6th graders Amelie and Trixie worked together on a translation in Latin class today.
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Greetings!
Here is this week's Monday Memo. Teachers are working hard in their classrooms to catch up on missed time and prepare for more than a week of vacation ahead. Please support them by asking students about their learning and their homework assignments this week, or checking in with teachers about any gaps in expectations.
Happy Monday,
Nelia
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GIVE TO RIVERSIDE'S MISSION
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We are so grateful for those who have donated to Riverside's mission. We are a non-profit organization that relies on annual giving to help bridge the gap between tuition income and program expenses.
But even more than meeting the budget goal, we are and would be proud to announce impressive percentages of participation.
Please help us do so by making a gift of any size, if you have not already. So far, here is where we stand in percentage of participation for each group, for FY 2018-2019:
- Riverside Staff = 32% (national average for independent schools* = 94%)
- Trustees = 75% (National Average = 100%)
- Parents = 23% (National Average = 66% )
- Grandparents = 27% (National Average = 13% )**
- Alumni = 3% (National Average = 9.5% )
*from National Association of Independent Schools, Data and Analysis for School Leadership, 2019
**
Thank you, Grandparents!
We appreciate your participation so much. You really make Riverside stand out among independent schools when you show your support for us with a gift.
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Please
send in any box tops you can this week
so that Amanda Killam (2nd grader Micah), our volunteer parent counter, can organize them during vacation and submit them before the end of the month.
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One of the culminating experiences for our 8th graders is their 20-minute presentation of an issue that matters to them in morning assembly. It's the culmination of research, critical thinking, and careful preparation in public speaking. We encourage parents to attend if your schedules allow, especially 8th grade parents who want to support and show interest in their children's peers. This week:
- Thursday morning Michaela Kane, about the prison industry.
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Peter is organizing our annual spelling bee in conjunction with the Scripps National Bee for this Wednesday, February 20 in Assembly. Interested students should sign up with him in advance; parents are welcome to attend.
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MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRESS REPORTS
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6-8th grade advisors will be sharing progress reports with students on Thursday afternoon. This is the first report of the second semester. Please review comments carefully with students, and communicate with teachers as needed.
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DOWNHILL SKIING/SNOWBOARDING
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We will not be skiing/snowboarding at all on Friday because of the holiday week at the resort and our own plans for Winter Carnival and an early dismissal at 12:30.
More details about Friday are below.
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As always before a vacation week, students will engage in a festival experience for the half day on Friday.
PreK-8th graders will partake in Winter Carnival
, a tournament of activities and competitions between Houses. The schedule is as follows, parents are welcome to join us for any part of the day.
8:00 - House Spirit-Building Assembly
8:30 - PreK-8 Relay Race and Paper Bag Game in the Barn
9:45 - Break with Hot Cocoa
10:00 - PreK-8 Ice Cube Hunt on the Soccer Field
10:15 - PreK-3 Snowman Challenge, Egg & Spoon Race on Lower Field
4-8 Fort Building Challenge, Egg Toss on Upper Field
11:15 - Tug of War in 3 divisions (PreK, K-3, 4-8)
11:30 - Awards
11:45 - Lunch
12:15 - K-3 Clean Out Hallways Completely, 4-8 Straighten Cubbies
12:30 - Dismissal
The After School Program will run from 12:30-5:00.
Please let us know in advance if you plan for your child to attend
so that we can prepare appropriate snacks and activities.
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SERVICE LEARNING FOR AREA ANIMALS
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One of the Destination Imagination teams is working on a collaborative service project to support the Lyndon Dog Pound. Cindy Cady who runs the pound actually needs a lot of
help getting rid of unwanted donations, and so the students would like to help her sell them
for funds that she could better use to help care for the animals.
If you or someone you know would be willing to make a donation in exchange for food bowls or animal crates
, please
email Mel Finn
.
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Mrs. Toney is excited to start a new after school club for players of the game Catan.
“Picture yourself in the era of discoveries: after a long voyage of great deprivation, your ships have finally reached the coast of an uncharted island. Its name shall be Catan! But you are not the only discoverer. Other fearless seafarers have also landed on the shores of Catan; the race to settle the island has begun!” (www.catan.com) Come join us and learn to build, settle, and trade in the game of Catan. Test your luck and build your strategy.
The Club is open to students in grades 4 and up. It will happen on Monday afternoons in March and April. Please
email Mrs. Toney
if you plan to join. We are looking for 3-4 students per game. Also, if anyone has the game that they would like to let us borrow, we would be very appreciative!
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This has been exciting winter for weather, for sure, and we may have more delays or full snow days coming. Should that happen again, we recommend that parents check in with students and their planners about classwork that need extra attention.
Extra snow-day time could be well spent on missing assignments, long term projects, or classes that need extra effort.
Teachers are often available by email at firstname.lastname@theriversideschool.org.
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AGES & STAGES COFFEE HOUSE
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Inspired by parent suggestions that we continue to offer opportunities for parents to discuss issues of teaching, learning, and parenting, and in particular questions about developmentally appropriate strategies, Michelle has planned the following coffee house event for Tuesday, March 12 at 5:30 pm, open to Riverside families:
Ages & Stages: a conversation with parents and professionals about what to do when.
Special guests will include:
- Dr. Amanda Van Straten is a neurologist practicing at NVRH. She has a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from Florida State University. She completed her medical degree at the University of Oklahoma where she also completed a four-year residency in neurology. She completed additional training in neurophysiology at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center.
- Scott Fournier LCMHC (Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor) has worked with children, teens and families for over 20 years. He works with issues of depression, anxiety, trauma, family issues and spectrum disorders. He uses mindfulness, cognitive behavioral and internal family systems techniques and therapy dogs.
- Sheryl Cole, psychotherapist, specializes in family health and the importance of structure and boundaries for young people at home.
There will be time to discuss topics like personal technology, building confidence and trust, generational changes in parenting, rules and chores at home, executive functioning, or sports trauma in small group conversation, as well as brief presentations from each guest.
We look forward to seeing lots of Riverside parents there!
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The cast has begun rehearsing our middle school play:
Footloose!
Note that
lines should be memorized by Thursday, March 7
. All 6-8th graders have also chosen their production elective (Sets & Props with Nathan, Publicity with Nelia, Costumes with Jenna Heinrich and Tricia Bunnell) where great work is already underway.
The students in the props elective have asked:
Our performances of
Footloose
will be here before we know it and we need help collecting props if you have any of the following and would be willing to donate or
lend them to us we would greatly appreciate it: 1) a bible, 2:) a metal whistle.
We may update this list moving forward, please keep an eye on the Monday Memo!
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RACE BACK TO SCHOOL INFORMATIONAL EVENING
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Our parent organizing committee for the 2nd Annual Race Back to School (August 18) is already hard at work reflecting on the inaugural year, setting goals for 2019, and delegating leadership roles to other willing parents. The event is a walk-run-bike-athon for youth, families, and visitors to the Kingdom Trails.
A major goal for this year is to increase participation among other area schools and youth development organizations.
To further that effort, we will host an informational event in the Barn on March 19 at 5:00 pm for members of such groups to learn more about how they can participate in the Race Back to School and raise money themselves. Please help us out by sharing this event with anyone you know who works with young people and would appreciate a fundraising opportunity.
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Are you interested in supporting Riverside's marketing and development efforts? The Advancement Committee of the Board, led by Mel Reis, is getting a reboot and we are looking for volunteers who have an interest in promoting the school and fundraising. If this appeals to you or you would like to learn more, please reach out to Mel Reis, Chair of the Advancement Committee at (802) 745-8136 or email
email Mel
hope to hold our first meeting in February. Thank you for your consideration.
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Japanese Club meets again today from 3:45-4:30. This will be the last meeting of Japanese club.
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Robotics Club will meet today from 3:45-5:00.
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Chess Club will meet tomorrow, Tuesday, from 3:45-4:45. The next, and last, meeting will be Tuesday, March 19.
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5-8: Wednesday, 3:45-5:00
K-4: Thursday, 3:45-4:45
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Latin Club will meet Thursday from 3:45-4:45.
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Mel-Lilias-Rick's Team: this Wednesday 3:15-4:15 (See note above about project efforts.)
Courtney-Alison's Team: Thursday 4:00-5:00
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Registration is Live
for this year's 48 Hour Student Film Slam, April 26th - 28th, taking place in St. Johnsbury, VT. This event is FREE and open to Middle School, High School and College teams - with or without previous film making experience. Middle School and High School teams can opt to sign up for workshops designed to provide the skills necessary for a successful weekend, and are able to borrow a production kit and use an editing station during the event, as well!
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30 Lily Pond Road, Lyndonville, VT 05851
phone: 802.626.8552
fax: 802.626.4156
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