8th graders Brooklynn and Sylvan used papier maché to create pride rock in the Sets elective for their production of The Lion King.
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Greetings!
Welcome back! We hope your families enjoyed the change of pace over the last week. This week culminates the second trimester of the year, please be aware of students' efforts on culminating projects and assessments and stay tuned for communications from their teachers about learning goals so far.
Happy Wednesday,
Nelia
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SCHOOL CHOICE LEGISLATION UPDATE |
On Friday a new draft bill was started in the House Committee on Education (NEK Choice parents got a summary of this from Nathan Freeman). This bill is much more favorable toward independent schools like Riverside. As soon as this new draft bill gets a number, we will ask families to write to committee members in support of the new bill and in opposition to the earlier bills (S.66 and H.258). At that time, we will be providing a list of emails, talking points, etc. We anticipate this next week, please stay tuned.
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Please remember to get your orders together for the High Mowing Seeds fundraiser by Monday, March 13. Please fill out the form and make the payment to The Riverside School — tell your friends and family!
If the hard copy is not easy to navigate, parent Carrie Stahler (5th grader Victor, 8th grader Moxie) has put together an on-line order form—just fill it out and send in payment to the school by next week.
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The Riverside Spelling Bee in Feburary was such fun, going on for almost two hours with great patience and effort on the part of the competitors and enthusiastic support from their peers in the audience. Winners were 8th grader Lila MacKenzie in 1st place; 4th grader Eula Lechuga in 2nd place, and 5th grader Phoenix Newell in 3rd place. Lila will go on to compete in the Vermont State Bee in Montpelier later this spring
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Congratulations to the Mathcounts Teams of Sawyer Daffinrud, Gabe Adams, Kellan Bristol, and Lyric Golden as well as Cora Adams, Henry Joliffe, Zora Kane-Tornquist and Louisa Linehan for completing the Mathcounts Video Challenge and submitting their work by the deadline. Thank you to helpers Conall Kennedy and Yiannaki Tousimous for their supporting roles. Their dedication to this project has earned their club Gold Level status for the second year in a row. This video challenge is a great way for students to improve multiple skills sets as they work together to combine math, art, writing, acting and technology.
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Our local girls hockey team Kingdom Blades, including 8th grader Gabi Young (and Izzy Butler '22), are playing in the Division II State Championship game against #1 seed Woodstock Highs School at Gutterson Fieldhouse at UVM tomorrow evening at 6:00pm. Krystal and Sean are offering to chaperone a watch party here at Riverside for middle school students. Students who come should plan to be sitting in the barn, attentive to the game, throughout. They should eat dinner beforehand, and we will have popcorn to share.
Parents, although it's hard to know when the game will end, please plan to come at 7:30 to pick up students, knowing the game may still go on for a bit longer. We appreciate everyone being able to leave efficiently once it's over so we can all get rest before the following school day.
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SKIING & SNOWBOARDING FRIDAYS |
We will be skiing and riding for the last time this Friday, March 10. Please remember to support students in preparing themselves and their gear on Thursday evening and remember to pick them up at Dashney X-Country Center at 3:15 or Burke Mountain at 3:30. |
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VIGILENCE FOR & DILIGENCE WITH LICE |
There continue to be cases of lice in the 1st grade class. Families in that classroom are doing heroic work to check students' hair carefully and treat as necessary, which is no easy task. We are grateful for the effort that they are putting in, making that time consuming work a priority in their busy evenings. We encourage all families to at least do cursory checks around the forehead, ears, and neck at least once a week so that we can stay on top of this problem and do our best to address it.
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Student council will hold its postponed middle school dance this Friday, March 10, from 7:00-9:00pm. There will be snacks, and students should eat dinner at home beforehand.
Some student council members will need to arrive to early to set up, but there is no supervision between 3:30 (or 5:00 if in EDP) and that time. Parents are welcome to lend a hand as chaperones, please email Peter if you can join us.
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LION KING & ELEMENTARY AUDIENCE NEXT WEEK
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Middle School Play Week will be next week, March 13-18, during which there will be no academic classes and a complete focus on the students' production and rehearsal effort. Performances are Friday, March 18 at 7:00 pm and Saturday, March 19 at 2:00 pm at Lyndon Institute Auditorium. Admission is by donation. This show is appropriate for all ages, please invite your friends!
PARENT HELP
Please email Nelia if you can lend a hand with any of the tasks below.
- sharing skills in painting or constructing with the sets elective during the day during play week
- trucks and drivers to help take sets and costumes to LI on Thursday, March 16 at 10:30 am
- helping with all-school pancake breakfast, Friday, March 17, 7:30-9:30 am
- helping with make-up Friday, March 17, 5:00-7:00 pm and/or Saturday, March 18, 12:00-2:00 pm
- helping with hair Friday, March 17 5:00-7:00 pm and/or Saturday, March 18, 12:00-2:00 pm
- helping run the bake sale during intermission at each performance
- trucks and drivers to help take sets and costumes back to Riverside on Saturday afternoon, March 18
DAILY SCHEDULE
MONDAY - WEDNESDAY: Run-Through Rehearsals, Tech Work, Electives, Scene Rehearsals
THURSDAY: Electives, Scene Rehearsals, 6-8 Bus to LI, Tech Rehearsal
*Note*
- 6-8 Pick up at LI auditorium at 3:30
- No Extended Day Program for 6-8th graders
FRIDAY: PreK-8 Pancake Breakfast mid morning at school, 6-8 Bus to LI, Scene Work, K-5 Bus to LI, Full Dress Rehearsal
*Note*
- 6-8 lunch hosted by LI
- K-5 will go to LI by bus at 1:00 pm to watch the dress rehearsal
- K-5 Pick Up at LI at 3:00
- 6-8 (and younger sibling) pick up at LI at 3:30
- no Extended Day Program for K-8th graders
PERFORMANCES
FRIDAY: 6-8th grade students should be at LI at 5:00 pm to get in to costume and warm up. Performance is at 7:00 pm.
SATURDAY: 6-8th grade students should be at LI at 12:00 pm; performance is at 2:00 pm. We hope families can plan to stay and lend a hand with clean up and loading trucks with costumes, props, and sets.
Admission is by donation; this will be an engaging show for young people of all ages; please encourage your friends and neighbors to attend!
There will be a bake sale during intermission and after each show, if you can donate a plate of items to sell, please send them in to school or bring them to one of the shows.
COSTUME & MAKE-UP NOTES
Each actor should:
- bring in his/her own mascara and eye liner in a labeled ziplock bag and turn it in to Nelia;
- plan to wear black/brown tank top and black/brown bike shorts or leggings unless otherwise planned with the costumers
There will be more details next week related to our philosophy on this process, K-5 related information, hair, make up, and volunteers needed. Please plan to check this section carefully again next week!
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6-8 YOUTH RISK BEHAVIOR SURVEY |
During 6-8th gr Advisory classes on Monday, March 20th, middle schoolers will be participating in an online Youth Risk Behavior Survey. The YRBS was developed by the CDC and is co-sponsored by the Vermont Department of Health and Agency of Education. The YRBS has been administered
every other year in Vermont since 1993. Separate versions of the survey ask middle or high school students about health behaviors and assets or protective factors. Topics include personal safety and injury prevention, mental health, nutrition, physical activity, sexual health, substance use, and protective factors. Results from this survey help determine the extent to which adolescents engage in or experience health risk behaviors and help us to build on and increase positive supports in our area. The results support public health officials, educators, and community organizations to assess and improve efforts to reduce health risk behaviors among adolescents throughout the state and nation. They help develop and evaluate health-related programs and secure future funding.
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Our youngest students will begin their weekly swim program on Thursday, March 23 at St. Johnsbury Academy. Those students will be getting lessons from a combination of Riverside and St. Johnsbury Academy staff as well as free time to explore the shallow water. Pick up for those students will be at the back door of the SJA pool at 3:30 on March 23, 30, April 6, 13, 20, May 4, and 11.
If you have to pick up a middle school student at Riverside as well, siblings can stay in the EDP at no charge until 3:45.
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2nd ANNUAL RIVERSIDE AGAINST CANCER RECESS RELAY |
Save the date of Friday, May 26th for the Riverside Against Cancer Recess Relay. All friends of Riverside could plan to be at school for this event, with your walking shoes on, when we come together as a supportive community in the fight against cancer. The event will be from 12 noon to 2:30. Keep a close eye on your Monday Memos for more information as we get closer to this important event. Email Caroline with any questions or if you want to be a volunteer at this year's event.
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CLUBS THIS WEEK AND NEXT: |
Please remember that attendance at clubs is a family choice and implies a genuine interest in the activity topic. Students who attend are expected to engage fully with respect for the leaders, who are usually donating their time.
Note that 6-8 clubs will not meet next week because of Play Week. It's not a scheduling conflict (except Friday), but the energy of the day is so intensely social that we hope the afternoons can be quiet for students.
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6-8 Mathcounts Club will not meet next week, during Play Week. Your next meeting will be on Monday, March 20th from 3:30-4:30. E-mail Caroline with any questions.
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3-5 Coding Club will meet Wednesday from 3:00-4:00.
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6-8 STEM Club will not meet today or during Play Week next week. Students, Caroline strongly encourages you to keep working on your projects at home so you'll be ready for the conference on April 6th. Your next STEM club meeting will be on Wednesday, March 22nd from 3:30-4:30. E-mail Caroline with any questions.
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6-8 Latin Club will meet Thursdays from 3:45-4:30. Remember that Saturday, April 8 will be a day trip to the Granite State Certamen in Dover, NH, stay tuned for further info for parents by email.
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K-8 Chess Club will meet Thursday from 3:30-4:30 (elementary)/5:00 (middle school). This will be the last Chess Club for K-2nd graders. We will not meet next week because of Play Week. Beginning on March 23, when K-2 students go swimming, Chess Club will be only for 3-8th graders.
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6-8 Indoor Soccer Club will meet this Thursday from 3:45-5:00, but not next week because of Play Week.
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Uphill Club will meet this week at 3:45 at the Base Lodge and plan to be done by 5:30. There will be no Uphill Club next week because of the Play, and if conditions allow we hope to go again on March 31.
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OUR STUDENTS & PARENTS IN A BENEFIT CONCERT |
On Saturday March 11, at 7pm, at the South Church Hall at SJA, there will be a concert to benefit Ukrainian refugees living in Vermont. The string ensemble that will perform includes 1st grader Hannah Mirkin, 5th grader Raya Mirkin, and parents Kate Renner and Anat Grosfeld. A choir and Ukrainian musicians will be joining us for some pieces well. The ensemble, which is primarily cello and violin students ages 7-18, along with some supporting parents and alumni, has been working really hard to prepare! We would love to see Riverside faces in the crowd. Admission is free but donations will be accepted. |
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The Kingdom East Afterschool Program is collaborating with SheJumps and Burke Mountain to hold a Jr. Ski Patrol Event on March 19th. Girls in grades 3-8th will be introduced to ski patrol through workshops on first aid, weather, toboggans, etc. The event is free to KESD (including Riverside) students and $40 for other students, and includes a lift ticket, lunch, and snacks. Click here for more information and to register. Space is limited, once you register on this form you will receive a confirmation code to register for free through SheJumps as a KESD student. Scholarships are available for non-KESD students and can be requested by clicking here. Girls must have their own skis/snowboards to participate and should be intermediate/advanced skiers comfortable riding the chairlift (no lessons will be provided).
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FINDING OUR STRIDE WITH KESD |
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30 Lily Pond Road, Lyndonville, VT 05851
phone: 802.626.8552
fax: 802.626.4156
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