September 10, 2021
NO SCHOOL Thursday, September 16 - Yom Kippur
Happy Friday Huskies!

It has been another amazing week on our campus. Some highlights from my classroom visits have been:
  • Hearing Ms. Matuchkniak’s seventh-grade students check in with a good memory around enjoying reading. 
  • Seeing Mr. Holloway’s drawing while he explained the symbolism in The Scarlet Letter.
  • Watching Ms. Oduro’s and Coach Mo’s class bring nouns to life as they sorted them and moved around their classroom.
  • Engaging in some fortune fish hypothesizing with Ms.Ngo’s biology class.
  • Observing Mr. Jackson’s 3-D design class building cardboard sculptures.
  • Playing games with Ms. Rubin’s Spanish class.
  • Witnessing Ms. Chen’s Mandarin class laugh as they played a game and spoke only in Mandarin.
  • Listening to Ms. Rudolph’s AP Art History class use their five senses to describe masks.
  • Enjoying visiting all of our classes in session! We have amazing teachers and students!

In addition to all the wonderful things happening in the classroom, we broke ground on two state-of-the-art beach volleyball courts. Thanks to the Colich family for their generous donation to build these courts on our campus!

I am also really looking forward to upcoming grade level mixers (list schedule below), designed to allow you to get to know other families in your student’s grade, meet your student’s advisor, learn about Outdoor Education plans, be introduced to your Grade-Level Parent, and have an opportunity to ask questions and learn more about getting involved with the Husky community.


Go Huskies!


Amy Hollinger
She/Her/Hers
Head of Schools


Pictured Above: On Wednesday, we broke ground on our new beach volleyball courts on campus! This project was made possible by the enormous generosity of John and Janine Colich and their business Colich and Sons. We were fortunate to have the Colich family, our head of schools, our trustees, media, and our new beach volleyball coach, Anna Collier, present to mark the occasion. We can’t wait for our first games on the courts to see them in action! Go Huskies!
RHP and Ren: Grade Level Mixers
Join Amy Hollinger, our administrative team, and advisors and come to our 2021-2022 grade level mixers. These are virtual events that cover grade-specific information and topics like Outdoor Education. Zoom invites for these events will be sent an hour before they begin.

Mixer Dates
Listed Chronologically

10th Grade Class Mixer - Tuesday, September 14 | 6:00-7:00 PM
12th Grade Class Mixer - Wednesday, September 22 | 6:00-7:00 PM
5th & 6th Grade Class Mixer - Monday, September 27 | 6:00-7:00 PM
7th Grade Class Mixer - Monday, September 27 | 7:00-8:00 PM
9th Grade Class Mixer - Tuesday, September 28 | 6:00-7:00 PM
11th Grade Class Mixer - Wednesday, September 29 | 6:00-7:00 PM
8th Grade Class Mixer - Thursday, September 30 | 6:00-7:00 PM
Tuesday Parent Coffee - September 14 | 8:30 AM
Thank you to everyone who attended the COVID Coffee with Amy Hollinger on August 31! We deeply appreciate your questions and comments as we address our community's safety throughout the 2021-2022 school year. A recording of the session is now available and you may click the button below to access it on Youtube.
Parent Coffee with Amy
Tuesday, September 14 | 8:30 AM
Hosted Virtually on Zoom

Each Tuesday, our Head of Schools, Amy Hollinger, hosts a recurring parent coffee session to address various topics relating to our schools, programs, and the safety of our students.

No RSVP is required for these parent coffees, but we will provide a question form each week in the Friday Letter to allow families to ask questions in advance. Click the button below to ask questions for next week's session.
2021 Arts Invitational
Things To Know - Read this section every week!
Policy Regarding All Student Absences and COVID Exposure Guideline Updates: We have published our policy and processes for excused student absences and we have updated our COVID Exposure Guidelines. You may find both policies on our Announcements and Events Details Page by clicking the button below.
After School Program Begins 9/14 - Signups Still Available: After School Program (ASP) begins Tuesday, September 14 and it runs from 3:30 PM - 5:00 PM on campus and it will occur every Tuesday and Thursday at those times. There will be no ASP next Thursday due to Yom Kippur.
 
RHP students may still sign up for ASP by filling out the form linked below. Your tuition account will be billed for the services.
 
For Renaissance upper school students, ASP is already included in the tuition. For Renaissance middle school students, there is a separate fee structure, please contact Tanya Henderson at THenderson@RollingHillsPrep.org
Family Association - Volunteer Signups: Calling all volunteers! There are many opportunities to get involved with the Family Association at Rolling Hills Prep, Renaissance and REACH Schools. The Family Association works in partnership with the Schools to support our mission, and all parents and guardians are automatically a member. Even though parents are not physically on campus at this time due to COVID, there are many ways to connect and get involved. We welcome and encourage you to attend meetings and participate in whatever capacity works for you and your schedule. Volunteering is a great way to get to know the Husky community and your involvement in our events and activities, no matter how much time you are able to give, is greatly appreciated. Please let us know your area of interest by completing the volunteer form below.
The first Family Association meeting of the school year will take place Wednesday, October 13 at 5 pm on Zoom. An invite will be sent an hour before the event starts. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Sue Mathews at SMathews@RollingHillsPrep.org.
Purchase your yearbook and ads today - Early bird pricing ends 12/18: Don't forget to purchase your yearbook and yearbook ads from Balfour, the company that handles our printing. Books cost $90 until December 18 and prices will increase after that date. Additionally, you may purchase class rings and other items from their website.

Seniors - your yearbook is included in your Senior Package!
PE Uniforms - Extension: September 30 Order Deadline: New PE uniforms are here! All items can be ordered online and be delivered directly to your home via the One Stone Apparel link provided below.
 
The required attire will be shorts and a t-shirt, but there are also additional purchase options for Husky sweats, long-sleeved shirts, hoodies, and sweatshirts. The option to purchase PE attire will be available throughout the school year.

We understand that there is a delivery delay with our vendor and students are encouraged to bring shorts and a t-shirt for PE class until they arrive.
Service Learning: While students are not required to complete service-learning hours for the 2021-2022 school year, we still encourage them to participate in activities in which they can help others. Our service-learning webpage will be updated with events as they become available, and students should contact Rachel Rubin (rrubin@rollinghillsprep.org) if they find additional events that interest them.
Advisory and Grade Level Announcements
Weekly advisor letters are taking a different route this year and will be presented in the form of grade-level announcements in the Friday Letter each week. Please click the buttons below to see the general advisory update document and grade level updates.
Counseling and Wellness Corner
As the nation comes to a pause and memories of 9/11 fill our screens, our newspapers and our magazines, it is important to share stories, reflect and talk with our children about our own values and emotions surrounding this tragedy. The world was watching the devastation 20 years ago, and on this very important commemoration, it provides us the opportunity as parents to lean into discomfort and speak from the heart. Whether you were at home watching the news on the morning of 9/11 or whether you were impacted more directly by the loss of loved ones, family members or friends who had died on this day; this moment perhaps gives another chance for our hearts to open, become vulnerable and be present in a meaningful conversation with our children. 

This year, September 11 falls between Rosh Hashanah, the celebration of the Jewish new year, which marks the beginning of a 10-day period of introspection, and ends with Yom Kippur, the day of atonement. While there are many happenings in the world at this moment on the news and in our own towns, 9/11 falls in the middle of the two “High Holy Days” in the Jewish religion and that in itself gives pause for this moment in history. L’shanah Tovah to all who celebrate. In my own reflections, I happened upon a beautiful sentiment that I share with you:

May the sun
bring you new energy by day
May the moon
softly restore you by night
May the rain
wash away your worries
May the breeze
blow new strength into your being
May you walk
gently through the world and know
its beauty all the days of your life

-Apache Blessing-
Christina Morse
Director of Counseling and Wellness
Rolling Hills Preparatory and Renaissance School | RollingHillsPrep.org | RenaissanceSAS.org