1st grader Olin and 2nd graders Landen and Henry worked with their classmates and guest/former teacher Nancy Phillips to collect balsam fir branches and craft gifts together. |
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Greetings!
This is the last Monday Memo of 2022, don't miss all the gratitude within.
Happy Monday,
Nelia
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There's nothing like nourishing food prepared and served for you, to make you feel supported and appreciated! All of our staff are grateful to the parents who are cooking, setting up, serving, and cleaning up our breakfasts and lunches this week. We wish you a very happy vacation, and we thank you for showing your appreciation to us!
From PAG Leader Deandra: we're looking for two more parents to volunteer - one for tomorrow, Tuesday!, a lunch dish that is gluten free/dairy free but can have meat. And another for Friday, a lunch dish that is also gluten/dairy free but can have meat. Sign up here!
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THANK YOU TO MORE PARENTS! |
Thank you to the parents who organized our participation in the Tree Decorating Contest in East Burke! That was Kim Adams (6th grader Cora and 7th grader Gabe); Katie DesJardins (4th grader Audrey and 6th grader Russell); Linda Pakus (7th grader Maya); and Ben Reed (1st grader Emily). We're grateful to have collaborated with Tim Scott Real Estate and for our families to have worked together to celebrate the season while also trying to support H.O.P.E. with any winnings. Unfortunately we didn't win any prizes this year, let's start thinking of our decoration theme for next year! |
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Riverside Apparel Orders are ready, and most are being sent home with students today. If your order was secret/a gift, it can be picked up directly from Krystal in her office. |
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You may be hearing about local schools with high numbers of absences due to respiratory illnesses (flu, COVID, RSV). We’d like to avoid that outcome if at all possible, and the best way to do that would be to prevent on-campus transmission. As parents, you can help by keeping sick children home or, if in doubt, asking your child to mask while at school. At school, we will employ air filters, increase ventilation, and add sanitizing to clean-up teams’ regular duties. |
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Our PK-8th grade Winter Concert & Art Show will be this Wednesday, December 14 at 5:30 pm at the Lyndon Institute Auditorium. Marie and Elly have been working hard with each class and some combined groups to show off student learning with music and studio arts, we hope you will be there to see it. Student art work created this trimester will be on display in the hallway outside the auditorium.
Some details:
- We will be taking K-8 students by bus to rehearse at the auditorium that Wednesday afternoon, and pick up will be at 3:00/3:30 there.
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All students should arrive at 5:00 pm, dressed in attractive, concert attire (suggested no jeans, t-shirts, sweatshirts, or sneakers).
- Please plan to pick up art work and take it home after the performance.
- There will be two halves, with elementary students performing in the first half and welcome to leave at intermission if that's best for their evening routines.
- During the half that students are not performing, they should sit with their families in the audience.
- Marie expects the whole performance to conclude around 7:00 pm.
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This Friday, December 16, will be our annual Mythology Day celebration. It is the half day before the holiday vacation, and so Early Dismissal will be at 1:15 for PK-5th graders at Riverside and 1:30 for 6th-8th graders at the ice rink.
This week leading up to Mythology Day, elementary students will feature their costumes and brief presentations at different assemblies. Parents and friends are encoruaged to join us for a few minutes after drop off to enjoy these presentations!
- Tuesday: 3-4th Skit “Pandora’s Box”
- Wednesday: 3-4th Skit “The Gods and Goddesses Bake Off”
- Thursday: 5th Grade Character Presentations
- Friday: 6th-8th Character Presentations
Friday morning K-7th graders will rotate by house through a variety of activities led by the 8th graders. At the end of the day Friday, all K-8th graders will participate in the "Urn of Fate," a classically themed gift-exchange. Each student should bring in a simple, wrapped gift (a guideline for the value being $5 or less), by Thursday the 15th and give them to Jamie (K-2nd grade gifts), Hanna (3rd-5th gifts), or Nathan (6th-8th gifts). This year we will continue exchanging gifts in these groups, so you can find something attractive for a student of similar age: K-2nd, 3rd-5th, and 6th-8th.
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SKATING & GYMNASTICS FRIDAY |
This Friday, December 16, all 6-8th graders will go ice skating, and PK-5th graders will have final activities at school before the holiday vacation. Pick up at school for elementary students at school will be at 1:15, and at the rink for middle school students will be at 1:30.
The Extended Day Program will run for PK-5th grade students because they are on campus. If your child(ren) will attend, please let Heather (for PK) or Sean (for K-5) know specifically, and include what time you plan to pick up, so that they can plan the long afternoon accordingly.
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Roy has made the decision to extend our holiday vacation by one day: there will be no school on Monday, January 2. This change will support those traveling after the New Year to be prepared to return to school well-rested. He also feels it's a gift to the staff, who have worked so hard to keep our doors consistently open through the challenges of the pandemic.
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SEX ED CURRICULUM PARENT DISCUSSION |
We are beginning the process of implementing a new sex-education curriculum, "Our Whole Lives," integrated into Riverside's broader K-8 wellness curriculum. We invite 5-8th grade families to learn more about it at a Parent/Guardian Orientation Workshop meeting on Wednesday, January 11, from 5:00-6:00 pm.
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CHRISTMAS TREES FROM THE COBBS |
The Cobb family (8th grader Esme) would like to share the Christmas trees growing on their property with any Riverside families who want them. Bring your saw, rope, and muscle to their home at 425 Jones Road, Lyndonville (only left-hand driveway after the mailboxes) on any Saturday or Sunday, between 10am-2pm. Please text or call 802-498-5982 in advance so they can put their dogs inside. Please make a donation of your choice (suggested $40) to Riverside by bringing payment to Krystal in the office or giving it to the Cobbs if you see them at their home. |
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We are currently booking visits for prospective students for the 23-24 school year. As has been the case recently, we have a high number of potential applicants relative to the number of anticipated openings for next year. If you know a family who is interested in coming to Riverside next year, please let them know they should reach out to Krystal as soon as possible. Every year, we get calls after we have made our acceptances, and we'd like everyone who is interested to be able to be considered. |
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Once again we are down to only a few forks in our supply in the kitchen. We suspect they disappear when students borrow them at lunch time and then take them home in their lunch boxes. But we welcome any/all fork donations! If you have any at home that you don't want, please send them in.
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It's that time of year when students are wearing multiple layers, and our lost and found is full of fleeces, sweatshirts, hats, mittens, gloves, and (as always) water bottles. If you can please take the time to label clothing with your family's name, we would be so grateful and have an easier time returning it. |
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This is the last week the students in the service elective are collecting donations of winter outwear to share with those in need. If you have donations, please drop them off in one of the bins on one of the porches by Thursday. |
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There's a new after school opportunity for middle school students at Riverside meeting on Wednesday afternoons from 3:30-4:30, beginning January 11th. STEM Club will provide engaging activities in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics. This is a competition based club where students will select from a broad range of activities including leadership, biotechnology, inventions and innovations, forensic science, writing and illustrating children's stories, problem solving, and structural engineering to name a few. Students will work toward a conference on April 4th, where they will compete against other middle school students from New Hampshire and Vermont in their chosen field. Students will be required to keep a development portfolio of their project as they conceptualize, assess and materialize their vision either collaboratively or independently, depending on the requirements of the event. For more information email Caroline.
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5-8th grade Mathcounts club will meet today from 3:30-4:30 pm upstairs in the house. |
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6-8 Hip Hop Dance Club will meet Tuesday from 3:45-4:30. |
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K-2 Recorder Club will not meet this week so that students can have a break and prepare for the concert that evening. |
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6-8 Indoor Soccer Club will meet on Thursday, from 3:30-5:00. There is space for three more students, please email Sean if your child is interested.
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K-8th grade Chess Club will meet this Thursday beginning at 3:30 for all grade and ability levels. Kids may be picked up whenever. Ideally, most of the elementary students would be picked up after 45 minutes to an hour of chess (4:15 - 4:30) as it is a long time to concentrate on things after a long day of school. Nathan will stay until 5:00 for those that want the extra time. If any parents want to contribute snacks to share, it would be appreciated.
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WINTER VACATION CAMPS AT THE FAIRBANKS MUSEUM |
The Fairbanks Museum in St. Johnsbury is offering camp programs during the Winter Vacation week: February 27 - March 3. They go from 9:00 AM-12:00 PM, with an extended day option until 3:00 PM. Cost: $135 for members or $150 for non-members, the cost for extended day option is an additional $100 for members or $120 for non-members. More information and registration are here.
- Polar Opposites: (Ant)arctic Animals (Ages 5-8): Join us as we explore the different creatures that have found impressive ways to brave the extreme cold! Each day we will focus on a couple of creatures and their adaptations to brave the freezing temperatures of the North and South Poles through games, activities, and crafts. We will also enjoy time playing outside in the snow ourselves!
- Dinosaurs: The Past & the Curious (Ages 9-12): Are you ready to fly with the pterosaurs, walk with the dinosaurs, and swim with the mosasaurs? Go beyond fossils and travel back in time to explore the lives of prehistoric creatures! Campers will become paleontologists and learn about life in ancient environments throughout Earth's history.
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We rely on the support of many to Please consider participating in our annual appeal for gifts to Riverside. Although the average gift is $100, we welcome gifts of $10 and $25. It's not the size of your gift that matters, but the act of participating, which helps us leverage further grants and donations by showing off the strength of the support in our community. Our goal this year is to beat the national average of 60% parent participation in donating to their independent school.
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30 Lily Pond Road, Lyndonville, VT 05851
phone: 802.626.8552
fax: 802.626.4156
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