Today, two Henrico teachers received the surprise news that they have been named recipients of the 2026 R.E.B. Awards for Teaching Excellence! They will receive a combined $28,200 in grants. See photos and read more below! Additionally, the second annual Heart of Henrico Awards program is now accepting nominations. Find deadlines and information about the nomination process in this newsletter. 

More in this edition: Remember to update your student's allergy and dietary restrictions, enjoy a video of students sewing coats for dogs and check out our new website.

Two Henrico teachers — Jules Irvin-Rooney of J.R. Tucker High School and Amy Harnsberger of Glen Allen High School — have been named recipients of the 2026 R.E.B. Awards for Teaching Excellence by the Community Foundation and R.E.B. Foundation. These two outstanding educators will receive major grants to pursue global experiences in their respective fields and enhance the education of the students in their classrooms.

The HCPS teachers were surprised with the award in their respective classrooms Friday morning by Superintendent Amy Cashwell, school administrators, colleagues and their families.

Irvin-Rooney, an 11th and 12th grade English teacher at Tucker High School, will receive $13,200 to first travel to New York City, where she plans to observe innovative debate curriculum at local schools and learn from the NYC Urban Debate League. She will then travel to England to study writing, argument, debate, performance and more from prestigious universities in Oxford, London and Cambridge.

Harnsberger, an art teacher at Glen Allen High School, will receive $15,000 to explore the history and cultural significance of quilting, an artform interwoven with generations of women in her family. She plans to attend QuiltCon, the largest modern quilting event in the world, in Atlanta and then travel to Scotland to research and immerse herself in a residency at a visual arts studio.

In addition to the two award recipients, three other HCPS teachers were runners-up:

DOG FASHION: In Christina Nagi's intro to fashion class at Godwin High School, students recently spent time sewing coats for dogs at James River Greyhounds.

Our new website has launched! The design is user-friendly and easy to navigate. You'll find plenty of division and school news and photos, as well as tabs and links to all your go-to pages. 

Take a few minutes to explore the sites! Contact hcpswebdev@henrico.k12.va.us or your school if you have any questions.

The School Health Advisory Board — or SHAB —  is recruiting for new members. SHAB assists the Henrico County School Board and superintendent in developing school health policy, including nutrition and physical activity standards. 

Members are needed from the Fairfield, Tuckahoe, and Varina districts. A student representative is also needed. The advisory board holds at least four public meetings annually and encourages participation by the HCPS community and general public to develop, implement and maintain wellness goals for HCPS students. 

Those interested in joining SHAB can click here to complete an application.

Other advisory committees, such as the FACE Committee and the Special Education Advisory Committee, are also hosting upcoming meetings. Find more details at https://www.henricoschools.us/page/committees-and-advisory-councils/. 

P. O. Box 23120 • 3820 Nine Mile Road, Henrico, VA 23223 • 804-652-3600 

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