4th and 5th graders had a great time out on the hill together on Friday. |
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Greetings!
Thank you to everyone for your patience and understanding as we navigate some of the greatest challenges of the COVID pandemic so far. Making sense of guidelines, supporting all of our diverse community members, finding substitute teachers, and prioritizing student wellness and learning continues to be hard, and we are able to do our best because of your support.
Happy Monday,
Nelia
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We're sorry we couldn't host our alumni and former students on campus last week, and we are so immensely grateful to Molly Moore '13 for making time in her busy schedule as a professional in public relations to create this wonderful video message. Enjoy!
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Please support 6-8th grade students at home by helping them to take ownership of their organization and study plans, recognizing that the goal of exams is to show their teachers what they know and can do, and that good habits now will help them manage this task throughout high school and further studies.
6th Grade
- Monday: Math
- Tuesday: English, Science
- Wednesday: Latin, History,
- Thursday: Spanish
7th Grade
- Monday: English
- Tuesday: Science, Latin
- Wednesday: Spanish, Math
- Thursday: History
8th Grade
- Monday: Science
- Tuesday: Spanish, Math
- Wednesday: English, World Issues
- Thursday: Latin
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LEARNING SUPPORT DUE TO COVID |
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NEW & EVOLVING COVID GUIDELINES |
There have been several changes to the state’s quarantine and isolation guidelines over the last few weeks. In order to make things easier for families (and us) to understand, here are the protocols we will be following until we receive further guidance from the state. Please note that we are generally following VT DOH and CDC guidelines in these situations, except we are asking for additional testing (which we can help provide) at the end of the isolation or quarantine period.
For students (and staff) who have tested positive and have no symptoms :
You may return to school after 5 full days if you have a negative antigen test on days four and five. To calculate the 5-day isolation period, day 0 is the day of the positive test.
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You should continue to wear a well-fitting mask for 5 additional days (day 6 through day 10) after the end of your 5-day isolation period. High-quality, KN95 type masks are suggested for these situations, not cloth masks. If you don't have KN95 masks you should consider double protection with a surgical mask and a cloth mask over it or check in the office to see if we have extra KN95’s.
For students (and staff) who have tested positive and have symptoms of illness:
- You may return to school after 5 full days if:
- you are fever-free for 24-hrs without fever-reducing medication;
- your other symptoms have resolved;
- and if you have a negative antigen test on days four and five.
(Loss of taste and smell may persist for weeks or months after recovery and need not delay the end of isolation). To calculate the 5-day isolation period, day 0 is the first day of symptoms.
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You should continue to wear a well-fitting mask for 5 additional days (day 6 through day 10) after the end of your 5-day isolation period. High-quality, KN95 type masks are suggested for these situations, not cloth masks. If you don't have KN95, you should consider double protection with a surgical mask and a cloth mask over it or check in the office to see if we have extra KN95’s.
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If you continue to have symptoms after 5 days of isolation, you should wait to end your isolation until you are symptom-free for 24 hours (no fever/no meds, no cough, etc.) and you have two negative antigen tests (24 hours apart) administered after symptoms have resolved.
- Lastly, you may return to school if 10 days have passed since your symptoms started, you are fever-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medicine, and your symptoms have markedly improved.
For students (and staff) with off-campus exposures to do the following before returning:
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Reach out to the Vermont Department of Health Contact Tracing department to establish quarantine/isolation timelines, and also…
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Take (at least) two negative antigen tests performed 24 hours apart beginning no earlier than day 4. That means the second test should be no earlier than day 5. Day 0 is the last possible day of exposure. If the exposure is in the household, Day 0 is the last day of the infected individual's isolation period (see guidelines, on or after the first full day in which you were able to completely follow the isolation protocols further down the CDC page here.
- The exposed student will need to mask universally through day 10. That includes outdoor time and means they will not eat unmasked around their classmates, but in a separate location. High-quality, KN95 type masks are suggested for these situations, not cloth masks. If you don't have KN95 masks you should consider double protection with a surgical mask and a cloth mask over it or check in the office to see if we have extra KN95’s.
For on-campus exposures, we will continue to utilize the Test To Stay program though there are pending changes to schools’ roles in testing and tracing. We’ll inform the community when we have more information about these pending changes.
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We had a great time at both Burke Mountain and the Dashney Trails last week, and look forward to going again this Friday, if the weather cooperates. Please remember to pick up x-country skiers at 3:15 and downhill skiers and riders at 3:30.
A highlight of the afternoon was having the very valuable help of older students with younger ones: 5th grader Will Andrews, 8th grader Macy Moore, and Lacy Patoine '20: thank you for sharing your time and expertise with other Riversiders!
We go skiing only in part to practice sliding on snow, but even more to practice independence and responsibility, organization and ownership, time management, problem-solving and self-advocacy, and patient leadership.
Parents at Home: Please take this opportunity to help your child develop greater independence, we'd be grateful and they would grow more if they can practice at home:
- packing and organizing their gear
- learning to put on their own boots
- telling and estimating time
- knowing after-ski pick-up/afternoon plans
Parents at Pick Up: Please help your children to be sure they say goodbye and check out with Allee (K-5th grade downstairs) or Peter (6-8th grade upstairs) when they leave (unless you've given permission for them to ski unsupervised until 4:00 directly to Nelia).
Help Needed: we need more adults to help our elementary students. If you can come for at least two dates (Jan 14, 21, 28, Feb 4, 11, Mar 4), please email Nelia and she will be in touch with further questions and orientation.
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We expect to have only four spaces for new students in the entire school next year. When contracts for re-enrollment are sent out in March, please return them to express your commitment as quickly as possible. If you are considering not re-enrolling, or know of potential applicants, please communicate with Krystal soon, even if plans or decisions are not final.
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This Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, the student council is holding a bake sale at morning break. Each item will cost a dollar. The money is going to H.O.P.E.'s Backpack Program, which supports local children with food insecurity by sending them home each weekend with a backpack full of snacks and meal items they can prepare themselves. |
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Our celebration of music and studio arts will be virtual, with images and recordings of the students efforts shared digitally. Those will be sent out to families, and will be pre-recorded, not live. So you do not need to set aside the evenings of Thursday, January 20 (PK-5th) and/or Friday, January 21 (6-8th). Thanks for understanding. |
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Beginning February 2, the cost of pizza will go up to $2/slice. |
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If your child was learning remotely and picked up materials from our porch in a milk crate, please return that crate to us on the porch. If you have any extra milk crates you can donate, we could make good use of them as we regularly prepare lots of materials for students to pick up. |
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Families in choice towns: please look for the tuition voucher forms sent out by your district in the mail and return them either to Krystal or directly as instructed on the form, ASAP. Only when that paperwork is complete will we get tuition payments from the district. |
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Today is the last day to order a discounted copy of the book through Green Mountain Books!
Nelia Rath (kindergartener Cora) and Amanda Anderson (preschooler Bodhi and 1st grader Violet) plan to lead a Parenting Book Club this winter. The book will be Hunt, Gather, Parent by Michaeleen Doucleff, and any Riverside parent is welcome to attend one or all of the meetings, whether or not they've read the book. Discussion of each of one of the three parts of the text will be the topic of each night's event. If you'd like to order a copy of the text through Green Mountain Books with a 10% discount, please email Nelia by Monday, January 10 and she will put in the full order and we will bill your school store account for your copy. The first meeting will be Monday, January 31 at 5:00 pm (with light apps), with two more dates to follow in February and March.
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"Secret Lives" by 7th grader Molly Aeberhard won 4th place in the Vermont Wildlife Art Competition! Entries were judged on a combination of composition and overall design; technical skill; creativity, uniqueness and originality; story and overall impression; and clarity related to the theme of Vermont wildlife and wildlife habitat. "We know so little of what we think we know about the natrel [sic] world that we have torn away from. The different sides of the picture for me represents two different perspectives, one in the dark and one in the light." |
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MAHJONG CLUB FOR PARENTS AND MIDDLE SCHOOLERS |
MahJong Club is paused through the month of January. We look forward to reconvening in February. |
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Chess Club will meet this Wednesday. K-2nd graders will be in Allee's room with cookies made by Laila's father Aaron; and 3-5th graders will be in Hanna's room from 3:00-3:45. 6-8th graders will meet in Hanna's room from 3:45-4:45. |
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Math Counts Club for 6-8th graders will meet this Thursday from 3:45-4:30 pm. |
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While there have been many examples of the dedication and caliber of Riverside teachers over the years, perhaps no period in the modern history of education has required so much from educators as the last two years. In support of our teachers and the creative activities and engaging programs they design, we invite you to participate in giving to our annual fund. Please consider in giving to Riverside to help us bridge the gap between tuition and expenses. It's not the size of the gift that matters but the gesture of participation.
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30 Lily Pond Road, Lyndonville, VT 05851
phone: 802.626.8552
fax: 802.626.4156
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