RIVERSIDE REVIEW
11.19.2021
Principal Message
Dear RSI Families,
This week the RSI Hawks enjoyed the student council spirit week in support of Paws for Parker. The enthusiasm around positive competition was noted throughout the halls of RSI all week long. Our student council is thrilled with the donation levels that will be presented to the Humane Society next week. Thanks for supporting our young Hawks in our student council fall service project.
Riverside is proud to announce the addition of a one-of-a-kind aquaponics system for our students! (See Photos Below) The aquaponics system is composed of a 75 gallon aquarium and a plant basin. A pump fills the plant basin with nutrient rich water from the aquarium, which is then filtered by the plant basin while it drains back into the fish tank. Built and donated by Nick Powell and Jaycey Hardenstein of Indianapolis, the system will provide our students with the opportunity to engage in scientific inquiry and experimentation for years to come! It has been great to see the students’ fascination with this new installation, and we are excited to see this inspire and influence student interest and exploration of ecosystems in the coming months.
I want to send a special thank you to Greg Hartman, 5th grade STEM teacher, who located and secured the aquaponics system. Greg is a member of the RSI innovation team and is currently researching new ways to engage our outdoor land and water spaces. Thanks to Kevin Johnson, RSI Teacher of the Year, 2020-2021 (art teacher), who was here to assist in moving the 75 gallons of water and giant tank system from the basement to second floor. If you see Mr. Hartman or Mr. Johnson, offer them a kind praise, we do appreciate their efforts.
Next time you visit RSI, come upstairs to the 5th grade hallway and take a look at the new system. The RSI students are loving it!
This Friday edition of the Riverside Review will be our last until the week of November 29th, due to the two day week next week.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Sincerely,
Dana Kaminski
Principal Riverside Intermediate
Giving Tuesday is in 2 weeks - get ready to show your #HSEFunselfie!
Hello again from HSEF!
We appreciate your support of HSEF this holiday season through the promotion of our annual #HSEFunselfie Giving Tuesday campaign. What started with the simple idea of giving to others around Cyber Monday and Black Friday, has become a celebration of HSE Schools, faculty, students, and parents.
HSEF believes that Giving Tuesday is a great opportunity to show our teachers and our schools just how much they matter – and its easy! On November 30th HSEF is continuing the annual tradition of taking a #HSEFunselfie when donating to the Foundation on Giving Tuesday. This is a great opportunity to show our teachers and our schools just how much they matter in just 3 easy steps:
- Step 1: Make a donation @ www.HSEFoundation.org/Events/Giving-Tuesday.
- Step 2: Take a selfie picture or video proclaiming why you gave using the Unselfie Sign. Tag #HSEFunselfie, your school, and @HSEFoundation on
Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or Instagram.
- Step 3: Feel great this holiday season! Because of you, faculty and staff at all 22 HSE Schools are feeling the love, and you helped support education opportunities and innovation within HSE Schools.
Covid Info for Families
Please remember to send your student to school healthy. If a student is ill and has any of the symptoms of Covid listed below, we encourage you to get your student tested using a PCR test, which is available via Fishers Health Department (COVID Vaccine | Fishers, IN - Official Website) or the Indiana Department of Health (ISDH - Novel Coronavirus: COVID-19 Testing Information). PCR tests are the most accurate and provide less risk of a false positive or negative result. A visit to your physician is also suggested if you feel this is not Covid-related, then a doctor's note would be needed for your student to return to school. Please do not send your child to school ill or while waiting for Covid test results.
Symptoms to monitor for:
Fever or chills
Cough
Shortness of Breath or difficulty breathing
Fatigue
Muscle or body aches
Headache
New loss of taste or smell
Sore Throat
Congestion or runny nose
Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea
Student Handbooks
We encourage you to review it at your earliest convenience. Should you have any questions, please contact the RSI main office at 317.594.4320. Our staff is available to assist you. Have a great school year!
Counselor's Corner
Social Emotional Learning
5th Grade
Summary:
In this week's lesson, your student practiced identifying two changes they could make in a recurring personal situation to manage their strong emotions.
Try This at Home:
Ask your student to tell you about a situation at home that causes them to feel strong emotions, like anger or stress. Ask them what they could change about the situation to better manage their emotions. Talk about what you can do to help them implement the change.
6th Grade
Summary:
In this week’s lesson, your student evaluated each upstander strategy (speaking up, offering support and telling a trusted adult) in depth, with an emphasis on safety. They evaluated the safety of each upstander strategy in different situations and considered their own level of comfort with each strategy.
Question:
Tell your student about a time you used one of these strategies in your life recently. Tell them how you decided which strategy to use.
6th Grade Girls Basketball
See below for additional information and permission slip.
Yearbook Cover Contest
All 5th and 6th grade students are invited to submit an entry for this year’s RSI yearbook cover. The student whose picture is chosen will be invited to be on this year’s yearbook club and receive a free yearbook.
Guidelines:
- Pictures can be drawn or created on the computer.
- Pictures should be on 8 ½ x 11 paper.
- Pictures should be colored.
- Students should include first and last name and homeroom teacher on the back of the picture.
- Pictures should be turned in to the office by Tuesday, November 23.
Holiday Light Recycling Program
This Holiday Season, HSE is asking you to give a gift to the Earth by making the choice to be more sustainable. HSE Schools will be hosting a district wide Holiday Light Recycling Program. Starting December 1st and going until January 14th each school will be collecting old, broken, tangled, or unwanted holiday lights. Technology Recyclers will take these unwanted/unusable lights and break them down into useable components that will be used to make new products. Last year, you helped prevent 3,519 pounds of e-waste from entering landfills and polluting the Earth. That is the roughly the weight of a Toyota Rav4.
Why Should People Recycle Old Holiday Lights?
- Holiday Lights are not bio-degradable and will spend hundreds of years in a landfill if thrown away.
- Holiday lights are known to get into waterways and oceans. This can lead to animals becoming entangled and dying.
- New ENERGY STAR LED holiday lights are up to 75% more energy efficient than incandescent bulbs.
- LED holiday lights are not as fragile as the thin glass of incandescent bulbs.
- According to the National Fire Protection Association switching to LED holiday lights reduces the chance of Christmas tree fires.
- LED bulbs offer more colors and features while reducing the energy consumed.
- LED holiday lights have a longer lifespan than incandescent bulbs offering on average 25% longer life.
- Holiday lights are made from copper, glass, and plastic—valuable materials that can be recycled, reclaimed, and turned into new products helping preserve our environment!
Why should you recycle unwanted or unusable Holiday lights? Because you care about the environment! If you want to keep your lights from going to a landfill and do your part to look after the Earth, recycling your lights is a great way to do it!
No matter what the reason, resist the urge to throw old holiday lights in the trash. Please participate in HSE district wide Holiday Light Recycling Program this year!
PLEASE DO NOT:
- Please do not include any packing material.
- Please do not include any apparatus used to wind up or store the lights.
- Please do not include lights wrapped in garland.
PLEASE DO:
- Please place your lights in the recycling box (many will be stored in the front office, media centers, or science classrooms).
- Ask your friends, neighbors, social groups, and family members if they also have lights that need to be recycled.
- Do your part to be more sustainable this year.
Additional Information & Resources for Teachers.
- Duke Energy Holiday light calculator: https://www.duke-energy.com/energy-education/energy-savings-and-efficiency/holiday-lighting-calculator
- Energ.Gov – LED lighting Information: https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/save-electricity-and-fuel/lighting-choices-save-you-money/led-lighting#349182-tab-1
- Energy Star Decorative Light String: https://www.energystar.gov/products/lighting_fans/decorative_light_strings
Notes from the Clinic
As we start experiencing colder weather, the clinic is in dire need of sweatpants/ joggers/ bottoms for students who need a change of clothes during school hours. Please donate your used, easy to wear pants in all sizes to the clinic.
Thanksgiving and Holiday Assistance
The Good Samaritan Network will be providing Thanksgiving and holiday assistance again this year to Hamilton county families. Please access the included link if you are interested in receiving Thanksgiving and/or holiday assistance. The Thanksgiving assistance application due date is 11/1 and the holiday assistance application due date is 12/5.
Snack Attack Program
Dear RSI families,
RSI is pleased to announce the return of the Snack Attack program for students in need. This program, supported by the Fishers Youth Assistance Program, is designed to provide students a little extra nourishment for the weekend until they can receive a meal at school on Monday.
Students enrolled in the program will receive their snack bag on Friday to be taken home over the weekend. Included in the snack bag are individually wrapped snacks such as granola bars, fruit cups, Pop-tarts, peanut butter/crackers, Goldfish crackers, etc. The type of snacks will vary each week. Please let us know if your child has a peanut allergy as he/she will receive a special bag of peanut-free snacks.
There is no cost to you or the school. If you are interested in having your student participate in FYAP's Snack Attack Program or have questions, please contact Nancy Logue, RSI 5th Grade School Counselor, nlogue@hse.k12.in.us
Student Fees
2021 – 2022 RSI STUDENT COURSE FEES INFORMATION
RSI student course fees ARE NOW PAST DUE. Fees were due October 1, 2021.
For questions: Teresa Johnson, Treasurer, 317.594.4320 or tejohnson@hse.k12.in.us
HOW TO PAY
Pay online via eFunds for schools: https://payments.efundsforschools.com/v3/districts/55481
Send in a check with your Hawk. Make sure you place it in an envelope with the student name, student ID#, teacher name, attn: Treasurer. Checks made payable to: Riverside Intermediate School
Drop Payment via check or cash (exact change) in the office, M-F, 8:45 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Fees not paid or first payment not made are subject to additional processing fees.
HOW TO SET UP PAYMENT PLANS
eFunds for Schools:
Add a payment to your cart and begin Check Out process
Edit payment frequency to set-up how often you’d like the payment to be made
Send in/drop off Payment:
Installment payments are accepted
HOW TO APPLY FOR ASSISTANCE
As a reminder, if your student was free or reduced in 20-21 you must reapply in this current school year. This is due September 15, 2021. Find the application in Skyward Family Access, Food Services and click on the applications. You can also submit a paper application available at:
or you can pick up a paper copy in the RSI office.
Late Arrival
Early Dismissal
Dismissal Changes
Safe Visitor
Anyone interested in chaperoning a field trip must have a SafeVisitor ID badge. If you have not yet completed the background check, please click below to get started.
YMCA 2021-22 Information
The YMCA is currently hiring for our Before & After School programs in HSE schools so we can safely serve more kids and families in our community! Programs are located in all HSE Elementary and Intermediate schools, and all employees receive free school age child care, a free YMCA membership that can be used at any location across the city, AND an employee discount on all YMCA programs (like swim lessons, preschool, and camp). Click below to apply, and reach out if you have any questions! https://ymcayouthdevelopment.wufoo.com/forms/w116et1t14ktt90/
Food Service Employees Needed!
Looking for a fun and flexible career? Join the HSE Food and Nutrition Department. We’re hiring full and part-time positions with benefits. No experience necessary. This is an opportunity to make a difference in the community by working in the public schools. The HSE Food and Nutrition Department promotes a family-like work environment. You can work a schedule that fits with your child’s school hours. No evenings or weekends! Apply today to learn more! https://www.applitrack.com/hamiltonse/onlineapp/default.aspx?Category=Food+Service
Cafeteria Updates
Although we always aim to stay with the menu, our supply chains are having difficulties. We have been impacted greatly by this. We are having menu changes almost daily. Please follow us on Twitter @RSIcafeRJH, we will be posting the lunch menu daily.
Just a reminder, all meal deals are free this school year. All students can receive breakfast and lunch meal deal regardless of account balance. Please keep up with your student’s lunch account especially for the extras. Checks and cash are accepted for payment. You can also make payments on Efunds as well. Remember to include your student’s name and ID number on the check and envelopes so our cashiers can add deposits to the correct account. We will have a few of the student's favorite extras available i.e. chips, Izzes, etc.
Free and reduced applications are on Skyward Family Access, call Food Services Administration for help if needed or call 317-594-4100.
Stay connected! Follow us on Twitter @hsefoodservices, @RSICafeRJH
RSI PTO
2021-22 Board
Co-Vice President - Jessica Finn
Co-Vice President - Desiree Freedman
Treasurer - Sarah Arbuckle
Secretary - Liza Mathew
Member at Large - Amy Freytag
Member at Large - Michelle Touketto
Member at Large - Shalimar Wright
PTO Meeting Dates
1/11
2/8
3/8
4/12
5/10
Hawk Party - Thursday, December 2nd!
Hey Golden Hawks, join your friends & make new ones at our kick-off Hawk Party! There will be a DJ, activities, snacks, drinks and tons of fun! Click below for the registration form and more information.
LAST CALL - Winter Spirit Wear Sale
Please email Carrie Lannen at casmorro@yahoo.com with any questions.
Kroger Community Rewards
Link your Kroger Card to Riverside Intermediate.
1. Sign in to your digital account.
2. Select Riverside Intermediate.
Riverside Intermediate will earn rewards.
Any transactions moving forward using the Shopper’s Card number associated with your digital account will be applied to the program, at no added cost to you. Kroger donates annually to participating organizations based on your percentage of spending as it relates to the total spending associated with all participating Kroger Community Rewards organizations.
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New Box Top Information
AMERICA'S SCHOOLS LOVE BOX TOPS!
For over 20 years, Box Tops for Education has given families an easy way to earn cash for their school, with products they already buy.
Now you can simply scan your store receipt with the Box Tops mobile app to identify participating products and instantly add cash to your school's earnings online.
Mudsock Youth Athletics Updates
Wear Your Youth Sport Jersey on Saturday, November 13th:
Help us celebrate National Youth Sports Day by dressing in your youth sport jersey next Saturday, November 13th! Thank you for spreading the word! We’re excited to show off the power of youth sports in the HSE School district community. Invite your teammates to participate and tag us on Facebook @Mudsock Youth Athletics or on Twitter @MudsockYouth with your photos!
Spring Program Registration:
Mark your calendars! Registration for spring baseball, softball, soccer, boys and girls lacrosse, rugby and track and field opens January 1st at myathletics.com. Season information including divisions and program fees will be updated on our site at the end of December. Need a refresher over our registration periods? Find them here.
HSE Community Insider
Child Find
What to do if you suspect a disability/Child Find:
If your child is age 2 ½ through 21, attends any school within the Hamilton Southeastern Schools boundaries or you live in our community, and you suspect your child may have a disability, you should contact us for more information.
· For children at least two and a half years of age, but not yet age-eligible for kindergarten, you should contact the Early Childhood Assessment Team at Brooks School Elementary School, 915-4250.
· For students who are eligible for kindergarten through age 21, you should contact your child’s teacher, school counselor or building administrator to discuss your concerns and explore the steps to be taken. If your child is not enrolled in public school, you should contact the counselor or building administrator in the building your child would attend if enrolled.
What to do if you suspect a disability/Child find
Response-to-Instruction (RtI)
Response to Instruction (RtI) is a general education initiative designed to provide high quality instruction and interventions matched to student needs and using learning rate over time and level of performance to make important educational decisions. The RtI model is based on a three-tiered model of service delivery with a focus on early intervention and prevention of academic and behavioral concerns. Data collected during this process provides valuable information regarding students’ educational progress and response to interventions. Students who do not demonstrate a response to well-implemented, scientifically-based interventions at the Tier 3 level would be referred for an educational evaluation to determine eligibility for special education. RtI is a component of HSE’s Child Find Process.
Contact information:
RIVERSIDE INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL
11014 Eller Road ♦ Fishers, IN ♦ 46038
317.594.4320 (phone)
317.594.4328 (attendance line)
317.594.4329 (fax)
Follow Us on Twitter: @RSIHawks
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