The River's Edge
River Bend Elementary-School Newsletter-February 2017
From the Principal
We have turned the corner on the second half of the school year. I hope you are able to meet with your child's teacher on Parent Teacher Conference Day, Thursday, March 9 from, 1:30-7:30 pm to discuss your child's progress. Teachers will be sending home information soon. We look forward to a second semester full of meaningful, learning experiences.
RBES will be hosting an "International Reading Jamz Night" on Thursday, February 16, 2017, from 6:00-7:30 pm. We will have many fun, learning activities for parents and students. A flyer with information about this night went home Friday. We hope you join us!
Our spring picture day is set for Tuesday, February 21. On this day spring pictures and class pictures will be taken.
Please make plans to visit the school sometime before the end of the year to eat lunch with your child, volunteer, or participate in our Watch DOGS program.
See you in school!
Ms. Martz
Day of Code at River Bend!
Students Worked Together!
Coding Involved Critical Thinking!
Kindergarten Registration
Spring registration for PreK and Kindergarten is Wednesday, March 15th from 9:00 am-6:00 pm, and Thursday, March 16th, 9:00 am-4:00 pm. A copy of the following will be needed to register your child:
- child’s birth certificate
- social security number,
- proof of residency
- (something with your name and address )
- immunization record
- legal documents showing custody (if this applies).
Note: Physicals are required before a child can start school, so get ahead of the game and make your appointment today! A copy of the physical is also needed before start of school.
Another PTA Movie Night Success!
Games at PTA Movie Night!
Students Playing Together!
Geography Bee!
Participants!
Congratulations to Will Lucas and Grason Shifflett!
Congratuations to Grason Shifflett who was runner up, and congratuations to Will Lucas who was our winner! Wonderful job!
PE
In physical education throughout January, grades 2-5 have learned the basic skills of floor hockey including dribbling, passing, and shooting. Grades PK-1 learned how to throw a ball with one hand and how to throw using two hands. Towards the end of January and into the beginning of February all grades, PK-5 will be learning fundamental skills of basketball such as dribbling, passing, and shooting. Towards the end of February we will be switching into bowling. As we are learning the various skills for these sports grades 3-5 have been learning about the location of major muscles in the upper body. We are currently learning about the biceps and after that we will learn about the triceps. Thank you for your support of the physical education program at River Bend.
Kevin Gidari, Physical Education Teacher
Art
As the chilly snows of January fly around us, Ms. Owen and I are busy working on the designs for the RBES Class Plate Auction! We collaborate with each teacher and work up a ceramic plate theme that reflects the class and learning. Students will place their finger into the glaze to strategically make their print part of the design. Many hours of creativity goes into the plate results that are seen at the Spring Fling! The plates become a cherished part of childhood, of school pride, and success. So, be saving up for the 'Class Plate Auction', you will want to be in on the action!
Lynn Allen, Fine Arts Educator
Music
Old McDonald
Dear Parents and Guardians,
Our Spring Program is fast approaching. This year’s program is called, “Old McDonald.” There will be two performances: the first at 1:30 pm on the afternoon of Tuesday, March 21st and the second at 7:00 pm that evening on March 21st.
This year our program will have pigs, chickens, a dog, a cat, a sick donkey, some ducks, and a Cuckoo bird. Our kindergarten and first grade students are practicing and working hard to learn their music, lines, and acting. Please listen respectfully, clap to show your appreciation after songs, and do all that you can to let our youngest performers shine brightly up on stage.
Thank you,
Lydia Mix, Music Teacher
Do YOU Know a Super Teacher?
As we celebrate TEN years of the Virginia Lottery Super Teacher Awards, we hope you will tell us about those super teachers in your lives!
Does your child's teacher go above and beyond classroom duty to inspire students? Does she lead them to new understanding and knowledge breakthroughs? Does he motivate them to reach higher and achieve their potential? Answering "yes" to any of these questions means your child may know the most amazing of all super heroes - a Virginia Lottery Super Teacher.
Help us identify and recognize these education heroes!
Between now and February 13, 2017, nominate your child's Super Teacher at www.vasuperteacher.com. Out of the nominees, eight Virginia educators will be selected in 2017 as Super Teachers, winning $2,000 from the Virginia Lottery and $2,000 in classroom supplies from The Supply Room Companies.
Let's show our outstanding teachers how super-thankful we are for their hard work.
Nominate a Super Teacher today!
Thanks to the Virginia PTA for its tenth year of partnership and for helping us to honor 72 incredible educators.
RBES is Reading Flat Stanley for our One Book-One School Reading Month!
Reading Jamz in February!
Please save the date...February 16 from 6:00-7:30 pm for "International Reading Jamz!" A flyer went home today!
Once again this year, River Bend participated in The Great Kindness Challenge. The Great Kindness Challenge is one week in January dedicated to creating a culture of kindness on campuses worldwide. “We are kind!” is an important part of the Cardinal’s Creed here at River Bend and something we recognize all year but we paid special attention to kindness in January with an emphasis on empathy in guidance lessons and activities here at school.
Students are often surprised when I tell them “you don’t have to be friends with everyone but I do expect you to be kind and respectful.” At first they seem relieved but being kind and respectful is sometimes more difficult for students than “being friends”. Our actions speak louder than our words- you can say you are someone’s friend but how you treat them will prove it. It’s unrealistic for us to believe that our children will always get along with everyone, even friends, in their lives and that is why we try to encourage students to learn to work out disagreements or misunderstandings without always looking for an adult to intervene. We do help them navigate these situations and often offer support in the form of direct conflict mediation but they need to understand what part they play in getting along with others. Empathy plays a crucial role in conflict resolution, as well as being an important part of kindness and respect. Empathy is the ability to understand how someone else is feeling. It is the ability to “put yourself in someone else’s shoes” and understand how a situation might make them feel. Here’s a link to a video from Sesame Street featuring Mark Ruffalo explaining what empathy means: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_1Rt1R4xbM
Empathy takes us even farther than ordinary kindness. When we are accepting and understanding of another’s’ feelings, we help them feel respected. It’s not always easy, especially when someone is in pain, but that empathetic connection can have an incredible impact. The next time your child feels anger, frustration, sadness, or fear, help them express those feelings by letting them know you understand. Here’s another video that illustrates the concept: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Evwgu369Jw
As always, please contact us anytime we can be of assistance to you or your child!
Kim Muraskin Joel Rittenhouse
School Counselor JMU School Counseling Intern
kmuraskin@rockingham.k12.va.us Spring Semester 2017
540-298-5301 Tuesdays, Wednesdays, & Fridays
February is School Board Appreciation Month
Rockingham County Schools recognize the School Board for their tremendous leadership, commitment, and vision. They are responsible for setting educational priorities, employing school personnel, providing buildings and equipment, operating a transportation system, and disbursing school funds. As community leaders, School Boards serve as advocates of the children in local public schools and must study, evaluate, and decide what actions are in the best interest of those students.
We greatly appreciate the role our School Board plays in our school division and wish to recognize them during School Board Appreciation Month.
It is the policy of the Rockingham County School Board to comply with all applicable state and federal laws regarding non-discrimination in employment and educational programs and services. It is an equal opportunity employer and educational agency.
The Rockingham County School Board will not discriminate in hiring, promotion, discharge, pay, fringe benefits, job training, classification, referral, and other aspects of employment or in educational programs and services on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including pregnancy), gender, marital or economic status, age, disability, genetics, or veteran status and prohibits retaliation against anyone who files a complaint of discrimination, participates in such a proceeding, or otherwise opposes discrimination.