Riverside School PTA Newsletter |
Friday, October 1st, 2021 |
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FITNESS WEEK AT RIVERSIDE STARTS MONDAY
Fitness Week is happening next week, October 4-8, coinciding with National Walk to School Day on Wednesday, October 6. Students can participate by walking, running, biking, skateboarding or scooting to school (BONUS: leaving the car at home is green, too!).
Fitness Week participants can click here to keep track of their daily activities and submit their form at the end of the week for a chance to win prizes AND extra recess. Parents can get involved, too, by using our very own Peloton hashtag! Take part by adding the #RivHawksRide hashtag to your Peloton profile (visit the Wellness page for specific rides) or using the hashtag when you post to any of your social media channels. Let’s get physical!
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HALLOWEEN, BOOT & COAT DRIVE IS NEXT WEEK
Thinking about Halloween costumes? Need new boots and coats? Want to pass along old costumes, boots and coats? Riverside's Halloween, Boot & Coat Drive will run from October 4-8. Donation bins will be outside the front of the school each day from 8:30-9am and 2:30-3pm. Please consider donating your clean, gently used items. An off-site front porch drop off is also available at 32 Hendrie Avenue.
Collected items will be on display and available for ALL families and staff FOR FREE on Thursday October 14 from 8:30-9am and 2:30-3pm by the front doors (rain date: October 15). Unclaimed costumes, boots and coats will be donated.
Interested in helping with the costume, boot and coat drive? Volunteers are needed October 4-8 for the drop-off and pick-up of bins, and to help with display tables on October 14. Be on the lookout for volunteer sign ups via Membership Toolkit or email riversidegreencommittee@gmail.com.
REDUCE, REUSE & RECYCLE!
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HURRICANE IDA FOOD & NECESSITIES DRIVE: OCT 13-15
The Community Service Committee is partnering with the Carver Center in Port Chester, NY in providing food and necessities for their hard hit community. Requested items: Unopened, unexpired and non-perishable canned and boxed foods, baby food and formula, diapers, wipes, personal hygiene products and full-sized toiletries.
Donations can be made throughout the day in bins on a table in front of the school. PTA volunteers will be there to assist with unloading items from your vehicle between 8:30-8:45am and 2:45-3:00pm each day. Thank you in advance for supporting disadvantaged families who have been impacted by Hurricane Ida flooding.
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BUY YOUR FALL FUNDRAISER TICKETS TODAY!
Fall Fundraiser tickets are now on sale! Join us to Celebrate our Village in a private indoor/outdoor event space at The Village in Stamford on Saturday, October 23 from 7-10pm. Buy your tickets today! All attendees will be asked to submit proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test prior to the event. Details to follow.
Auction items are largely sourced from within our Riverside community, and they often include vacation homes, tickets to sporting events, wine, gift certificates, cooking classes and so much more! If you have an item of experience to donate to the auction, please contact Megan Sullivan.
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INTERESTED IN DIVERSITY AT OUR SCHOOLS?
There’s a committee for that! Greenwich PTA Council (the umbrella organization comprised of the fifteen GPS PTAs) has created a new committee focused on working with the school district to raise awareness of the need for diversity, equity and inclusion in policies and regulations.
We currently have someone representing Riverside on this committee, and we are looking to recruit one more parent volunteer. While we do not expect it to be a large time commitment, we are seeking someone who is passionate about this topic while also being pragmatic about the types of initiatives that would be effective for our school community. If you are interested, please email riversideschoolpta@gmail.com.
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ONLINE APPAREL STORE IS NOW OPEN
Whether you're a returning Red Hawk or new to the nest, you can support Riverside School by showing your school spirit! Our online apparel store is open for business and stocked with lots of great new items, including tees, shorts, sweatshirts, ROPES shirts, water bottles and more. Go to RIVPTA.ORG to shop spirit wear now! Orders placed by noon on Thursdays can be picked up between 7am-7pm on Fridays at 41 Owenoke Way.
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DON'T FORGET TO JOIN THE PTA!
If you haven't yet updated your RIVPTA.ORG profile, go to RIVPTA.ORG and follow the steps provided to update/enter your information, including each child's teacher. Once your directory information is up to date, be sure to join the PTA to gain unlimited access to the directory.
The PTA relies on the generosity of Riverside School families via our annual Membership Drive. Funds raised go towards student enrichment programs, classroom and building needs, as well as teacher support. We do aim for 100% participation in our Membership Drive.
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HAVE YOU SIGNED UP FOR SAFETY DUTY YET?
In addition to making sure everyone is familiar with the drop-off/pick-up “Rules of the Road”, Safety Duty is an important part of keeping our children safe at Riverside School. Volunteers make the morning drop-off process more efficient and secure. Volunteers assist from 8:30-8:45am daily and must wear a mask at all times during a shift. Sign up online. For more info, contact Brielle Goldfaden at brielleg@gmail.com.
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DON'T FORGET ABOUT OUR EARLY MORNING PROGRAM
The Early Morning Program provides a fun, familiar place for students to go before school starts from 7:15-8:30am. You may enroll your child for a semester or pay by the day on an as-needed basis. Please visit the Early Morning Program page for more information and to register your child.
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MARK YOUR CALENDARS: PARENT ZOOMS WITH MR. WEISS AND MS. KEY
You can enjoy this year’s parent coffees from the comfort of your own home, via Zoom! Mr. Weiss and Ms. Key will share information about Riverside School and will leave time to answer questions from parents. You will receive your grade-specific Zoom link from your class parents soon.
Grades K-2: Wednesday, October 13 at 9am
Grades 3-5: Wednesday, October 20 at 9am
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ORDERING LUNCH
PLEASE NOTE: School lunches continue to be FREE this school year. All orders MUST be submitted at least TWO full school days in advance (and up to five days in advance). Orders entered for same day lunch may not be seen, and cafeteria staff don't want students missing out. Please visit the Lunch Page on rivpta.org for information on submitting lunch orders and a link to the school's order form.
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FAMILY MEMBERS WHO ARE COVID TESTING
As a reminder, GPS is asking that students stay home if a member of their immediate family is being tested due to exposure or symptoms. It will limit teachers and students from possible exposures, causing individuals to be quarantined. Quarantining is a great safety measure, but it can be disruptive for staff and families. We understand we have many families who regularly test as a proactive measure; staying home while awaiting results of proactive, regular testing is not necessary.
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SCHOOL DISMISSAL MANAGER (SDM): ACTION REQUIRED
We are using School Dismissal Manager again this year. It is an online tool that will notify the school when anything needs to be changed in your child's attendance or dismissal plan for a particular day. Please login to School Dismissal Manager to manage your child(ren)'s attendance and dismissal information by going to the SDM website. For more specific details, please reference the communication from Riverside School sent on Wednesday, September 1.
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2021 BOARD OF EDUCATION CANDIDATE DEBATE ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 19
This year is a municipal election year in Greenwich! This year’s race includes five candidates running to fill four (two Democrat + two Republican) open Board of Education seats. See the candidates as they debate critical issues on Tuesday, October 19 from 7-8:30pm via Zoom. Register for free. For additional information on the candidates, please see LWV's Greenwich 2021 Voters Guide (BOE candidate info begins on page 22).
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CHECK OUT THE DISTRICT’S NEW CURRICULUM PAGES
The district recently unveiled the first phase of its GPS website redesign, which included updates and improvements to curriculum overview pages that make them more user-friendly for parents. Watch this brief video (less than 3 minutes) from Tara Fogel, the district’s program coordinator for K-8 Science, to get an overview of the changes that were made and how you can access curriculum information organized by grade or by subject area.
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GREENWICH PUBLIC SCHOOLS BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETINGS
Board of Education meetings are easier to attend now that they be viewed on Zoom--stay informed! Here is a list of 2021-2022 academic year Greenwich Board of Education meetings. Information on how to access the meetings can be found on the GPS Accessing Virtual BOE Meetings page. All meetings start at 7:00pm unless otherwise noted.
- Thursday, October 21, 2021
- Thursday, November 4, 2021 (Budget)
- Thursday, November 17, 2021
- Thursday, December 2, 2021 (Budget)
- Thursday, December 16, 2021
- Thursday, January 20, 2022
- Thursday, February 3, 2022 (Retreat, no public comment)
- Thursday, February 24, 2022
- Thursday, March 24, 2022
- Thursday, April 28, 2022
- Thursday, May 19, 2022
- Thursday, June 2, 2022 (Retreat, no public comment)
- Thursday, June 16, 2022
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GPS WEEKLY DISTRICT DIGEST
Subscribe to receive the Greenwich Public Schools weekly "District Digest" e-newsletter directly to your email inbox.
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Jackson's SOCKTOBER Sock Drive
Three years ago, 11-year-old Riverside Alumnus, Jackson Bogardus, was inspired by the local charity, The Undies Project (a charity that provides underwear to our low-income neighbors) and decided to start a local sock drive, “SOCKTOBER”, for the month of October. Jackson feels this is especially important as we approach the colder months. He also learned that socks are one of the items most needed in homeless shelters so he is collecting new socks for both adults and children and donating them to local shelters. 94 million people in the United States live in or near poverty. That's almost 1 out of every 3.
Jackson's SOCKTOBER donation bins can be found throughout Greenwich, including Riverside School, and at his house. Please help Jackson reach his goal of collecting 2000 pairs of socks to help those in need this winter and spread the word about SOCKTOBER. Please call (203) 273-0511 if you have any questions or would like to learn more about Jackson's SOCKTOBER Sock Drive.
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Celebrate the Fall at Old Greenwich School's Pumpkin Patch on October 16
It's that time of year again! Pumpkin Patch is OGS's annual fall celebration and community event. There will be games for all ages, a hay-bale maze, food and, of course, lots of pumpkins. To learn more about the event click here. Masks will be required.
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It’s Election Season! Resources from Greenwich League of Women Voters
Greenwich League of Women Voters provides the Greenwich community with essential information on the who, how and where to vote on Tuesday, November 2. Learn about registering to vote in Greenwich and view LWV’s 2021 Greenwich Voters Guide which includes candidate information.
In addition to the Board of Education Candidate Debate mentioned in District News, you can also view the First Selectman & Selectman Debate on Tuesday, October 12 at 7pm (register here) and the Board of Estimate & Taxation Debate on Wednesday, October 27 at 7pm (register here).
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Greenwich Land Trust Fundraiser: Drive-In Movie Tonight and Tomorrow
Looking for a fun family activity to usher in October and support a great cause? Come over to the Greenwich Polo Fields for Greenwich Land Trust’s Go Wild on Friday, October 1 and Saturday, October 2. This year GLT will host two nights of drive-in movies. There will also be a raffle with fantastic prizes. All tickets include snacks, drinks, and gift bags for everyone in the car. If you can’t attend, but want to support GLT and the community, purchase a ticket that will be donated to a local first responder. Click the link for tickets and more information.
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Join Cub Scout Pack 23!
Cub Scout Pack 23 welcomes all Riverside School boys and girls to join in on the excitement and adventure that Cub Scouts has to offer! Just ask one of our 75 Pack 23 scouts about the fun, hands-on learning experiences they participate in like camping, hiking, fishing, archery, and bouldering. Pack 23 scouts also learn important life skills like emergency preparedness and wilderness survival. Don’t miss out on your opportunity to be a part of it! Apply to become a member of Pack 23 here.
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COVID Resources from the School |
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IN-SCHOOL COVID-19 SYMPTOM PROTOCOL
The Nurse’s Office has received many questions about how the school is making decisions about when the school is sending students home. Extra precautions are being taken in order to do our best to keep students in school. Unfortunately, there will be many students sent home this year even though they may have normally been allowed to stay in school and we hope all families will be understanding.
Greenwich Public Schools COVID Symptom Protocol:
- If a student exhibits 1 low risk symptom (fever of 100.4 or greater, congestion/runny nose, nausea/vomiting/diarrhea, sore throat, headache, muscle aches) and has had no exposure to a COVID-19 positive person, the student may return to school 24 hours after symptom resolution (without medication for fevers)
- If a student exhibits 2 or more low risk symptoms (see above) or has 1 high-risk symptom (new cough, difficulty breathing, loss of taste/smell) AND has had no exposure to a COVID-19 positive person, the student must be seen by a healthcare provider.
- If the student has a negative PCR swab test for COVID, the student may return to school 24 hours after symptom resolution (without medication for fevers).
- If the student has lab testing and evaluation, or an alternative diagnosis, the student may return to school 24 hours after symptom resolution (without medication for fevers).
- If a student has a positive PCR swab test for COVID, the student may return to school after 24 hours without fever (without medication) AND symptoms improving AND approval of local health department (10-14 days); AND release by the primary care provider will be required
- If a student is exposed to a COVID positive person, the student may return to school 14 days after last contact unless symptoms develop. If symptoms develop, the student must obtain a swab.
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SUBMISSIONS
Have something to add? Email us at: peekweekriv@gmail.com Deadline for submissions is 3pm on Wednesday of the school week
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