Riverside School PTA Newsletter |
Friday, November 5th, 2021 |
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BOO-YAH! BOO BASH IS TONIGHT!
Boo Bash is this evening! Please be sure to review the information in Wednesday's “Boo Bash 2021 Logistics” email. And don’t forget to put a piece of paper with the ticketholder’s last name on the dashboard of each car when entering the Hyatt. We are hoping this will help make the entrance to our event as smooth as possible. See you there!
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HOLIDAYS FOR HAITI IS HAPPENING NOVEMBER 8-19
Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere and has been plagued by poverty, hardship, natural disasters and political crises. Riverside School will continue to support Danita's Children Orphanage & School with our 4th annual Holidays for Haiti. Families can sponsor students, make them holiday cards and donate money which will go toward a holiday party, gifts and backpacks for each child. Please visit the Holidays For Haiti page on the RIVPTA.ORG for more information on how this virtual event will run.
Registration will open to all on Monday, November 8, and closes on Friday, November 19. We look forward to continuing the tradition of generosity and spreading holiday cheer to children who otherwise would not have much to celebrate. Thank you!
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FALL PTA MEETING: SEND QUESTIONS BY NOVEMBER 10
Please join us on Thursday, November 18 from 9:30-10:30am via Zoom for the Fall PTA General Meeting. The first 15-20 minutes will include PTA business items, followed by a discussion with Karen Santucci, MD FAAP – Chief Medical Officer at Greenwich Hospital and Professor of Pediatrics and Emergency Medicine at Yale School of Medicine. She will discuss the COVID outlook for the winter months, updates on variants, vaccines and boosters…and any other topics of interest!
**If you have questions for Dr. Santucci** Please send them to riversideschoolpta@gmail.com by Wednesday, November 10. Dr. Santucci will be using the questions she receives from our community to tailor her initial overview and conversation with us.
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HOW RIVERSIDE PLANS TO HONOR VETERANS DAY
This year, 4th and 5th grade students will be joining us for Riverside’s 17th annual Veterans Day Ceremony. The ceremony will honor all those who served in the armed forces in an outdoor ceremony, adhering to all social distancing rules.
While this year's event is closed to most guests and parents, we will be recording the ceremony which includes local veterans raising the flag, and guest speaker Fred Camillo, who will speak to the 4th & 5th graders about Veterans Day. The ceremonial recording will be shown to the rest of the classes on Thursday, November 11.
In addition to the ceremony, we will present a scrolling Honor Roll list of grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, cousins who are veterans (see this morning's email for additional details). Children are encouraged to wear red on Thursday, November 11 in honor of Veterans Day.
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GRADE 2 PARENTS: ALP ENRICHMENT PLACEMENT INFO
This week, the district ALP Team hosted virtual meetings to discuss the placement process for Advanced Studies for Grade 2 Enrichment, which begins in January of 2022. In order to refer your student for evaluation to the enrichment program, for Language Arts or Math, the district ALP Team is asking parents to provide the committee with your insights. The Parent Referral Form must be completed by Wednesday, November 10.
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AMERICA RECYCLES DAY IS NOVEMBER 15!
Monday, November 15 is America Recycles Day, also known as National Recycling Day! To celebrate, students are encouraged to wear green. Collections bins will be outside the front doors for a week long (November 15-19) Battery Drive. Let's come together to recommit to a strong recycling presence at Riverside!
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SCHOOL PHOTO RETAKES / MAKEUP DATE: NOVEMBER 15
Photo Retakes will take place outside on school grounds on Monday, November 15. If your child was absent or if you are not satisfied with your child's school portrait and would like the opportunity to retake it, please email Janet Delos or Emily Trammell.
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VIRTUAL CANDY GUESSING GAME WINNER
Drumroll please....the winner of our Halloween Candy Guessing Game with the closest estimation of skittles is...Scarlette DiAngelo in 1N!! She estimated 3,456 and the actual amount was 3,424. Congrats to Scarlette and thank you to all those that participated and put their great math skills to work!
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ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS
On Monday and Wednesday, 4th grade students explored Newton's laws of motion with the help of our favorite High Touch High Tech Scientist, Nina. In the program, Newton's Day at the Park, students learned how combinations of gravitational, magnetic and electric forces make things move, rotate, revolve, and stop.
Upcoming Enrichment Programs:
November 22-23: High Touch High Tech's "Vibes" (grade 5)
December 10, 14-15: High Touch High Tech's "What's the Matter" (grade 3)
These programs are paid for by the generous donations of parents to the PTA. Thank you!
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ONLINE APPAREL STORE IS NOW OPEN
Whether you're a returning Red Hawk or new to the nest, you can support Riverside School by showing your school spirit! Our online apparel store is open for business and stocked with lots of great new items, including tees, shorts, sweatshirts, ROPES shirts, water bottles and more. Go to RIVPTA.ORG to shop spirit wear now! Orders placed by noon on Thursdays can be picked up between 7am-7pm on Fridays at 41 Owenoke Way.
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HAVE YOU SIGNED UP FOR SAFETY DUTY YET?
In addition to making sure everyone is familiar with the drop-off/pick-up “Rules of the Road”, Safety Duty is an important part of keeping our children safe at Riverside School. Volunteers make the morning drop-off process more efficient and secure. Volunteers assist from 8:30-8:45am daily and must wear a mask at all times during a shift. Sign up online. For more info, contact Brielle Goldfaden at brielleg@gmail.com.
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BIKE RODEO IS BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND!
Our fabulous PE teachers, Mr. Bogardus and Mr. D'Andrea, in collaboration with Pedal Greenwich, an organization that promotes biking, have organized a special Bike Rodeo JUST for 5th-grade students on Wednesday, November 10 from 2-3 pm. (Rain date is Friday, November 12). More details on the 5th Grade Families message board.
If your child does not have access to a working bike and/or helmet, or If you have an extra bike/helmet to use for the day, please let Kristin Duda know by Friday, November 5, so we can coordinate loaners. Please sign up to volunteer for the event.
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NOTE FOR PARENTS: ITEM DROP-OFFS
As a reminder to parents, when dropping off items for children, please make sure the item is labeled with the child's name and teacher. Sometimes office personnel cannot immediately obtain items from the bins due to other obligations, and clear labeling will minimize confusion and inefficiency at the time of retrieval.
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ORDERING LUNCH
PLEASE NOTE: School lunches continue to be FREE this school year. All orders MUST be submitted at least TWO full school days in advance (and up to five days in advance). Orders entered for same day lunch may not be seen, and cafeteria staff don't want students missing out. Please visit the Lunch Page on rivpta.org for information on submitting lunch orders and a link to the school's order form.
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A "DATA DATE WITH SCIENCE" WITH TARA FOGEL ON NOVEMBER 16
Are you curious about the digital resources students are using in their science lessons and classrooms? Do you have questions about what the children are learning in science this year? Then please join speaker Tara Fogel, GPS Coordinator for K-8 Science, on November 16 at 10:30am to learn more! Please see the flyer for more detailed information and the link to join.
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GREENWICH PUBLIC SCHOOLS BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETINGS
Board of Education meetings are easier to attend now that they be viewed on Zoom--stay informed! Here is a list of 2021-2022 academic year Greenwich Board of Education meetings. Information on how to access the meetings can be found on the GPS Accessing Virtual BOE Meetings page. All meetings start at 7:00pm unless otherwise noted.
- Thursday, November 17, 2021
- Thursday, December 2, 2021 (Budget)
- Thursday, December 16, 2021
- Thursday, January 20, 2022
- Thursday, February 3, 2022 (Retreat, no public comment)
- Thursday, February 24, 2022
- Thursday, March 24, 2022
- Thursday, April 28, 2022
- Thursday, May 19, 2022
- Thursday, June 2, 2022 (Retreat, no public comment)
- Thursday, June 16, 2022
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UPCOMING GPS "PARENT CHAT" EVENTS
During these challenging times please know that you are not alone! Join a "Parent Video Chat" with our GPS psychologists and learn effective strategies to manage personal stress and discuss other relevant topics. Please view the flyers (English or Spanish) to learn more.
Wednesday, November 10 at 6pm
Tuesday, November 16 at 11am
Link for all meetings:
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SUBSCRIBE TO RECEIVE GREENWICH PUBLIC SCHOOLS NEWSLETTERS
Make sure you are receiving GPS e-newsletters directly to your inbox! To subscribe, select the relevant newsletters below and click the orange "Follow" button on the right side of the page.
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Share Shabbat with Temple Kehilat Shalom (Hebrew Wizards)
Hebrew Wizards (Temple Kehilat Shalom) hosts a monthly Share Shabbat via Zoom. Share Shabbat is the period of rest at the end of the week. Please join Rabbi Deb to welcome in the Shabbat on Friday, November 5 at 6:00pm. Zoom Link: https://zoom.us/j/9596954557.
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Kiss the Ground Screening & Panel Discussion
On Tuesday, November 9 at 6:00pm, Waste Free Greenwich will be hosting a screening of Kiss the Ground followed by a panel discussion, "Regeneration & Beyond: Exploring Our Food System" at the Performing Arts Center at Greenwich High School. Kiss the Ground is a documentary that sheds light on a new, old approach to farming called "regenerative agriculture" that has the potential to balance our climate, replenish our vast water supplies and feed the world. To attend, register here.
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Merry, Bright, and Waste Free Holidays
'Tis the season for family traditions, friendly celebrations...and waste! Americans produce one million extra tons of trash more than the rest of the year between Thanksgiving and New Year...Bah humbug!
Be part of the solution! It's easy to make switches from decor and wrapping to gifts and cooking. Join Greenwich Botanical Center for a virtual presentation by Sarah Coccaro of Greenwich Conservaton Comission and Julie DesChamps of Waste Free Greenwich on Wednesday, November 10 at 10am for tips on creating a merry, bright and waste free holiday season. Register now.
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Audition for the Open Arts Alliance Musical Production of Cinderella
Open Arts Alliance is proud to announce auditions for its upcoming musical production of Cinderella will be held December 7 & 9, at 6pm at The River House (125 River Road Extension, Cos Cob). Callbacks will be held on December 10 at 6pm. All youth in the community ages 8-18 are encouraged to audition. Complete required audition registration by December 5. Auditioners need only attend one of the scheduled audition dates. They should be prepared to sing a song of their choosing a cappella, and be ready to read from a portion of the script. Performances of Cinderella will take place from April 28-30, 2022 at The Powerhouse theatre in New Canaan.
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The Nutcracker is Back on Stage in Greenwich on November 13 & 14
Kick off the Holiday Season with The Nutcracker ballet. The Greenwich Ballet Academy’s performance of The Nutcracker will be held at the Greenwich High School Performing Arts Center November 13 at 7:45pm and November 14 at 2:00pm. Numerous Greenwich Public School students are featured performers along with professional guest artists from American Ballet Theater (ABT). Tickets starting at $30. You can purchase tickets here.
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The Turkey Trot is Back – Join the Thanksgiving Weekend Tradition!
Support the Greenwich Alliance for Education by participating in a morning of family fun and exercise on Saturday, November 27. Proceeds benefit Greenwich Schools. Choose from a one-mile fun run/walk and a 5k race that begins at the Arch Street Teen Center and loops through Bruce Park. When you register, don’t forget to participate in the Run for Your School Competition. The Greenwich school with the greatest participation wins a $500 gift card for PE equipment! Register here.
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COVID Resources from the School |
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IN-SCHOOL COVID-19 SYMPTOM PROTOCOL
The Nurse’s Office has received many questions about how the school is making decisions about when the school is sending students home. Extra precautions are being taken in order to do our best to keep students in school. Unfortunately, there will be many students sent home this year even though they may have normally been allowed to stay in school and we hope all families will be understanding.
Greenwich Public Schools COVID Symptom Protocol:
- If a student exhibits 1 low risk symptom (fever of 100.4 or greater, congestion/runny nose, nausea/vomiting/diarrhea, sore throat, headache, muscle aches) and has had no exposure to a COVID-19 positive person, the student may return to school 24 hours after symptom resolution (without medication for fevers)
- If a student exhibits 2 or more low risk symptoms (see above) or has 1 high-risk symptom (new cough, difficulty breathing, loss of taste/smell) AND has had no exposure to a COVID-19 positive person, the student must be seen by a healthcare provider.
- If the student has a negative PCR swab test for COVID, the student may return to school 24 hours after symptom resolution (without medication for fevers).
- If the student has lab testing and evaluation, or an alternative diagnosis, the student may return to school 24 hours after symptom resolution (without medication for fevers).
- If a student has a positive PCR swab test for COVID, the student may return to school after 24 hours without fever (without medication) AND symptoms improving AND approval of local health department (10-14 days); AND release by the primary care provider will be required
- If a student is exposed to a COVID positive person, the student may return to school 14 days after last contact unless symptoms develop. If symptoms develop, the student must obtain a swab.
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SUBMISSIONS
Have something to add? Email us at: peekweekriv@gmail.com Deadline for submissions is 3pm on Wednesday of the school week
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