On Community Service Day 7th graders Gabi and Lila helped make 48 loaves of pumpkin bread for the Lyndon Area Food Shelf, and kindergarteners Lauren, Addy, Hannah, and Cora painted cardboard trays to hold warm Thanksgiving meals delivered to homes by H.O.P.E. (The 1-2nd graders crafted cards and napkin rings that will accompany those trays.) |
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Greetings!
Welcome back! We are happy to be together again and connecting with grandparents in a variety of ways today.
Happy Riverside Grandparents' Day!
Nelia
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We are sorry that once again this year, in an effort to keep everyone safe and healthy, this tradition was not in-person. We did our best to make alternate plans to help you connect with your grandchildren and to recognize that you too are important parts of the Riverside community.
Last week you should have received some artwork and written messages in the postal mail from your grandchild(ren). They worked hard on them in art class and with their teachers learning how to write letters and use envelopes! Please also keep an eye on your email in-box where you may have received special messages from specific teachers. Some had plans to invite you to virtually "join" activities in their classrooms today. Others are preparing photos, videos, and projects to share with you digitally today and possibly later this week as well.
We hope you celebrate happy holidays and enjoy connecting with your grandchildren and their Riverside experience.
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CHRISTMAS TREES FOR RIVERSIDE |
The Cobb family (7th grader Esme) would like to share the Christmas trees growing on their property with any Riverside families who want them. Thank you to parent Travis Keller (kindergartener Vivian and 3rd grader Alice) who has already been hard at work trimming the trees for us! 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 after Thanksgiving, between 10am-2pm. Please text or call 802-498-5982 in advance so they can put their dogs inside. Signs will guide you from their driveway toward the tree lot . In exchange, 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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The middle school team is missing a few Chromebooks and chargers that were leant out to students during extended absences. If your child has borrowed one to bring home, please think carefully about whether or not it and its charger were returned, and search your home as needed.
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SURVEILLANCE TESTING STILL AVAILABLE |
Our routine surveillance testing has been very reassuring to parents and students recently. Both as COVID cases increase in our area, and as exposures happen on campus and quarantine protocols require it, it's been very helpful to have students already accessing tests at school. We would encourage those who have not yet given consent but would like to have their child(ren) tested weekly, to consider doing so. Please don't hesitate to reach out with questions or concerns if you have any.
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This Friday, December 3 Terra and Ignis houses will go ice skating. Please remember to pick those students up at the Fenton Chester Arena at 3:15. Email Nelia if you have any questions about which dates your child is skating.
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MIDDLE SCHOOL INSTRUMENT LESSONS |
We are looking to grow our music program with the goal of creating a full concert band. Marie is offering one-on-one lessons during the school day as part of the music program (no additional cost) for 6-8th grade students who are interested. Students can choose from flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet/cornet, or percussion (bells, snare drum, bass drum). We have some school instruments that students can borrow on a first come, first serve basis. Rentals are available through Ellis Music and can be coordinated by emailing Marie. Please talk to your child(ren) about learning to play an instrument and reach out to Marie if they are interested.
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We are planning two evenings later this winter to celebrate student efforts in music, band, chorus and studio arts. A rotation of performances, art on display in different spaces, and an outdoor gathering near a bonfire will allow us to enjoy the students' efforts while staying safe and warm. Mark your calendars for Thursday, January 20 (PK-5th) and Friday, January 21 (6-8th). More detailed information will be in Monday Memos next month.
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Roy and Nelia would welcome the help of volunteers on Tuesday mornings from about 9:15-10:45 am to help us execute COVID surveillance testing. While they are glad give the time to make it happen and enjoy visiting with so many students, it is taking valuable time away from other administrative work. The task involves helping younger students use materials, entering codes into a database, and noting numbers and letters on paper for a hard copy record. If you are willing to do this, even just once a month, please let Nelia know.
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Parent organizers have entered Riverside in to the Burke Area Chamber of Commerce Tree Decorating Competition, on the green in East Burke village, and we need help decorating! This is a friendly competition and all winning funds go to the charity of our choice: the H.O.P.E. backpack program.
Please bring your family to come join some fun this week so we have our tree decorated in time for the judging next week!
Come join any of the festive activities listed below:
Tuesday November 30th:
- Grades K-2 and grades 3-5 are welcome to come decorate ornaments from 3-3:45 after school. (Arcelie Newell and Kim Adams will be heading up two groups so we can stay in pods)
- Grades 6-8 can decorate from 3:45-4:30 after school.
- *Parents - please come join the fun with your child!
Sunday, December 5th, 5-6pm: Let's gather around the tree, decorate and get in the spirit of the season. Kim Adams will bring the ornaments made at school this week, but feel free to add any you make at home (they ask for no tinsel and nothing that would attract animals, like edible ornaments)! Dress warmly and feel free to bring something warm to drink! This is meant to be a family event - no childcare offered.
Sunday December 12th, 3-5pm: Feel free to attend the Burke Chamber of Commerce Holiday party and tree lighting ceremony. They'll have cider, donuts, the Balkan Chorus and be announcing the winners.
We look forward to enjoying some holiday cheer with you all! Any questions, please reach out to Kim Adams (802) 535-8532
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TEACHER APPRECIATION MEALS |
Twice each year Riverside parents show their appreciation for our teachers with a series of catered meals and packaged leftovers. This effort is meant to be in lieu of any holiday (or end of year) gifts that families might usually offer. Parent Ellen Moore (8th grader Macy) has set up this meal train site for parents to choose how they'd like to help during the two weeks of December 3-17 in ways like this:
- prepare general breakfast dish
- prepare vegan- and gluten-free breakfast dish
- set up and clean up breakfast (approx 7:30-8:30)
- prepare vegan- and gluten-free lunch dish
- prepare general lunch dish
- prepare salad
- prepare dessert
- set-up and clean-up lunch (approx 11:15-1:15)
Thank you in advance, from all of us!
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We have enrolled in the state’s “test to stay” program, which will enable us to reduce absences in the event of a positive case on campus. How this works is that once we’ve identified a positive case on campus, and completed our contact tracing, students in the affected class may return to school by taking an antigen test each morning during their quarantine period. Families must complete the consent form (different from the consent for surveillance testing) first. It’s not a bad idea to go ahead and do this now just in case.
“Test to stay” does not supplant the need for exposed students to quarantine, which is either for 14 days (with no PCR test) or ending early after a negative PCR test administered on days 2 and 7, rather it enables students who are in quarantine due to an on-campus exposure to continue to learn at school while they complete their isolation.
We are only able to use this program in the event of a positive case on our campus and can’t use “test to stay” to bring in students who were exposed or potentially exposed off-campus. Email Roy with questions about the reasoning for that.
We hope that after winter break, when the staff has had a chance to get their boosters and every family that wants to has had the chance to get their children vaccinated, we’ll be able to revisit some of our protocols. For now, if you have any question about whether you should send your child to school, please email Roy (any hour day or night) or call the school (after 7:15 weekdays).
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CROSS COUNTRY SEASON PASSES FOR RIVERSIDE |
Northwoods Stewardship Center, who manages the winter season cross country ski trails on Dashney Road, is offering discount family season passes for Riverside families, for $75 (instead of $125). If you think your family would like one, please email ski@northwoods.org and reference the code RIVERSIDEFAM.
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Adventure Club for K-8th graders will meet today from 3:45-5:00.
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MAHJONG CLUB FOR PARENTS AND MIDDLE SCHOOLERS |
MahJong Club for older students and parents will meet this Tuesday at 5:00 pm. We are still welcome to having new participants join! |
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Chess Club will meet this Wednesday. K-2nd graders will be in Allee's room and 3-5th graders will be in Hanna's room from 3:00-3:45. 6-8th graders will meet in Hanna's room from 3:45-4:45. |
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Crazy 8s club for 3-5th graders will meet this Wednesday from 3:30-4:30. |
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Nature club for K-8th graders will meet this Wednesday from 3:30-4:30. |
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Theater Club for 3-5th graders will meet this Thursday, from 3:15-4:15. |
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Math Counts Club for 6-8th graders will meet this Thursday from 3:45-4:30 pm. |
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While there have been many examples of the dedication and caliber of Riverside teachers over the years, perhaps no period in the modern history of education has required so much from educators as the last two years. In support of our teachers and the creative activities and engaging programs they design, we invite you to participate in giving to our annual fund. Please consider in giving to Riverside to help us bridge the gap between tuition and expenses. It's not the size of the gift that matters but the gesture of participation.
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30 Lily Pond Road, Lyndonville, VT 05851
phone: 802.626.8552
fax: 802.626.4156
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