Riverside School PTA Newsletter | |
PTA Highlights
Dear Riverside families,
We’re now into June, which means the school year ends soon.
So, we’ll try to have a little fun before our work here is done.
This year, we’ll only be sending the Peek three more times.
So, we’ll jazz things up in today’s letter by using lots of rhymes!
Let’s give a cheer for every PTA volunteer!
Thanks to everyone who joined Wednesday’s Volunteer & Parent Recognition Tea. We honored volunteer award winners (details below), recognized outgoing PTA board members and celebrated graduating families. See below for a link to this year’s volunteer tribute video from Riverside teachers and staff (which includes some clever rhymes from Mrs. Fioravanti)!
Get what you need for this year’s Summer Read.
If you’d like to purchase the (optional) Summer Read book through rivpta.org, today is your last day to do so. See the newsletter below for information on when book orders can be picked up outside the school.
Unloading old books giving you pause? Donate them to a worthy cause!
If you’re looking to unload books your children have grown out of, don’t forget to drop them in collection bins outside the school all next week. More details below.
The garden is in bloom, come take a Peek.
Sign up to care for it this summer, just pick a Week.
Scroll down to read about some work students did in the garden recently. If you’re interested in caring for the garden this summer, the signup sheet is now available. Reserve a week while slots are still open!
Your calendar reminders:
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Today – Last day to order Summer Read books online
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June 6-10 – Used Children’s Book Drive
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June 9 – School-wide Art Show from 6:30-8pm
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June 13 & 14 – Summer Read book pick-up (see newsletter below for times)
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June 13 – Field Day (rain date: June 14)
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June 14 – Flag Day
Enjoy your weekend.
Carey Bisbee & Allison Maus
PTA Co-Presidents
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LAST CHANCE TO ORDER SUMMER READ BOOKS!
The deadline to order your copy of "Wonder" or "We're All Wonders" by R.J. Palacio is TODAY (Friday, June 3)! We are so excited to read these books together for Riverside’s Annual Summer Read. Books can be purchased here. Books will be available to pick up outside school June 13 and 14 between 9:00-9:45am and 2:15-3:00pm.
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VOLUNTEER & PARENT RECOGNITION RECAP
Thanks to everyone who was able to join our annual Volunteer & Parent Recognition event on Wednesday. In addition to honoring graduating families and thanking all PTA volunteers, we gave special recognition to:
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Volunteer of the Year – Virginia Lockhart
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Citizen of the Year – Heather DeVries & Lindsay Melcher
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Safety Award – Dannielle DiAngelo
Teachers and staff, represented by staff liaison to the PTA Fionnuala Browning, provided refreshments for attendees and created a video tribute to volunteers.
As always, we thank all our volunteers for their time and efforts in carrying out our PTA mission at Riverside School throughout the year!
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DONATE USED CHILDREN'S BOOKS!
Need motivation to part with books your kids no longer read? Join the Green Committee for Riverside's Used Children's Books Drive! Collection bins will be in front of the school June 6-10 for those wishing to donate children's books in excellent to fair condition. Donated books will be offered to Books4Everyone. Email here with questions.
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STUDENT COUNCIL: BAKE SALE TODAY AND DONATION DRIVE JUNE 1-15
Student Council is holding a school, art, and sports supplies drive from June 1-15. All of the items will be donated to The Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich and The Boys & Girls Club of Stamford. Items can be dropped in the bins in the front of school.
The bake sale is TODAY (Friday, June 3), after school on the front lawn!
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THE GARDEN IS IN BLOOM!
The PTA Garden Committee recently spent time with Mrs. Barrette’s and Mrs. Groeger’s second grade classes, touching and taste-testing from the garden and planting wildflowers in the new second grade wildflower patch. We expect flowers to bloom throughout the summer, greeting Riverside students when they return to school in September. Check out photos on the Riverside Reel. There are also many veggies and flowers coming up in the garden. Feel free to take a peek!
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ATTENTION RIVERSIDE GARDENERS!
Would you like to add delicious, locally grown produce to your family's plates this summer? Click this link below to sign up to care for our beautiful, bountiful vegetable garden for a week this summer!
Responsibilities include watering, weeding, and harvesting. Be sure to include your email so we can keep you posted with garden updates and news. If you are interested, but feel uncertain because of lack of gardening experience, no problem! One of our more experienced gardeners can work with you at the beginning of your week to answer any questions and get you started!
Questions? Email brettkroeger1@gmail.com or c_viefers@hotmail.com.
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FEELING LUCKY? ENTER THE CLASS PARENT LOTTERY!
Throw your name in the hat to be a Class Parent next year! So many perks! More information, including the signup link, can be found here.
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MARK YOUR CALENDAR: RIVERSIDE SCHOOL CONCERT
As a courtesy to our families, we want to make sure you're aware of the school's spring orchestra concert.
3rd Grade Strings Concert:
- Tuesday, June 7 at 6:00pm
4th and 5th Grade Orchestra Concert:
- Tuesday, June 7 at 7:30pm
**PLEASE NOTE** The June 15 date listed in a previous Peek is an in-school performance for students and staff ONLY.
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FIELD DAY IS HAPPENING JUNE 13!
Field Day is happening Monday, June 13 (rain date: June 14). Students will be divided into color groups and will compete against each other to see which color will be this year’s champion! The school will be sending more details soon. You should have received your child(ren)’s color assignment on May 13. Your child should wear a shirt in that color on Field Day.
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ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS
Watersheds - 4th Grade
This week, Environmental Analyst, Aleksandra Moch, and Conservation Resource Manager, Sarah Coccaro, from the Town of Greenwich Environmental Commission visited our fourth grade students. They investigated the town of Greenwich as a watershed and learned how to protect the community's water resources. The class modeled different pollutants in a small basin and students got to try their hand at purifying the water using a variety of strainers and filters. This proved to be a difficult task!
We thank the Town of Greenwich Environmental Commission for offering this important and fun program to our Riverside students.
UPCOMING ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS
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June 8: Eli Whitney Museum's Bird Beak Variation (Grade 3)
These programs were organized by the PTA Enrichment Committee and made possible by your generous donations to the Riverside School PTA. Thank you!
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VISIT THE ONLINE APPAREL STORE
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 items, including tees, shorts, sweatshirts, ROPES shirts, water bottles and more. Go to RIVPTA.ORG to shop now! Orders placed by noon on Thursdays can be picked up between 7am-7pm on Fridays at 41 Owenoke Way.
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SAFETY DUTY: MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN JUST 15 MINUTES!
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. Sign up online. For more info, contact Brielle Goldfaden at brielleg@gmail.com.
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5TH GRADE CELEBRATION POOL PARTY!
Celebrate the end of the school year and 5th grade graduation! All 5th graders are invited to a POOL PARTY after the last day of school, Friday June 24 from 1:30-3pm at Riverside Yacht Club. Please buy tickets and sign the waiver (My Account > My Page > Membership, Tickets & Donations).
Signup must be done by Friday, June 17 and no late forms or payment will be accommodated. This is a drop-off party, but we will have parent chaperones and lifeguards. It will occur rain or shine (but not lightning/thunder). Please have kids bring their own towels and refillable water bottles. Kids will swim, eat pizza and dessert, and celebrate with their classmates. Please email Amy Johnson with allergies (especially to dairy or gluten).
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5TH GRADE PARENT PARTY (JUNE 11) - TICKETS ON SALE NOW!
Please join us for a fun night to celebrate with other 5th grade parents! The 5th Grade Parent Party is Saturday, June 11, from 7-10 pm at the home of Lois and Bryan Kelly. It will be hosted outdoors, with food, drinks and music. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased here (My Account > My Page > Membership, Tickets and Donations). Please contact Lois Kelly with questions.
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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.
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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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Hip Hop Pioneer DMC to Visit Ferguson Library
Unbound Innovations XRDarryl “DMC” McDaniels, a founding member of the hip hop group RUN DMC, will visit the Ferguson library (Dudley N. Williams, Jr., Auditorium) Wednesday, June 8 at 6 p.m. to talk about his children’s picture book, Darryl’s Dream, a story about finding confidence, facing bullies and celebrating yourself. The program will include remarks and Q & A with DMC, a poetry slam and children’s dance performance and book giveaway (one per family). Click here to register. Also available via Zoom. Login at the time of the event.
Co-sponsored by the City of Stamford, the Ferguson Library and Stamford Stands Against Racism, in partnership with 100 Black Men of Stamford , Inc., Champions of Philanthropy, Jackie Robinson Park of Fame Inc., the Mayor’s Multicultural Council of Stamford and @stamfordcommunity.
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For Current 5th Graders: Greenwich Middle School Squash
We are looking forward to the upcoming year of our Greenwich Middle School Squash Club (GMSSC). The program will continue at Greenwich Water Club with coaching from Squash:ED throughout the full school year. The fall (pre-season) runs from mid-September through October. The winter season is November through early February. If we have enough participants, we will also run a spring clinic from March through May.
Please see the program flyer that has all the details, dates and costs for the upcoming season. The flyer also has a QR code which links you to a registration form. Feel free to forward this to other parents of public rising middle school students that might be interested. Questions? Please contact gmssquashclub@gmail.com. The middle school is part of a larger program which includes a Greenwich elementary and high school program. We hope you will consider joining this great squash program!
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Current 5th Graders: VR/AR Experience Camp
Unbound Innovations XR Virtual & Augmented Reality STEAM Camps are week-long immersive experiences that introduce a broad range of innovative disciplines within virtual and augmented reality. Participants will practice, play, design and build their own experiences.
The weekly sessions begin July 5 and end August 5. Campers may register for multiple weeks and will be divided into two age groups:
Rising 6th – 8th Graders: Morning Session 8:30am – 11:30am
Rising 9th – 12th Graders: Afternoon Session 12:30pm – 3:30pm
Registration deadline: June 3, 2022
Camp Location: Western Middle School, Greenwich, CT
The Greenwich Alliance funds innovative programs in the Greenwich Public Schools. Unbound Innovations XR is “championed” by Gaspare Lipari and is a Reaching Out Grant recipient 2019-2022.
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St. Paul's Day School Sneaker Drive
Summer is coming, and the sneakers that got your kids through (most) of this past school year need to go! Drop them to St. Paul's Day School, where they will be recycled (or, if they are still in good shape, they will go to less fortunate individuals). All around win! The SPDS Sneaker Drive runs from Monday, May 30 through Friday June 17. Questions? Contact Elisabeth Miranowski.
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Greenwich High School Dance Team to Host Dance Workshop
The Greenwich High School Dance Team is hosting a Dance Workshop at The Dance Pointe on Saturday, June 4 for students in grades 1-8. For more details, click here.
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GEMS Kids Triathlon on June 12
The Second annual GEMS Kids Triathlon will be held on Sunday, June 12 at 8am at Greenwich High. The event format will be pool swim, on-campus bike course, and on-campus run course. There will be four age groups from 6 to 14 years old. We will have participation awards, T-shirts, goody bags, and age-group awards. Sign up here.
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Sign Up for Greenwich Youth Cheer
Does your child love to jump, tumble, dance, perform and drive you nuts with their energy? Sign them up for Greenwich Youth Cheer! Registration is open! Registration information can be found here. Riverside's own Elisabeth Miranowski runs the Putnam Generals Cheer program, and is happy to answer any and all questions! Contact her at emiranowski@gmail.com.
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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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