Danville Public Schools

Danville school's teachers visit families' homes

Beth Boothe, left, a third-grade teacher at Cannon Elementary School in Danville, greets Jashawn Tools, one of her students, at his house on Friday morning. More than a dozen Cannon staffers walked the neighborhoods surrounding the school to greet students and their families and get them excited about the upcoming school year, which starts on Aug. 22.

DANVILLE — When 8-year-old Jashawn Tools answered a knock at his front door early Friday morning, he was surprised to see his teacher, Mrs. Boothe.

Had the new school year already started?

Did he forget to do his homework? he wondered, scratching his head.

Jashawn, who will be a third-grader at Cannon Elementary School this year, was relieved, then delighted, to learn that Beth Boothe and other staffers stopped by simply to say, "hello," and welcome him back to school, which starts in a couple of weeks.

"I thought that was so nice," said Ambra Forthenberry, Jashawn's mom, who had a chance to chat with Boothe and Principal Kimberly Pabst for a few minutes. "For them to go around the neighborhood and talk to families, it shows you they really care."

Most students Danville public schools, including Cannon, will attend a partial day on August 22, and their first full day on August 23.

Last year, the inclusion of Cannon fluctuated between 295 and 315, and Pabst expects a similar number this year.

She says that teachers are eager to return to school and prepare for their classes. They were also willing to participate in the activity of welcome, which is new this year.

Wearing yellow tie or blue tinted Cannon T-shirts, more than a dozen staff members broke into groups and spread themselves in the surrounding neighborhoods, stopping at more than 100 homes. They talked to students about their summer break and to parents about registration next week and other matters. They also passed out small magnetic calendars highlighting the first day of school, days when students are released early or don't have to attend and the tentative last day.

"We want to get everyone pumped up for school," said Pabst, who planned to drive later in the day to the homes of students who live further away.

Melissa Cortapassi, the school's data and instructional facilitator, said she was encouraged to try the activity after reading about it in an educational magazine.

"I thought this would be a fun way for us to meet our families and for them to get to know us," Cortapassi said, adding that might encourage more parent involvement. "When the parents are more involved, the kids are going to be more successful.

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The Danville Public School district is located on the Dan River in the south-central Piedmont region of Virginia.  The North Carolina state line forms the city’s southern boundary and Pittsylvania County surrounds the remaining sides.  Danville is located 143 miles southwest of the state capital in Richmond; 80 miles southeast of Roanoke; and 45 miles north of Greensboro, North Carolina.

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