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Barack Obama Elementary

Home of the Obama Stars

AM Update

Posted Date: 08/27/26 (09:50 AM)
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Good morning, Obama Community,

Huge kudos to Principal Drye, Obama teachers and staff, and central office support teams for getting Pine Camp up and running! I saw lots of smiling kiddos this morning as a result of their efforts. 

Please see below for the latest updates. 

Facility Updates:

  • Crews completed deep cleaning on the entire top floor and half of the middle floor yesterday. Air quality testing for the top floor begins today.

  • Cleaning continues across the rest of the building today, with a target to complete all remaining spaces by Friday, followed immediately by air quality testing. Cafeteria remediation is targeted for completion on Saturday.

  • Initial testing is complete for the auditorium and basement room 104, and results show that the air quality in both spaces is at or below the air quality outside of the building. As a result, both rooms are cleared for re-occupancy. 

    • See the report attached to this update for more details.

  • Environmental controls remain active, including dehumidification, AC cooling, negative-ion scrubbers, and antibacterial fogging. Relative humidity is holding steady at 45%–58%. Continuous moisture monitoring remains ongoing.

  • In response to a community member reporting seeing bats at the Obama building, a specialized vendor conducted a thorough inspection of the attic on Wednesday. No evidence of bat droppings or nesting was found. If you have specific details regarding sightings on or around the building, please email Patrick Herrel at pherrel@rvaschools.net.

Children and adults engage in an art class, with colorful murals on the wall.

Educare Updates:

  • Educare successfully began at Pine Camp today! Thank you to BOES administrators and teachers for welcoming our scholars with smiles and open arms, and to our Academics and Wellness teams for mobilizing support!

  • Pine Camp Meals: Breakfast and lunch will be provided daily for students attending Pine Camp, courtesy of the Richmond Education Foundation.

  • Grab & Go Meals: Grab & Go meals will be available each day from 8 – 10 a.m. in front of Obama Elementary School for any BOES family. Please be prepared to share your student's name for enrollment verification.

    • Due to the abundance of meals left over from this morning, students currently at Pine Camp today will be sent home with bagged meals.

  • Transportation:

  • Bus Routes: Students should use their standard Obama bus stops (view bus routes here).

  • Neighborhood Walkers: Morning pickup is at 7:30 a.m. at Obama Elementary School.

  • Afternoon Dismissal: Buses depart Pine Camp at 2:40 p.m., dropping off walkers at Obama Elementary at 2:45 p.m. (other students return via standard route times).

  • Extended Stay: Families keeping students at Pine Camp until 5 p.m. must arrange their own transportation.

Thank you for your ongoing patience, understanding, and support as we work to safely return to the Obama building. 

With great appreciation,

Jason