasis on identifying concerns early before they interfere with learning. The delivery system for on-going, structured, individual counseling after students’ initial contacts is opt-in for Standards of Learning Objectives under the personal/social domain.
Parental permission is not required for short term personal/social counseling which is needed to maintain order, discipline, or a productive learning environment. School officials may permit on-going, structured, personal/social counseling for children whom they believe would benefit from such counseling but whose parents fail to respond affirmatively or negatively to documented reasonable requests for consent.
The following procedures prescribe delivery of these services:
A. Written notification, at least annually, will be sent to parents about the academic, career, and personal/social guidance and counseling programs, which are available to their children. The notification shall include the purpose and general description of the programs, information regarding ways parents may review materials to be used in guidance and counseling programs at the child’s school, and information about the procedures by which parents may limit their child’s participation in such programs.
B. School counselors are prohibited from using counselor techniques beyond the scope of the professional certification or training of counselors, including hypnosis or other psychotherapeutic techniques that are normally employed in medical or clinical settings and focus on mental illness or psychopathology.
C. Record of on-going, structured, personal/social counseling with a student shall be kept confidential and separate from students’ educational records and not disclosed to third parties without prior parental consent or as otherwise provided by law. Parents may request to review this confidential record by contacting the school counselor. The counselor will make the record available within five (5) working days.
D. At the middle and high school level, parents may elect in writing to have their child not participate (opt-out) in classroom guidance lessons.
E. Parental permission is required (opt-in) for small group counseling or on-going, structured, individual counseling in the personal/social domain following initial contacts.
Additional Resources
In addition to traditional one-on-one counseling and new student services, the School Counseling Department also offers a number of other services and programs including a career development program, College Night, College Chat Day, “Life After High School” program, orientations, student program planning, and group counseling.
Career Development and the College and Career Center
The College and Career Center (CCC) is a valuable resource available for use by students, school staff, and the community. Located in the School Counseling suite, the Center houses books, files, video materials, software programs, and services designed to help patrons reach academic and career development goals. The CCC is open from 7:30 –2:30pm daily, and the coordinator, Mrs. Karen Brown, can be reached at 794-6763.
Student Services
The special needs of James River students who are outside the typical student-teacher or student-counselor relationship may require the assistance of a number of different individuals or committees that are described below and on the following pages. Students may be referred by an administrator, counselor, parent, or friend. Contact the School Counseling Department for assistance. Other resource personnel include the School Psychologist, School Nurse, School Social Worker, and English Language Learner (ELL) Coordinator.
Child Study Team
Child Study Team enables school personnel and non school personnel, as appropriate, to meet the needs of individual students who are having difficulty in the educational setting. The committee reviews existing data to make recommendations to meet the needs of students. The Child Study Team may refer students for evaluation for Special Education.
Special Education Department
A referral process is in place that screens, tests, and places qualified students in the most appropriate program at James River for exceptional students. Questions regarding the referral of a student to determine special education eligibility should be addressed to the child study teams chaired by the Administrator for Special Education, Dallas Washburn.
Crisis Intervention
Crisis Intervention is an organized helping process in which assistance is provided by professional staff members for individuals or groups who encounter various types of crisis. A primary goal of such intervention is to help individuals acquire coping skills that will minimize emotional trauma.
Tutorial Services
The National Honor Society provides services on a limited basis to those students in need of tutorial help. Members of the National Beta Club schedule individualized tutoring sessions once a week on a first come, first served basis.. The School Counseling Department maintains lists of additional agencies, individuals, and resources for both the school and community.
Grading, Weighting of Grades
Based upon final averages, a cumulative grade point average is computed at the end of each year. Class rank, based on cumulative GPA, is obtained for each student at the end of the junior year and the final rank at the end of the senior year.
Prior to the fall of 1989, all grades in all subjects were included in the ranking of students. Beginning in the fall of 1989, a policy change allowed students to repeat a previously passed course for strength. A student’s grade point average will reflect only the higher passing grade earned when repeating a previously passed class for strengthening; however, both attempts in the class will still appear on the student’s record and the student will only receive one (1) credit for the course.
Grading Scale
The below grading scale is the revised scale that will apply to all grades commencing with the 2014-15 school year.
letter grade / range / meaning / GPA / GPA-honors ordual enrollment / GPA- AP,
IB, or Industry certification
A+ / 100-97 / excellent / 4.5 / 5.0 / 5.5
A / 96-90 / excellent / 4.0 / 4.5 / 5.0
B+ / 89-86 / very good / 3.5 / 4.0 / 4.5
B / 85-80 / very good / 3.0 / 3.5 / 4.0
C+ / 79-76 / satisfactory / 2.5 / 3.0 / 3.5
C / 75-70 / satisfactory / 2.0 / 2.5 / 3.0
D+ / 69-66 / minimum passing / 1.5 / 2.0 / 2.5
D / 65-60 / minimum passing / 1.0 / 1.5 / 2.0
F / below 60 / failing / 0.0 / 0.0 / 0.0
Report Cards
Report Cards will be issued each nine weeks. These are to be taken home, signed by a parent or guardian, and returned to school within three (3) school days. In addition, interim progress reports are available midway in each nine-week period. This interim report is an estimate and indication of the student’s progress during the first half of the nine-week period. StudentVUE will take the place of paper interim progress reports. It is also available to monitor student progress throughout the year using ParentVUE. If a parent/guardian wishes to obtain a copy of his/her child’s interim report, a call to the school counseling office is necessary.
ParentVUE/StudentVUE
ParentVUEStudentVUE are web-based programs that allow parents and students to track attendance and academic progress via computer and mobile application. These features are available at the middle and high school levels in Chesterfield County, and replace the Edline program used in previous years.
Using a confidential activation code (to be provided by the school at the beginning of the year), parents may access their individual ParentVue account at parentvue.ccpsnet.net. Using their Chesterfield County Public Schools network log-in credential, students may access their individual StudentVue account at .
The ParentVUE and StudentVUE mobile apps are available for iOS devices at the iTunes App Store and for Android at Google Play.
Teachers will make grades visible to parents and students every two weeks (see page 2).
Edmodo
As in previous years, teachers are expected to post assignments on this site. Students are required to check Edmodo pages for each of their courses throughout the year as well as completing any assigned work within.
Student communication recap:
Grades will be accessed through StudentVUE or ParentVUE
Attendance will be accessed through StudentVUE or ParentVUE
Assignments will be accessed through Edmodo
Student Records
Chesterfield County Schools maintains student scholastic records which include the name and address of students and parents; birth date of pupil; scholastic work completed; level of achievement (grades, standardized achievement test scores); attendance; health and physical fitness information, include immunizations and unusual health problems; disciplinary actions; and school registration forms.
The record may also include tentative high school program of studies plan, results of standardized group tests, employment evaluations, school and community activities, social security number, and pertinent communications between home and school.