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FRIDAY FOCUS
Welcome to
Friday Focus
, our weekly e-newsletter from Head of School Marcia Mackay.
We're rallying around school communities hard hit by Hurricane Harvey by organizing "Raider Relief," a
school-wide fundraising initiative to collect Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Visa gift cards for specific schools we are taking under our wing. Please consider helping our Texas and Louisiana neighbors by making a donation or working with a campus organization to sponsor a "Raider Relief" fundraiser.
 What:
Raider Relief is a school-wide campaign coordinated by Runnels School and the RPO (Runnels Parents Organization) for schools recovering from floodwaters brought on by Hurricane Harvey. Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Visa gift cards will be collected.
Why:
In August of last year,
Runnels School
sustained massive damage during the Great Flood of 2016, with some buildings taking on more than four feet of water. Our recovery would not have been possible without the generous support we received from people and organizations from both near and far. With grateful hearts, our school community is eager to lend a helping hand to our neighbors as they recover from Hurricane Harvey flooding.
When:
The plan is to begin collecting cash and gift cards during September and October with the possibility of extending our support in other ways during the second semester of the school year.
Who:
Raider Relief will support schools in Texas and southwestern Louisiana that suffered significant damage due to flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey.
Two schools have been identified as needing support and have accepted our offer of help:
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Vidor Independent School District in Vidor, TX (outside of Orange)
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Community Christian School in Orange, TX
How:
Student and parent groups at all levels on both Runnels campuses are encouraged to participate by sponsoring and coordinating
some form of fundraiser during September and October with the goal of purchasing gift cards to be sent to schools in Texas and southwestern Louisiana (car washes, bake sales, merchandise sales, etc.). Events already planned are:
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Used Book Sale - A portion of the proceeds to go toward Raider Relief
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RPO Cane's Night - All proceeds to go toward Raider Relief (sometime in Sept.)
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RPO Fall Fling - All proceeds to go toward Raider Relief (Oct. 27)
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Contribute today! Collection jars for Raider Relief will be located in all school offices beginning Monday, September 11. Please send Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Visa Gift cards to school with your student!
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For more information: admissions@runnels.org.
In focus this week: 2018 National Merit Semifinalists and Commended Students; Reading Fingerprints; "2017 Runnels Raiders Ever Forward" Annual Giving Campaign Kicks Off; Touchdown School; Notable Events; Friendly Reminders and Sports.
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| Runnels seniors recognized by the 2018 National Merit Program are, from left, Semifinalist Sam Matthews, Semifinalist Isabelle McCall, Commended Student Austin Stansbury, Commended Student Garrett Miller, Commended Student Parker Rhinehart, Semifinalist Kaylen Howe and Semifinalist Alex Matthews. |
National Merit Program Honors 7 from Runnels
Runnels High School seniors Kaylen Howe, Isabelle McCall, Alex Matthews and Sam Matthews have been named Semifinalists in the 2018 National Merit Scholarship Program and seniors Garrett Miller, Parker Rhinehart and Austin Stansbury have qualified as Commended Students. This is the largest number of Runnels students recognized by the program in a given year.
Semifinalists have the opportunity to remain in the competition for approximately 7,500 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $32 million to be offered next spring. Though Commended Students do not remain in the program, they receive Letters of Commendation in recognition of their outstanding academic promise and may become candidates for special scholarships sponsored by corporations of businesses.
Approximately 1.6 million high school juniors entered the 2018 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. Only 16,000 entrants qualified to be Semifinalists. This represents less than one percent of U.S. high school students. Semifinalists include the highest scoring students in each state.
Alex, Sam and Parker have been at Runnels since preschool, Austin came on board in kindergarten, and Kaylen and Isabelle joined us as 6th graders. Garrett attended Runnels as a preschooler and kindergartner, left for a while and rejoined us in the 4th grade.
Congratulations to these exceptional students and their families!
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Mrs. Garrett works with 1st-grade science student Macy Grace to transfer a fingerprint to the surface of a glass tumbler.
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Reading Fingerprints
The whorl, arch and loop patterns that help make fingerprints unique were the topic of study in Mrs. Garrett's 1st-grade science classes this week. Students took their own prints using an ink pad (washable ink) and a glass. Once the fingerprint was transferred onto the glass, a piece of clear tape was pressed over it. Students gently lifted the tape off, revealing a fingerprint on the tape. They stuck the tape on an index card so they could examine the print with a magnifying glass. Mrs. Garrett helped them "classify" their fingerprints as having whorl, arch or loop patterns. They also learned how to make drawings of bees, sharks and other animals from their fingerprints.
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2017 Annual Giving Campaign Set To Kick Off
Our 2017 Annual Giving Campaign, "Runnels Raiders Ever Forward" gets underway next week and runs through Oct. 15. As with most independent schools, tuition does not cover
 the full cost of a Runnels education. The Annual Giving Campaign provides the additional funds needed to cover the actual operating costs of our school as well as adding innovative programs in the areas of academics, athletics and the arts. When you receive your invitation to support this appeal in the mail, please consider making a gift to our school. Since
Runnels is a 501(C)(3) tax exempt organization, your donation is tax deductible. Your gift will help ensure that your children and generations of students to come can enjoy the margin of excellence that has come to define a Runnels education.
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| Flanking the Touchdown School banner in the elementary playground are lower elementary students Jacob Fisher, Lauren Wheeler, Lauren Ly and Ethan Ly. |
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Touchdown School
For the second year in a row, Runnels Elementary has been declared a Touchdown School by the "Fuel Up and Play 60" program sponsored by the National Football League (NFL) and the National Dairy Council.
Runnels meets the requirements for this recognition by providing 60 minutes of physical activity for students every day.
Fitness starts early at Runnels. Kindergarten students have two daily recesses of 30 minutes each and a Fitness class. Lower elementary students enjoy two recess periods and a P.E. class each day.
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It's Showtime!
Performances of The Unsinkable Molly Brown are Friday, Sept. 8 and Saturday, Sept. 9 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 10 at 2 p.m., in the Gladys Hague Runnels Theatre. Advance tickets are $12 and $15 at the door. (Online ticket sales close 12 hours before each performance.)
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Late Summer Harvest
At the preschool, Ms. Shasta and some members of the 2s class harvest beans they planted themselves.
Also at the preschool this week, students who signed up for the extracurricular Spanish Class began their study of the language. The 3s learned how to say their names and the 2s had a colorful and engaging lesson on how "the rat likes cheese."
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Hello, Chromebooks
Students in Ms. Stelly's 2nd-grade reading class got acquainted with their Chromebooks this week. They logged in, learned how to bookmark a website for future reference and explored the ins and outs of taking Accelerated Reader quizzes on the devices.
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| Join us this weekend in the Gladys Hague Runnels Theatre as our Alumni, Students and Friends Summer Theatre Series presents The Unsinkable Molly Brown! Click here for details. |
In this week's album: Preschool fun, 2nd-Grade Science Time Experiment, Physical Science Aviation Activity, 1st-Grade Fingerprinting, 5th-Grade Math, and Candids.
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Friendly Reminders
September 8-10:
The Unsinkable Molly Brown - Sept. 8 and 9 at 7:00 p.m. and Sept. 10 at 2:00 p.m., Gladys Hague Runnels Theatre. (
Online ticket sales close 12 hours prior to each show. Tickets will be available at the door.)
September 10-15:
Annual Library Used Book Sale - Sunday, September 10, 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 in the Elementary Library and 12:00-2:00 p.m. in the Andy Mack Memorial Library in Novak Hall; Monday, September 11 - Friday, September 15, 8:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. in the Elementary Library and the Andy Mack Memorial Library.
Proceeds from the sale will go to the Houston Food Bank, the Texas Diaper Bank and the Runnels Library Programs. Pet food donations will be donated to animal shelters in regions affected by the hurricane.
September 15:
Kindergarten Open House -
Friday, September 15. Parents will gather in the Gladys Hague Runnels Theatre starting at 8:30 a.m. and then will join their children in the kindergarten classrooms.
(This is for kindergarten students and their parents.)
September 18:
RPO General Meeting
(for parents of students in grades 1-12), Elementary Drama Room, 7:00 p.m. Learn about the RPO, meet our RPO board members and grade coordinators and discover volunteer opportunities. It's a great way to get involved at Runnels!
September 24:
Kindergarten Sneak-Peek for Runnels Pre-Kindergarten Students and Parents - 1:00 - 3:30 p.m. in the Kindergarten Classrooms and Playground, Runnels main campus. Current Pre-Kindergartners and their families are invited to participate in organized activities and experience a trimmed down day in Kindergarten at Runnels. For more information: Admissions Director Sarah Haase, admissions@runnels.org.
 September 27:
Elementary Picture Day (Grades K-6) - 8:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m., Theatre
October 4:
Preschool Picture Day - 8:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m., Preschool Activity Building
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ATHLETIC CORNER
Calling All 7th-12th Grade Girls:
The girls basketball teams are seeking additional players to complete their rosters. Please consider signing up for an action-packed season. If interested, contact Athletic Director Tookie Johnson at
r.johnson@runnels.org
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VARSITY SPORTS
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Runners Ann Fink, Micah Roper, AnnaClaire Courville and Kaylen Howe at the W. Feliciana Relays.
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CROSS COUNTRY
The Running Raiders made a great showing at the West Feliciana Relays as they kicked off the season last weekend. Our high school girls team -- Kaylen Howe, Ann Fink, Micah Roper and AnnaClaire Courville -- captured the top finish for the day with a 3rd-place time of 46:45.
The junior high girls team, Aidan Dooley, Ashleigh Cooper, Emma Felton, Alyssa Oubre and Mira Badawi, won the relay baton contest! These Running Raiders rocked with a bedazzled 'R' baton created by Emma Felton. The high school boys team finished 7th with a time of 38:16, and the junior high boys finished 9th with a time of 36:47.
VOLLEYBALL
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Lady Raiders meet mid-game to discuss strategy. (Photo by Hannah Barback, grade 11.) |
The volleyball team played a tough match against Plaquemine High in the Catalano Gym Tuesday. The Lady Raiders won the first set and had some very close scores the last three. Junior Rachel Wehbe had three kills and five blocks, senior Natalie Justus scored three aces and five digs, and freshman player Karli Herbert ended the game with two aces and six assists.
JUNIOR HIGH SPORTS
BOYS BASKETBALL
The Runnels 6th grade boys basketball team celebrated a win against Holden, 22-15, in a preseason developmental game.
---- FAN PHOTO OP! ----
Show us your Raider Spirit by sending in your fan photos to be included in our Weekly Photo Album or featured in the
Friday Focus
.
Email photos to n.latiolais@runnels.org. Please include the date and location of the event and the students pictured.
Go Raiders!
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17255 South Harrell's Ferry Road
Baton Rouge, LA 70816
225-751-2192 |
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PRESCHOOL THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL
