MONDAY MEMO
Jasmine and Lacey enjoyed the sunshine together at lunchtime today.
Greetings!

Here is this week's Memo, our penultimate one of the 17-18 school year. Everything you need to know about the last two weeks of school is here.

Happy Monday!
Nelia
NOTES
ELEMENTARY PLAY
Congratulations to the preschool through 5th grade on a wonderful performance this past Tuesday! All of the classes worked hard preparing lines, songs, acting, dance, sets, props, and costumes to bring the story to life on stage. The performance was also the culminating event for the 4th quarter middle school band, featuring Aurora Gilbert and James Lamontagne on several instruments apiece. A huge thank you to the families who brought in props, the teachers who supported their students by working on lines and supervising the backstage areas, and to Jenna Heinrich and Tricia Bunnell for organizing and transporting all of the necessary materials for the show between Riverside and the college.
DAY CAMP AT RIVERSIDE
Due to low enrollment numbers, we have decided to cancel the 2nd and 3rd weeks of camp that we had planned. We will still be running Dance and International Cooking Camp, June 11-15. If you're child is interested in participating that week, please be in touch with Nelia as soon as possible.
FORKS
Once again our supply of flatware for students to borrow has been depleted of all its forks. Please look through your drawers at home and send in any that you are willing to donate. Please remember to pack the utensils students may need along with their lunches.
5TH GRADE CRAFT SHOP FOR HOPE, HONEY BEES, AND MAASAI CHILDREN
Joy's 5th graders have been knitting all year. After Joy taught them how to keep their hands busy with something productive, they have made yarn products to sell on Wednesdays and Fridays at pick-up time. Proceeds will go to support their interests: HOPE, Honey Bees, and Maasai children from the village in Kenya that the Aeberhard family knows well.
SUPPORTING IMPOVERISHED NEK YOUTH
The 8th grade World Issues class investigated youth poverty as a relevant local issue and has designed a related service learning project. They want to collect —
  • for HOPE’s Backpack Program: snacks or meals that a child could prepare without adult help (cereal; pb&j; juice boxes; dry, canned or boxed soups; canned spaghetti-os or raviolis; canned fruit or vegetables; boxed milk; bread; packaged snacks; canned tuna or chicken)
  • for NEKYS Transitional Living Program (which served 42 homeless teenagers in southern Caledonia County in 2017); winter outerwear, new socks
Please put donations in the kitchen at Riverside by Thursday midday. One of the impactful lessons they learned from hearing personal stories of poverty in class was how important the personal message of “hope” is to those who’ve been impacted by poverty. So the students will also be composing creative, individual messages to accompany each donation.
EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
You should have received an email message directly from Nelia last week with a link to a survey about communication from Riverside. We know that effective communication is essential to maintaining our supportive community and we strive to do our best in that regard. We would really appreciate a few minutes of your time with this communications survey, to let us know how well we’re doing.  In particular we’re curious to know about how the new format of the Monday Memo is working for you. Please follow   this link  to complete the survey .
GIRLS WHO CODE
Here is the link to the site that the Riverside Girls Who Code built . It includes a story about a polar bear and two games highlighting the issue with ocean pollution. We are so impressed with the work the club put in to this issue and learning how to code the website! The site is best viewed with Firefox as the story and games require use of flash.
PE TESTING
Publicly funded 4th and 7th graders will be completing physical testing on Thursday afternoon to measure their aerobic capacity, abdominal strength and endurance, upper body strength and endurance, and flexibility. We are glad to be collaborating with staff at the Thaddeus Stevens school to accomplish this task and will be taking all 4th and 7th graders to the LI campus to do so. Mr. G and Erin will accompany the group to help facilitate activities. If any parents are available on Thursday afternoon to help with carpooling, please let Nelia know.
MIDDLE SCHOOL EXAM SCHEDULE
6-8th graders will be taking semester exams next week. Please help them to organize their plans and materials and to decide priorities this week. High priority subjects should be reviewed beginning this week, so that as questions and confusing topics arise students can meet with teachers.
6th Grade
  • Tuesday: Latin, English
  • Wednesday: Spanish, History
  • Thursday: Math, Science
7th Grade
  • Tuesday: English, Science
  • Wednesday: History Project due, Spanish
  • Thursday: Math, Latin
8th Grade
  • Tuesday: World Issues, Latin
  • Wednesday: Spanish, Science
  • Thursday: Math, English
STUDENT COUNCIL SUMMER BASH
This Friday, May 25 Student Council will host a PreK-8th Grade Summer Bash. It will be from 5:30-7:00 and afterwards there will be a 5-8th grade dance from 7:00-9:15. At 5:30 Student Council plans to host a barbeque with hot dogs, hamburgers, veggie burgers, and drinks. If you would like to lend your grill or volunteer to be a griller please contact Peter or Krystal by email.
LARP-ING AT RIVERSIDE
Elijah Clarke ’16 (brother of Oak) will be hosting a Live Action Role Playing event at Riverside this Saturday, May 26 from 10:00-2:00 for students of all ages. Anyone interested or having questions should contact Elijah at  elijahsundio@gmail.com .
LAST DAY OF SCHOOL: "HEAD FOR A DAY"
Riverside's last Friday of school - June 1 - is a fun combination of annual traditions and unique activities planned by our "Head for a Day" raffle winner, Henry Griffin.
  • Bike to School: We encourage students to bike to school on our last day! Often groups from a particular area will organize to meet together and bike all or a portion of their commute with some adult help. A follow car for safety and extra gear is often part of the strategy. Start planning with your Riverside neighbors now. For people in the Burke area: anyone who wants to meet Mr. G at the Inn at Mountain View on Darling Hill at 7:00 that morning is welcome. For Kirby riders: anyone who wants to meet at 7:00 that morning (either Daffinruds or Larsens, TBD) is welcome. Late arrivals via bicycle are not counted as tardy.
  • Talent Show: Students who would like to perform in a talent show are asked to review and/or audition their plans with Peter this week. The performances will begin at 12:45 pm and parents are encouraged to attend.
  • Water "Fight": The last activity of the day will be an optional water "fight" on the soccer field, beginning at 2:15. Students should bring a towel and a suit or wet clothes. Be prepared for students to be wet when you arrive to pick them up. Changing clothes is difficult in those last few minutes, it might be better to have some tarps/towels in your car depending on your plans.
  • Dismissal Times: The usual 3:00 for K-5th and 3:30 for 6-8th.
  • After School Program: Please let us know if your child will need After School care on the last day of school as we expect very few and want to plan accordingly. If a student will be staying, they should have dry clothes to change into.
GRADUATION
Please mark your calendars for June 2, our graduation is a year-end celebration for all PreK-8 th grade students and an official school day.  We encourage all parents to attend because we will be recognizing many students of different grade levels and the community potluck lunch afterwards is a fun way to end the year together. Students should arrive by 9:45 and report directly to the Yurt, dressed nicely as they would for a music concert.
  • We ask that 7th grade parents to help keep the potluck organized, please let your PAG parent Alan Giese know if you can help with set up or clean up. 
  • Potluck assignments: We ask all families to bring a salad or main course dish to share. Please remember a serving utensil and mark all your personal items with your name. Please also plan to list the ingredients, we will have markers and cards available if necessary. Riverside will be providing drinks and a cake.
KARATE
The final Karate classes of the year will be on Wednesday and Thursday this week from 3:45-5:00. There will be no Karate during the final week of school.
MOUNTAIN BIKING CLUB
Mountain Bike Club will meet this Friday to ride the trails. Students need to be at the Kingdom Cycling and Experiences Center on Darling Hill 4:00-5:30 pm. We appreciate parent volunteers to be with the group each week to assist in organizing the kids; if you can help please let Westerly know.
TEAM RIVERSIDE AT RELAY-FOR-LIFE
Would you like to sponsor our team, The Riverside Herons? There are a few ways that you can do that. There is a money drop bucket located in Krystal’s office . We are also selling luminaria bags for $5 each, which are meant to be decorated in honor of someone who has battled cancer and will be lit and on display around the track from 9:00-10:00 pm, "to remember those we have lost, celebrate cancer survivors, and to show those affected by cancer that they are not alone." You can also donate on-line and find more information on how to support this event visit our team website . You are welcome to join us and the other 32 teams for a walk around the track any time from June 16, noon to midnight.
SUMMER OPPORTUNITIES
CALENDAR
LESSON PLANS
30 Lily Pond Road, Lyndonville, VT 05851
phone: 802.626.8552
fax: 802.626.4156
Stay Connected