The Riverview Reader
Updates For The Week of December 11th
Translation of Newsletter
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Si aad u turjunto warsidahan fadlan ku dhufo badhanka "Turjumi" ee kore ama dhinaca midig ee boggan.
A Message To Families From Mr. Peck
Riverview Families,
One of my favorite things to do is to give tours of our school to parents who may be considering Riverview for their children. I am fortunate that I get a front row seat to all the wonderful things that happen in our school each day and I welcome the opportunity to share this experience with others. The decision of where to send your child to school is a big one and I want to make sure people have firsthand information before making it. I am always willing to answer questions or show folks what a typical days looks like, sounds like, and feels like. If you know of anyone who may be interested in attending Riverview because of our unwavering love of our students, safe and welcoming environment, amazing staff, innovative and holistic approaches, or commitment to evidence based instructional practices in literacy and math please encourage them to reach out to our main office at 651-403-1600 to request a tour.
Riverview is a special and unique place for many reasons. One of the biggest reasons is the support and partnership we receive from all of you. Thank you for sharing your children with us, for sharing your positive experiences with your friends and neighbors, and for bringing us your concerns so that we can try to be even better.
Shawn Peck
Principal
Important Upcoming Dates
- Monday, Dec. 11 - Deadline to donate to Toys For Town (see below for details)
- Monday, Dec. 11 - Instrumental Music Holiday Concert, FHS Recital Hall 7:00 PM
- Wednesday, Dec. 13 - Multi-Age Field Trip to the MN History Center
- Thursday, Dec. 14th - Last day for "STAR"
- Monday, Dec. 18 - Vocal Music Holiday Concert, FHS Recital Hall 6:00 & 8:00 PM.
- Friday, Dec. 22nd - Monday, Jan. 1st - NO SCHOOL; WINTER BREAK
- Tuesday, Jan. 2nd - School Resumes
- Friday, Jan. 5 - 5th Grade Career Fair at FES (see below for details)
- Friday, Jan. 26 - Family Movie Night at RVES
Congratulations To Our November CARES Students of the Month!
This Week's Riverview Hero is Ms. Nicole Felipe! (Click Image to Play Video)
Kindergarten Gingerbread House Event Brings Creativity, Joy & Community to RVES
Mr. Asleson & His 5th Grade Band Students Host Outstanding Demonstration Concert
1st Trimester Report Cards To Be Viewable on Infinite Campus on Friday, Dec. 15
Your child's report card will be available for you to view on the Infinite Campus Parent Portal this Friday after 2 PM. Click here to go to the browser version of Parent Portal or download the "Campus Parent" app on your personal device. After doing so, enter your username and password. Once in the portal, you will be able to click on "Grades" on the left-hand side. If you do not yet have a Campus Portal account, please contact the RVES main office at 651-403-1600 for assistance. If you have children in multiple schools, only one school needs to be contacted. Account activation must be done either in person or by phone (not email) so your identity can be verified.
We use a 1, 2, 3, 4 rubric-based marking code to show your progress towards mastery of Minnesota state standards . It is developmentally appropriate at this time of year for students to receive 1s or 2s in some areas. Hopefully, you will find the visual below to be a useful tool when reviewing your child's report card. Please keep in mind this report card is one snapshot of your child's learning.
No matter what, be proud of your child’s accomplishments and tell them so! Also, talk to your child's teacher about how to help on the areas in which he/she is developing at home. Your support and encouragement makes a world of difference!
Snow is Here!; Please Dress Your Child Appropriately
Please make sure your child is coming to school with winter gear. We go out to recess every day unless it is below zero outside. Now that there is snow on the ground, we recommend snow pants, winter boots, a hat, and water-proof gloves. It is no fun sitting in class with wet clothes after recess.
Have a Plan For Emergency Late Starts, Early Releases, or FLEX Learning Days
As the weather cools down and we head into the winter months, please take a moment to review the important winter weather information below. Ensure you have a plan for all possible emergency closure situations (late start, early release, or flexible learning day).
Families with child care needs should have alternative arrangements made in advance in case there is a need for a flexible learning day or should weather occur during the day that causes an early release from school. There may be a need to delay the start of school pending improving weather conditions. This may also necessitate alternative child care arrangements.
Important winter weather information can be found at the following links:
iPad Updates & Reminders
Many students are bringing home their iPads every day. They are expected to bring their iPad back to school (and charged) the next day. When the iPad is not returned each day, there is a lot of learning lost during the school day. Please make sure that your child is the only one using their school issued iPad at home. Other family members shouldn’t be using it for other purposes.
We also recognize some parents/guardians feel iPads can be a distraction and may not want it to come home. If you do not want the iPad to come home please communicate this with your child's teacher. Before doing so however, please take a moment to look at the expectations around Flexible Learning Days to learn more about weather related schedule changes and E-Learning expectations. Keep in mind it is not too late to get a protection plan for your child's iPad.
Visit the RVES Spirt Wear Store!
Visit the RVES Spirit Wear School Store for lots of ways to show your school spirit. You can order online and pick up at school. Everything is super easy and all profits from sales are used by the Riverview PTP to support students and staff. Thank you for your support!
Please email spiritwear@rvesptp.org if you have questions or to arrange a pick up time at the school store.
Have a Child Starting Kindergarten in 2024? Join The Kindergarten Mailing List!
Kindergarten enrollment will open in early January. In order to ensure you are receiving the most up to date information regarding enrollment, please click here to add your contact information to our mailing list.
We will be hosting information sessions, giving school tours, and hosting a kindergarten open house in the spring. Be sure you get important details about each of these events.
We Need Your Help! Consider Volunteering For the 2024 Career Fair
We are looking for parents, friends and family members of 5th graders to join us for a unique opportunity! Our 5th graders will be attending the annual 5th Grade Career Fair at Farmington Elementary School with 5th graders from across the district.
We are wondering if YOU or a relative or co-worker would be willing to come volunteer at the 5thgrade career fair by sharing information about your career/job. The event takes place on Friday, January 5th from 9:00 am until noon. Volunteering is easy—you just sign up and show up at FES on January 5th! 5th graders will come and ask questions about your career. It’s easy, fun and all of our students benefit by learning about a wide variety of career fields.
If you or someone you know is interested, just fill out the attached form (see below) and have your 5th grader turn it into their teacher.
Students In Grades 3-5 Able to Share Views Through Learner Survey
Hearing the voices of the young people we serve is important to us. Throughout all Farmington elementary schools, learners in grades 3-5 were able to participate in a survey recently and share their views on a number of things. We compare our responses to those of the thousands of students who have taken the same survey around the country. Here are a few things that stood out to us:
- For the prompt "I feel safe at school", RVES had an average response of 4.35. This average response places us above the 95% percentile when compared to other schools around the country who asked the same question.
- For the prompt "I believe school rules are consistently enforced", RVES had an average response of 4.14. This average response places us above the 95% percentile when compared to other schools around the country who asked the same question.
- For the prompt "I have opportunities to be successful at my school", RVES had an average response of 4.54. This average response places us above the 95% percentile when compared to other schools around the country who asked the same question.
Days of Giving Announced; Bring Donations to Main Office or Your Child's Teacher
Dress Up Days Announced For The Week of Dec. 18
Information On "Parental Controls" For Student Issued iPads
The “Parent Guide” portion of the iPad Loan agreement has links to a free version of a home network filtering option. We also recommend that parents/guardians check with their home internet service provider. Depending upon the service, some companies provide network and internet controls for their customers. In addition, there is the link in the “Set Expectations” section of the “Parent Guide” section to Apple’s resources for Parental Controls through the use of the Screen Time function that is built into the iPad operating system. The section on “Prevent web content” provides guidance on blocking specific websites. We also have links to this information in our “iPad Loan FAQ”.
Apple’s instructions for setting “parental control” options in the iPad's "Screen Time" settings allows parents/guardians to set content & privacy restrictions. To help minimize confusion, please know that several years ago when Apple introduced “Screen Time,” there are now two separate locations in which “restrictions” can be set on the iPad –– by the school district in “Device Management” (through the use of our Mobile Device Management MDM software, Jamf Pro) and by the parent(s)/guardian(s) through Screen Time. Apple designed Screen Time for parent/guardian controls and flexibility. The school district, by design, cannot adjust the Screen Time settings. The iPad will apply the most restrictive setting between Device Management and Screen Time (even though the two separate setting locations do not show the restriction settings of each other).
IF parents/guardians are wanting to apply more restrictive or specific settings to the iPad (we do have “Device Management” restriction settings enabled on the iPad by Jamf Pro), it is recommended to share the parental control “Screen Time” passcode with the child’s teacher(s) (but not the learner), so that the teacher may bypass iPad settings, if restrictions are interfering with access to learning activities. Through our device management software, we are able to “Clear Screen Time Passcode,” but it is best to have families and teachers coordinate in advance so that the code doesn’t have to be lifted to get to learning activities; and then again communicate with parent(s)/guardian(s), that the Screen Time Passcode had to be cleared while at school and the parent will need to put a Screen Time Passcode back on the device.
Consider Being a Substitute Teacher or Guest Paraprofessional
Consider Donating Unwrapped Toys For Those in Need This Holiday Season
Riverview Elementary is a drop off location for the “Toys for Town” collection drive. Toys for Town is an annual toy drive organized by the Farmington Police Department to help make the holiday season special for children in our community. The program provides local families a holiday meal kit and gifts for their children. In 2022, there were 400 children from 117 families that benefited from this program. The police department is anticipating similar numbers in 2023.
This year, the Farmington Police Department is setting an ambitious fundraising goal of $40,000, which would match 2022's donations. Along with the fundraising goal, collection bins for unwrapped toy donations have been set out at area businesses and city buildings. They will be available until Monday, Dec. 11. In addition, monetary donations to the Toys for Town program will be accepted at the police department.
If your family needs this program, the department will take request calls through Dec. 11. Call 651-280-6TOY (6869).
Volunteers are needed to wrap and deliver toys on Saturday, Dec. 16. The wrapping event will be held at Farmington High School, 20655 Flagstaff Ave., starting at 9 a.m. Just show up at 9 a.m. ready to wrap!
Toys for Town tree ornaments are available for purchase! Proceeds will benefit the Toys for Town program. Stop by the police department, or the downtown Farmington Liquors location to pick one up.
Attendance Line Information
Riverview Elementary School Hours
Office Hours: 7:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Riverview CARES
- Cooperation
- Assertiveness
- Responsibility
- Empathy
- Self-Control
Important Phone Numbers
Main Office: 651-460-1600
Nurse: 651-460-1606
Social Worker - 651-460-1629
Food Service: 651-460-3820
Bus Company: 651-463-8689
School Fax: 651-460-1610
School Closing Line: 651-985-1100
Community Education: 651-460-3200
Make Sure Your Child is Reading At Least 20 Minutes Per Night
About Riverview: A Learner Centered Community
The mission of Riverview Elementary School, a learner-centered community that transforms the future of learning, is to ensure each individual continuously grows emotionally, socially, and academically to have a positive impact in their communities through:
- Honoring the diverseness of our communities
- Learning experiences driven by passions, sparks, and interests
- Reflection on the learning process and real-life experiences
- Collaborative relationships, trust, and open communication
Our Objectives:
- Each learner continuously demonstrates academic and personal growth.
- Each learner develops the skills to understand how they learn best.
- Each learner possesses the skills to advocate for themselves and others.
- Each learner continuously explores personal interests and passions to drive their learning.
Read more about our Strategic Framework here.
Email: speck@farmington.k12.mn.us
Website: https://rves.farmington.k12.mn.us/
Location: 4100 208th Street West, Farmington, MN 55024, USA
Phone: 651-460-1600
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rve192