Ridgeview Junior High School
October 22, 2021
PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE
Hello Ridgeview Families,
As we round the corner of the trimester, students should be working to make sure they have their assignments updated and turned in. We have a teen night planned for our 8th graders make sure to check out the PTO’s flyer below!
I feel like I keep asking for your help with reminding students about different school wide expectations; however, we continue to have students making poor choices.
The sheer amount of f-bombs towards students and staff, n word (between friends), and blatant disrespect has got us as administrators at a loss of how to curb these behaviors. Conversations and consequences like detentions are not working in regards to cleaning up language. The disrespectful behavior is talking out or above students or staff, leaving classrooms without permission or pass and slamming doors, getting into arguments and name calling. Again, in these instances, consequences may or may not work but the behaviors continue even after we teach and talk about appropriate responses. Students are deciding now that they will handle situations with their hands. Pushing, wrestling, hitting each other is what they believe will resolve their issue, this can start off as playing around but always escalates. When this happens we have far too many students at the ready with their cell phones to film the struggle of others. That video then potentially gets shared and is out in the social media realm forever. I am working with apps like Instagram to shut down these pages and talking with students who are filming about potential consequences and the impact posting things like this could have on their future. To be clear, filming fights is not helping the situation and will lead to office assigned discipline. We do not want students making poor choices that could get them a consequence. Please talk to your student about making appropriate choices in actions and words.
On another note we are having some instances of students damaging our chairs. They are using the string of their mask too ‘saw’ into our plastic chairs. See the image below of one chair that has not been completely sawed through. As we are catching students doing this we will be making contact home and if the chair cannot be repaired we will be asking for restitution to purchase replacement chairs. This was formerly posted on TikTok last year but has made a resurgence.
We truly do appreciate all of the help you have given us and hope you enjoy weekend.
Beth Richardson
Principal
Ridgeview STEM Junior High
LPDC Co-Chair (RSJHS, PHSN & DO representative)
Pickerington Local School District Needs YOU!
PLSD has a critical need for substitute paraprofessionals, health care assistants, duty aides, custodians, and food service employees! Do you love working with kids? Do you need a job that will work around your schedule? If so, please apply online at https://www.applitrack.com/pickerington/onlineapp/default.aspx?Category=Substitute+Positions&fbclid=IwAR0WbQ0l5J_O4KbMRDbQsHphmBptPL5rS5W1pC_yQp8u_QpXTSgLZClEUgE
School wide expectations reminders
Cell phones are off and away all day. If you have any questions regarding cell phones please review Board Policy 5136
One way hallways have been in place for 6 years at Ridgeview, students need to follow the one way hallway traffic all day and that includes going to lunch.
Language there is vocabulary that is not appropriate for school. We continue to remind students curse words are not appropriate at school and give students other vocabulary to vent their frustration. We also are having conversations about what students refer to as "dark humor." If it is inappropriate to say, saying that one was just kidding or only a joke does not negate the conversation from being inappropriate.
Lockers students should access their lockers at the beginning of the day, lunch time and at the end of the day. Students can carry their book bags from class to class.
Hands to ourselves and our own items: Our hallways do get crowded and sometimes students do accidentally bump into each other. However we have made announcements that we cannot play around, play fight, or grab others as it creates a safety concern. We address each of these as they occur, remind them that horsing around or rough house play is not appropriate at school and could escalate into something more so we ask that they do not do that at school. This also goes for our personal items as well and not touching items that do not belong to us.
LET'S ERADICATE BULLYING AT RIDGEVIEW!
Message from the Clinic
- If anyone in the household is being tested for COVID-19, do not send your student to school until you have test results!
- If your child is absent from school for reasons due to Covid-19, please be sure to call the School Nurse as soon as possible (614-548-1708). This is very important when recording absences and tracking Covid-19 cases in the school building.
- Please remember to screen your student daily for signs/symptoms of COVID-19 (cough, fever over 100, sudden onset of severe headache, sore throat). If your student has any of these symptoms, please do not send them to school/extra curricular activities.
- If your student is a close contact and has been vaccinated, they may continue to attend school and extracurricular activities if they are asymptomatic. They will be required to wear a mask for two weeks after exposure.
- We received clarification from the health department regarding modified quarantine. If your student is correctly and consistently wearing their mask in the classroom setting, they may be eligible for modified quarantine and continue to participate in school/extracurricular activities.
Trimester Important Dates
At the junior highs, we are on trimesters so our dates for grading periods do not align with the other levels in the district. Here are the trimester dates.
TRIMESTER 1: AUGUST 16-NOVEMBER 5
INTERIMS: SEPT 24th
TRIMESTER 2: NOVEMBER 8-FEBRUARY 11
INTERIMS: DEC 22nd
TRIMESTER 3: FEBRUARY 14-MAY 20
INTERIMS: APRIL 1st
Counselor's Corner
Signs of Suicide (SOS) Program for 7th ad 8th grade. Please click on the link for details.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wbMn8yXHyl8xL3ytPhF2XPSHWqn3Vb3WgFdpCdvKp7g/edit?usp=sharing
English version of Parent Letter
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JZvFQ2dD_qcLOUqzYT0VRQmws2SdYPs3BFq2GXViKUM/edit?usp=sharing
Spanish version of Parent Letter
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GTGCpRohGV6n09iHhg7UoKi1tUK9UAAAr3LbOJZ6hiQ/edit?usp=sharing
2021-2022 YEARBOOK Information
National Junior Honor Society (NJHS)
Below is a list of dates for our National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) students to meet in the cafeteria immediately after school this year. This is ONLY for 8th Graders who completed the process last spring.
*Note: All dates are Mondays; from 2:10pm - 3:00pm.
October 25
November 22
December 13
January 24
February 28
March 28
April 24
For any questions, please contact Leanne Ross at Leanne_Ross@plsd.us.
P.A.W. Time Update
October is bullying prevention month and we will spend PAW Time examining how to treat others and how to promote a culture that welcomes and values everyone.
Students were presented with a "rule of thumb" video on how to change complaining into something productive. 8th grade continued the conversation to include how students can invest in being disciplined (making purposeful choices) to help create the best versions of ourselves.
Preview YouTube video Ep 14: The #1 Rule of Thumb for Complaining || Daily Discipline w/ Brian Kight
Ep 14: The #1 Rule of Thumb for Complaining || Daily Discipline w/ Brian Kight
Ep 6: Prioritize Long-Term Rewards Over Immediate Impulses || Daily Discipline w/ Brian Kight
Questions about Close Contacts and Quarantining
Please see the following flow chart that will guide our decision making about quarantining for students and staff who have been exposed to a positive COVID-19 case.
If you have any questions please feel free to reach out to Marcia Stewart (marcia_stewart@plsd.us) our school nurse.
ATHLETIC REGISTRATION INFORMATION & UPDATES
RIDGEVIEW JUNIOR HIGH COLOR GUARD
SCOUTS & TROOPS
Sunday, Oct 24, 2021, 01:00 PM
6389 Blacklick-Eastern Road Northwest, Pickerington, OH, USA
PTO INFORMATION
Our continued goal is to hear from each of you, any ideas you may have, events or fundraisers you would like to share, and or feedback you may. We want to do all we can for our students (children) and the faculty and need your help to make this happen! With the pandemic still very alive, we want to have as much fun as we can and be safe at the same time. With that being said, we look forward to meeting and speaking with you all.
Want to be a part of the Ridgeview PTO Family??
Please feel free to contact President Kelly Martin at kelly.martin_rvjhpto@hotmail.com; Catharyne Henderson at catharyneh@yahoo.com or Qiana Johnson at qsmith6@hotmail.com.
IT'S TEEN NIGHT - FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 12TH
This is limited to RIDGEVIEW JUNIOR HIGH STUDENTS ONLY!!
THIS IS A PTO SPONSORED EVENT.
*Tickets will be on sale during lunch periods beginning NOV. 4th thru NOV. 11th.
*PRE-PURCHASE TICKETS will be sold at school for $10.
There will be SNACKS, GAMES & FUN!!
Ridgeview Values
Ridgeview STEM Junior High School
Email: beth_richardson@plsd.us
Website: pickerington.k12.oh.us
Location: 130 Hill Road South, Pickerington, OH, USA
Phone: 614-548-1700
Facebook: facebook.com/RidgeviewStem
Twitter: @RSJHSPrincipal