Welcome Notes &

Invitation to Offer a Hand

We thank you again for the very special Faculty Appreciation Dinner! This year we have been working to ensure that all families feel welcome and recognized as contributors and participants in the community spirit of Riley. You certainly demonstrated that with this very special evening.

Welcome, Annie!

As you all have heard we are pleased to be welcoming Annie Hasselgren as our next Head of School! As a part of the transition process Annie will be attending events throughout the spring to get to know Riley and our wonderful community. 

Welcome, Jared!

Jared McCannell who will be joining us during Discovery Week and then providing an immersion Spanish and literature program for the Upper School. Jared has been the executive director of the Penobscot Bay Language School and we are so grateful to have him on campus!

Calling all planners!

We are eagerly looking for folks excited to join the Board Transition Committee to help plan Becky's retirement parties and welcome events for Annie. We would love your help!

Riley Summer Camp 2024

Tuesday-Thursday, July 9th - August 1st

If you are interested in this year's Summer Camp, please let Tammy know ASAP. Summer camp registration will be opening it up to people who have reached out since last year as well as the public early next week.

Details

Camp will run Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 9 am - 3 pm July 9th through August 1st.

The cost for the 4 weeks will be $1300.00. A nonrefundable deposit of $300 will be due by March 1st and the remaining $1000 will be due on or before June 1st.

Camp Staff will have the help of Camp Counselors and Junior Camp Counselors for

each of their groups this year. 

Wade Acres will be for campers ages 2 - 5 years. 

Riley Campers will be for children ages 6 - 11 years. The groups will be in separate buildings and have separate daily activities. There will be times when both groups get together for "buddy activities". (This is when older children are paired with younger children). Camp Staff and Counselors will all be present during these times.

A detailed list of what your child needs for camp will be sent out in March. Please let me know if you would like a spot for this year. Enrollment will be done on a first come, first serve basis. 

Thank you all and we look forward to seeing you all this summer!

Parent Volunteer Program Updates

Last year we heard from many of you that you were not sure how or when to get involved. This new Board initiative, the Parent Volunteer Program, was designed to help Riley restore its traditional community of engagement while also supporting our efforts to reduce operating expenses. Thank you so much to Lindsay for getting this program off the ground! We are currently looking for someone interested in taking on the entire Parent Community Coordinator role - please reach out to Becky if you’re interested! In the meantime, Becky and Tammy will be running the program.

If you have ideas beyond what's on the sign up sheet, please confer with Becky or Tam - we cannot automatically allocate hours retroactively for parent initiated activity! And you may have wonderful ideas of things we haven’t listed….

Some details: 

• Every family is required to volunteer 20 hours per child.
• ( It is not too late to pay the $600 fee if it is easier for you) 
• The Volunteer Sign up list is updated and sent weekly and linked in Whims
• Speak or email Tam directly for support for 
• ways to participate 
• exploring alternate ideas not on the list
• Tam (not Lindsay) will send out periodic updates of what has been logged
• You are asked to email us at pcc@rileyschool.org after each activity
• Note: 

All food contributions will be credited 1.5 hours

This is a new program and we are working out the details together and value your input and questions. 

We want you to be involved and feel appreciated. Even after you have met your required minimum, we hope and trust you will still show up on campus as much as possible! 

Let’s keep talking.

With thanks, 

Becky, Tam and the Board

Camden Winterfest Ice Carving

January 27th, 9-2 in the Camden Amphitheater

Tis the season to carve some ice! Join us for this fun annual event where we'll come together as a community to carve a beautiful ice sculpture.

We'll need lots of warm bodies, hot drink deliveries, folks who will talk to the crowd and engage families - this is a wonderful opportunity to share The Riley School with the larger community.

Bundle up and join us for this blast of an event!

( and yes, volunteer hours will apply )

WINTER WEAR !

We are hopeful for a nice snowfall.... but in the meantime please be sure to send your children with extra clothes and SOCKS and warm layers every day.

COLD AND FLU and ??? Season

Although mandatory masking and contact tracing is hopefully a thing of the past, we are encouraging everyone to maintain the community standard of care and to STAY HOME when sick... and to MASK with any symptoms . There are nasty viruses afloat besides covid. Let's stay healthy.