3rd graders Ari and Alex helped to remove a section of old fencing from the area they like to play when they came to help with đź’šRiverside Clean Up Day on Saturday. |
Hello {First Name},
We have so much to celebrate from this past week, and so much to look forward to in the final month of school! Enjoy reading all about it.
Happy Monday,
Nelia
|
|
|
SUCCESSFUL SELF STUDY PROCESS |
We really enjoyed hosting the Visiting Team last week to culminate our self study work. Thank you to all those who served on and led committees, and those who volunteered to make our hosting process easier by organizing meals, setting up our welcome event, and preparing gift bags. Thank you also to the parents who came to meet with the team and share your experiences as Riverside parents. We will get an official letter about our accreditation status later this summer, and anticipate that we will be celebrated for our attention to our mission and the positive experience students have at Riverside, while being encouraged to attend to our strategic planning and goals we already have in mind related to curriculum alignment and professional development for teachers.
As a summary of their observations, the Visiting Team said this: From the moment one enters The Riverside School campus, it is clear that everyone at the school lives the mission. Riverside has stayed true to its pioneering roots while evolving with the times. One of the founders of the school told the Program Visiting Team that the school is better now than it ever has been. His sense of pride was universally echoed. Faculty have a shared commitment to providing an enriching, personalized social and academic experience for their students. The administration is hands-on, collaborative, and they lead by example. All adults on campus go above and beyond their job descriptions out of love and belief in their work. Parents are actively engaged and contribute in myriad ways. Students are comfortable, curious, engaged, and creative. The Visiting Team believes that while external pressures on the school will continue to evolve, The Riverside School may view this moment as a time to reassess what the school might look like moving forward and potentially serve a broader population of students in the Northeast Kingdom.
|
|
đź’šRIVERSIDE CLEAN UP DAY |
Thanks to everyone who joined us Saturday morning and put some energy in to gardening, cleaning, repairing, and organizing. We accomplished so much with your helpful hands! It was particularly fun to see students take ownership of projects they care about: washing windows, organizing the microwave room, scrubbing boot trays, and more. We are so proud of our supportive community.
There are some jobs remaining (see picture). If you were not able to attend and would like to take something on on your own time, please stop in at drop off or pick up and visit the bulletin board with Nelia or Krystal to choose a job, learn where supplies are, and estimate when you will do it.
|
|
14 members of the Latin Club went to the New Hampshire Junior Classical League State Forum at The St. Pauls School in Concord on Sunday and participated in a variety of ways: costumes, skits, chariot races, gladiatorial combat, academic contests, lectures, workshops, and more. All had a great time, and the group garnered enough points for their participation to bring home the plaque for best overall school.
|
|
ANNUAL STATE STANDARDIZED TESTING |
Most 6-8th graders have completed their testing in ELA and mathematics; 8th graders are taking a science test this week. Some who were absent or need additional time on any subject area will be continuing to work during non-academic periods this week.
3-5th graders will not begin this week, instead focusing their energy on preparing for their Biography Fair Wax Museum event on Friday (more below on that). They will begin standardized testing next Monday, May 15.
|
|
Don't forget that it's tick season in our part of the world, and our students are outside often: exploring the woods and tall grass, or sitting in short grass. We encourage students to check for ticks when they come inside, and hope that you will do full checks at home when changing clothes for bedtime. |
|
The Parent Advisory Group will host its last meeting of the school year on Tuesday evening at 5:00 in the kitchen. Dinner will be provided. All parents are welcome to attend. The agenda will include fundraising, end of year events, informal communication with teachers, and goal setting for next year. |
|
Please remember to pick up K-2nd graders at the back door of the SJA pool at 3:30 for the last time, this Thursday, May 11.
|
|
The weather looks to be great, we hope to see you this Saturday, May 13 at 3:00 pm in the cedars for this super fun super raffle super fundraiser! There will be yummy food and live music, and you are welcome to bring your own beverage of choice. You might also want to bring your own chair(s). The drawing is exciting because there are numerous prizes awarded throughout, and it's the last three tickets drawn that win the cash prizes of $250, $750, and $1500!
Help Needed: we still need help from parents or older students who can assist with set up and clean up, email Claudia and Tonia if you can lend a hand.
|
|
May is the season of culminating Spring Field Trip experiences for most of our students!
K-2nd Grade
These classes are going to The Montshire Museum on Wednesday, May 24. If you can help drive and chaperone please email Deandra.
3rd Grade
The class will be going to the Fairbanks Museum on Tuesday, May 9. Parents should plan to drop off and pick up students there, read details in the 3rd Grade Lesson Plan doc below.
They will also be going to the Old Stone House Museum on Thursday, May 25 by bus.
4-5th Grades
The 5th Grade will be going to the Fish Hatchery in Newark on Tuesday, May 9 by carpool.
These classes will be going overnight to the Ecology School of Maine on Monday, May 22-Wednesday, May 24, read details in the 4th and 5th Grade Lesson Plan docs below.
6-8th Grades
The middle school will be going to Boston Wednesday, May 17-Friday, May 19. We will be departing from Riverside on Wednesday morning after assembly, and returning Friday approximately 4:00 pm. We are excited to have plans that include:
-
Wednesday: travel south, visiting the deCordova Sculpture Park and Lexington Battle Green, attending a Red Sox game
-
Thursday: visiting the Mapparium, picnicking in the Public Gardens, going on choice experiences (Harvard Art Museum, Harvard Museum of Natural History, Freedom Trail, Fenway Tour, Boston Public Library, or The Latin Quarter) and out to dinner in small groups
-
Friday: visiting the Minute Man National Park and travel north
Thanks to a generous donor, we are able to attend a Red Sox game on the first night of the field trip! At $25 per ticket, the cost is significant to the donor, and if any parents would be willing to contribute, it would be appreciated. The easiest way to make that happen would be to email Krystal and let her know an amount she can charge to your student’s school store account. Read additional details in the 6th, 7th, and 8th Grade Lesson Plan docs below.
Next week’s Monday Memo will contain a packing list (nothing unusual just clothes, toiletries, and items for long day outings), contact info, etc. Students will need to have $30 for one dinner meal, $15 for a drink and/or snack at Fenway, and please no more than $15 in additional spending money, so between $45-60. Learning to budget and manage this amount of money is a truly teachable moment for our middle school students, and we embrace it as such. Please help coach them at home about making wise choices, the importance of proper tipping at a restaurant, and the reality of different families have different capacities for spending. If the $45 minimum is a real challenge for your family, please reach out to any faculty member with whom you're comfortable to ask for help, and the school will ensure that all students have what they need.
Chaperones, thank you to the parents who signed up to join us on the trip, we are grateful for the space in your cars, your willingness to drive, contributions you may make toward parking or snacks, and your time supervising small groups of students for three days. We are finalizing our budget for the trip this week and plan to give you a gas card to help offset some of your expenses. Nelia will have a packet with the exact itinerary, clear expectations about our role, and lists of carpool, room, and other supervision groups for you next Monday.
|
|
The rich and dynamic experience of a Riverside school year demands all kinds of culminating activities. Please mark your calendars!
-
Friday, May 12 Wax Museum Biography Fair: 3-5th graders will be presenting their research about interesting people to parents from about 8:00-9:00 in the 3rd grade classroom and the assembly space. Other students will be hear their presentations later in the morning. Come celebrate their efforts!
-
Friday, May 26 Riverside Against Cancer Recess Relay - details below.
-
Wednesday, May 31 Spring Concert in the Pavilion: At 5:30 pm, rain or shine, including students in grades PreK-K, 1-2nd grade, 3-4th grade, select 5-6th grade students in the ensemble, and the 6-8th grade band. Other 5-8th graders who are not performing at this concert may be showing off their projects in assembly or with digital recordings. There will also be some awards given at this event (parents of recipients will be notified in advance). More details in future MMs.
-
Friday, June 2 Spring Fling: Hosted by Student Council, this event is open to all students from 5:30-7:00 for games and a cookout; grades 5-8 for dance from 7:00-9:00. If you can help with chaperoning, grilling hotdogs/burgers, or lending any grilling supplies, please email Peter.
-
Friday, June 9 End-of-Year Talent Show: As usual, this will happen after lunch on the last day of school, with students who choose to participate by communication with Peter and/or Marie.
-
Saturday, June 11 All School Graduation and Potluck: please plan to attend as we count this important tradition as a school day in our calendar, with choral performances by PK-8, awards for all ages, a celebration of departing teachers, and specific honors for the graduates. Students should arrive at 9:45 for the 10:00 ceremony. Please bring a main dish or salad to share for lunch, with a label of ingredients.
|
|
2nd ANNUAL RIVERSIDE AGAINST CANCER RECESS RELAY |
Remember to clear your calendars for Friday, May 26th, from 12:00 - 2:30. We have 18 days left until we relay! PreK-8 students will be participating and we hope you’ll make plans to join us on the soccer field for our Relay for Life kick off. Bring a brown bag lunch and share a picnic with your children and their friends and teachers, as we come together in the fight against cancer. The relay walk will start directly after lunch, so have your walking shoes ready and rest up for lap after lap of music, crazy themes, dancing, and just plain family fun. Click on this link if you can help with other aspects of the event. We need you to help make this year’s Recess Relay a success!
|
|
-
3-5 Coding Club will meet Wednesday from 3:00-4:00.
-
3-8 Chess Club will meet Thursday after school as usual, until 4:30 for elementary students and 5:00 for middle schoolers. This will be the last meeting of Chess Club for the year.
-
Dungeons and Dragons Club will meet Tuesday from 3:30 - 5:00.
-
Mountain Bike Club: The KTA Trails are open, which means it's time to start MTB club back up! This week we will plan to meet on Thursday for all ages and riding levels at VSS Trailside on Darling Hill at 4pm and will ride until 5. All riders should have a Kingdom Trails pass, which can be purchased here and picked up at the main office in East Burke. Going forward, we are open to suggestions for what day works best for you. Depending on numbers, we may do two separate days for beginner and advanced riders. Bikers: If you have bikes or biking gear that are too small but still in good working order, we are going to host a bike and gear exchange in the cedar circle on Wednesday, from 3-5. Haggling is encouraged.
|
|
St. Johnsbury Academy's production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is next weekend, and the director is looking for younger students, ages 6-10, to appear in scenes at the opening of both Acts 1 & 2. in the area to play extra parts. Performances are May 18, 19, and 20, attendance at final rehearsals may be beneficial as well. Please contact the Director Mr. Walker if you can volunteer or have more questions.
|
|
STUDENT ART SHOW AT SATELLITE GALLERY |
Elly has been busily preparing a cross section of Riverside's artwork from this year to be included in the student art show during the month of May at The Satellite Gallery (71 Depot Street in Lyndonville). Additional submissions are welcome. Come check out what your students and other area youth are artistically up to! The opening parties for the show are Friday, May 12th from 4:00-7:00 and Saturday May 13th from 12:00-4:00. There will be light refreshments served. This is an image of the 4'x4' compilation piece entitled MLK made by the 6th and 7th grades that is included in the show to help whet your appetite!
|
|
This annual 72-hour weekend competition challenges teams to write, shoot, edit, and submit an edited film. Prizes will be awarded in multiple categories in two competition brackets: Family Fun or Competitive.
This year's event begins May 11th with an in-person (virtual options will also be available) kickoff event at the main Catamount Arts building on Eastern Avenue in St. Johnsbury. After the event, participants will have access to a Wildlife Filmmaking Workshop where judges will field questions and brainstorm ideas. Like last year, the final screening and awards ceremony (where scholarships and cash prizes will be awarded) will take place at the new 24,000-square-foot ArtPort venue at the Green Mountain Mall, on Sunday, May 14th. Register your team here.
We're excited to announce that we'll be partnering with wildlife filmmaker (and Riverside parent) Matt Aeberhard, film producer/award-winning novelist (and Riverside parent) Melanie Finn, and local naturalist/State Representative Bobby Farlice-Rubio. Check out this exceptional video from Matt himself telling you about the event his year.
|
|
We will continue to list summer opportunities for students that are shared with us for most of the rest of the school year. If you know of any to share, please email Nelia.
|
|
30 Lily Pond Road, Lyndonville, VT 05851
phone: 802.626.8552
fax: 802.626.4156
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
‌
‌