Weekly News & Updates

I love this time of the year. Not only is spring break right around the corner, but we're in the middle of"March Madness." A few weeks ago, teams were announced for the Men's and Women's NCAA Basketball Tournament. I imagine, getting to play in the NCAS Tournament is a major accomplishment. I love watching basketball and I am always intrigued by the different roles people play to support the success of the teams and the individual athletes. Coaches, cheerleaders, referees, and trainers help make a difference. As teachers and parents, I wonder what role we should play in our children's lives to enable them to become the best people they can be? Here are a few thoughts I have about this:

Our roles change based on what our children need. Sometimes, they need a coach and sometimes they need a cheerleader. There are times when we need to blow the whistle as a referee. In other cases, they may need a trainer to help them know how best to care for themselves. Wise parents and teachers know what role to play at the right time.

The win is for our children to become the best version of themselves. Basketball players have strengths and weaknesses. Some are good defenders and some are good passers and some are good shooters. They constantly work to improve in all areas of their game. They want to be as good as they can be in every phase of basketball. Our role as the adults in our kids' lives is to support them in that process of becoming and doing their best.

Practice makes the biggest difference in the performance. "Practice makes permanent" is what we've heard so often. I believe that is so true. What we do (and don't do) in the boring, mundane, day to day experiences with our children impacts what they do when they are not with us. Like coaches and cheerleaders and trainers, our hard work happens off the court so our kids independently know what to do when they are on the court.

Parenting and teaching can often feel like "madness" and it is so easy to wonder if our efforts are making any difference. When we play our roles well, we really can impact our children to be successful.

Let's have a great week, Lions!

In Strength and Blessings,

~Dr. Compton

Photo of the Week

On Tuesday (3/21), we celebrated #WorldDownSyndromeDay by wearing our most colorful and fun socks to help raise awareness about Down Syndrome.

Senior Spotlight

A Note from Ms. Mabey

Each year, the South Carolina Department of Education gathers parent and student feedback in order to ensure families have a voice in their children’s education and to comply with accountability mandates. Parent Climate Survey results inform decision making at the school, district, and state level and are included in the school’s annual report card.

The Parent and Student Climate Survey is for students in grade 3-12 and is anonymous and confidential and will take about 10-15 minutes to complete. It can be found in the Parent Portal under the Forms tab on the left hand side. If you do not have a Parent Portal account, please email Mrs. Mabey at smabey@riverwalkacademy.com.

Your time and effort in completing this survey is greatly appreciated and will help Riverwalk Academy continuously improve your and your child’s experience in our district.

Instructions for Families

Instructions for Students

Hey, Riverwalk Academy fan!

Head's up! Your NEW 24/7 Riverwalk Academy Sideline Store is officially up and running. To celebrate, we're offering fans an epic, month-long promotion--25% OFF sitewide when you use code SPIRIT. Stop reading and start shopping to score the latest fan wear and accessories. Then get out there and cheer on your team.Go Riverwalk Academy! http://sideline.bsnsports.com/schools/south_carolina/rockhill/riverwalk-academy

School Lunches (K - 9th Grade)

Please remember if you are ordering your child’s lunch all orders need to be in by 10:00 pm the night before ( for instance if you want your child to have lunch on Tuesday you will need to order Monday by 10:00 pm.)

No orders will be counted for the same day.

This is to make sure our caterer is getting the correct count.

Thank you for your assistance,

Kelly Burns

Foodservice Coordinator

Lunch Menu

ImageForNews_721710_16599712842538987 image

COVID

Pride, we adjusted our COVID-related protocols to be more inline with the latest DHEC recommendations (which were updated on 8/15/22). The latest DHEC guidance can be found here.

If your child tests positive for COVID, please use this form to communicate this to Nurse Donna. If you have any COVDI-related questions, please contact Nurse Donna.

A Note from Ms. Carr & Ms. Teague

Greetings,

Spring is here! This season offers opportunities to experience the beauty of nature, plant colorful flowers, travel, or take an “awe walk”! There are many ways that we can use nature as nourishment for our mental health and well-being. Read this article that explains 5 ways to boost your mental health for spring.

This week, students continued learning about diversity and the importance of accepting one another. (View some of their work in the photo.) It’s important for our children to feel like they are seen, heard, and belong. These conversations are critical to have with children because they see differences and ask questions about differences out of curiosity, not judgment. They notice someone who is blind, they notice someone in a wheelchair, they notice someone who speaks differently, they notice someone with different skin colors. What they often don’t know is how to talk about those differences. Our students are learning that it’s okay to see differences, but it is not okay to treat people differently because of their differences.

We hope that each student will experience a world that truly embraces them!

Looking for ideas to help you talk with your child or answer questions about diversity and inclusion? This article is a great resource!

Celebrate your differences. Celebrate your uniqueness. Celebrate YOU!

(((HUGS))),

Ms. Carr and Ms. Teague

We need VOLUNTEERS!

Field Day will be May 4, 2023! Please review the available slots below and click on the button to sign up. You will need to complete a background check to be able to volunteer:

https://securevolunteer.com/riverwalk-academy/home

Calling All Boys 3rd - 5th Grade

Let Me Run is a nonprofit wellness program that inspires boys to be themselves, be active, and belong. With a comprehensive curriculum that applies the power of running, the program encourages boys to develop their psychological, emotional and social health, in addition to their physical health. Twice a week for seven weeks, two trained volunteer coaches lead an elementary or middle school team through practice. Designed to amplify confidence, self-expression, and respect for others, each practice includes a lesson from the Let Me Run curriculum that incorporates running, games and activities. Each fall and spring season culminates in a 5k race festival that celebrates the boys’ personal growth.

Registration at Riverwalk Academy is now open for grades 3 - 5! Spring season starts on March 28th, meets Tuesdays and Thursdays for an hour and fifteen minutes, and ends with a 5k race on May 20th. Visit LetMeRun.org to learn more and register. Space is limited. Questions? Email: mchannell@riverwalkacademy.com

Elementary Yearbooks

Just wanted you to know that you can go ahead and purchase the yearbook for this school year if you want to get a head start.

Order Now

A Note from Dr. Dempsey

Hello PRIDE!!

We have had another great week this week. We would like to congratulate Jacob Hall from the 8th grade on his acceptance into the Governor’s School for the summer for the Film Odyssey program. We are so proud of him and his accomplishments! As we head into the last full week before Spring Break, please make sure your students are completing all work and staying caught up. This last nine weeks moves fast!

The Beta Club met this week and are planning a food and supply drive for the Humane Society of York County, please be on the lookout for more information next week. We will start collections following Spring Break.

We continue to celebrate Middle Level Education Month and I would like to share some quotes from students with you-

Michaela Whiting stated “ Band. I've loved it since last year, and all the wonderful people I've met through it. I love the opportunities the band has given me and can't wait to see what's to come from it! Concerts (even though I've only performed ) are always fun, and I look forward to performing later this spring. :)”.

Timberlynn Sellers stated “Middle school has been a huge change for me knowing I'm getting closer and closer to graduating. I love how helpful and loving the teachers are. Knowing how hard they work and how much they have going on outside of school, they truly are very helpful and caring”.

These positive comments would not be possible without the work and dedication of our middle school teachers and staff. Thank you for all you do to make Riverwalk Academy the amazing place that it is!!

This past week, I started Positive Office Referrals. These allow teachers to share with me students who are going above and beyond with exhibiting characteristics of our PRIDE. This week I am so proud to announce that Kayra Slaughter and Kaden Buckley are the first two students to receive a positive office referral!! Thank you to Kayra and Kaden for showing what it means to be part of our PRIDE and thank you to their teachers for taking the time to recognize these students. On Monday, they will receive a certificate and a treat!!

As always, thank you for trusting us with your student, please feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns you may have.

Warmly,

Dr. Christy Dempsey

A Note from Ms. Menges

Happy Sunday!

We are nearing Spring Break everyone. I can't believe it is that time of year. It is funny how the year goes by fast and slow at the same time. The Spring comes with warmer weather which I am super excited for! It will be nice having all the trees and flowers blooming again. Don't forget to pause and see the beauty around you... appreciate the seasons and change! Something to note for this week is that I will be testing Wednesday over at York Tech, so please know I will not be available that day. Feel free to utilize Ms. Carr or Ms. Teague if needed, otherwise I will be available again Thursday!

Let's make this week a great one!

Mrs. Menges

Middle/High Yearbook

Just wanted you to know that you can go ahead and purchase the yearbook for this school year if you want to get a head start.

Order Now

RiverTech Students

(a catchy-name for our 10th-12th grade students)

A Note from Mr. Ball

Hello PRIDE,

I hope you are having a great weekend. Your student should have brought a couple of items home this past week. On Thursday we sent home student report cards for the 3rd grading period, directions to complete the state climate survey for the Riverwalk Report Card, and student results from their EOCs from Fall Semester. If you did not receive these items please feel free to reach out to me.

This Wednesday, March 29, all 11th grade students will take the state mandated Career Readiness assessment. This will be administered at the York Tech Campus. Please make sure your student is present and on time.

As always, thank you for your continued support.

Richard

803-981-7061

RiverTech Students: May College Visits

RiverTech Students- Sign up for our May College Visits!

Interested in seeing some college campuses? Riverwalk is taking 10th-12th grade students on college visits during the month of May. Spots are first-come-first-serve!

May 4th: North Greenville University and Furman University
May 11th: Lander University and Anderson University
May 15th: USC Upstate, Spartanburg Methodist College, and Wofford College

Click here to learn more and reserve your spot.

Click here to make your payment on the school store.

Rising Juniors and Seniors- This is a great opportunity for those who are interested in pursuing a career in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and/or math). Throughout the week, students will work with cyber experts, engineers, scientists, professors, entrepreneurs, and more. You will also get to visit Microsoft's Charlotte campus, Winthrop University, and work with Catawba Nation.

Please click HERE to access the application.

11th Grade Students: Save the Date

11th graders, SAVE THE DATE. Wednesday, March 29th for the South Carolina Career Ready Test which all 11th graders MUST take. This will take place at 8:30 on York Tech's campus. Those taking dual enrollment courses will need to prepare to make arrangements with their professors for this test. Reach out if you have any questions.

Junior Announcement

Juniors! You must be present to take the South Carolina Career Readiness Assessment next Wednesday, March 29th on York Tech’s campus. Important information for that day:

Report to Office D19 by 8:15 AM on Wednesday, March 29, 2023. All you need to bring with you are two number 2 (non-mechanical) pencils.
This is a mandatory assessment. The state of South Carolina requires that all students take the assessment before they graduate.
Study materials were sent via email.
Students who do well on the assessment can earn a special honors cord for graduation among other honors and opportunities for scholarships.
If you are in York Tech courses- Please make sure you reach out to your professors if you will be missing class on Wednesday. If you need an absence letter from Mrs. Born, please let her know. (This won’t necessarily excuse you from the absence, but it will provide proof of the mandatory absence to your professor.)

Dual Enrollment Students

Rising Juniors and Seniors- You should have met with me last week to choose your Fall 2023 dual enrollment courses! If we did not meet, please reach out to me as soon as possible so we can choose those classes and have you enrolled. Enrollment has opened for all of York Tech's population, so we want to move quickly to have the best chance of getting the courses you want.

Rising Sophomores- Those who have expressed interest in taking English 101 in the Fall with Riverwalk will receive communication from me in the coming weeks about a Dual Enrollment Application Day on April 12th. Please keep an eye on your emails for more information! I am looking forward to meeting and working with you all.

PadLet

Don't forget to check the Riverwalk Academy Padlet daily for updates on scholarships. Opportunities are uploaded frequently, so don't miss your chance to earn some cash for college!

Padlet

Middle/ High Yearbook

Just wanted you to know that you can go ahead and purchase the yearbook for this school year if you want to get a head start.

Order Now

Our student athletes continue to do well in our athletic programs. They work hard and improve every day. We invite you to come out and watch them compete in any of our upcoming events.

Upcoming Events: