I wanted to talk a little about attendance and safety at RVHS in this edition of the newsletter.

Attendance

Our attendance letters have started to go out over the past few weeks. The letters go out when a student has three or more unverified absences. There are lots of laws in California about attendance, but I think we all know that being in school is very much related to students getting done what they need to do so they can get out of school! At RVHS, what we really want is for students to earn their credits so they can earn their diploma. That's our goal--and the goal we constantly stress with your children!

There certainly are valid reasons to be absent from school (illness, different medical/dental appointments, family emergencies, etc.) and we don't want to interfere or prevent any student from taking care of their health, their families or miss an appointment.

Beyond those reasons we hope that all of our families are playing an active role in helping their students to get to school. Sometimes just getting out of the house in the morning can be a big deal--and (at times) a source of a lot of tension. Thank you Parents for staying engaged with that push to "get out of the house" each morning! These final years of high school are the most important years as they have such a big impact on graduation. It certainly DOES "take a village" to get our kids to that Graduation Day--and you can't do it alone! We all understand that by the time our kids are in high school they are the major players in whether they get up, get ready and get out of the house on time. But all of us together can help set the priorities that getting to school (and getting there on time) is STILL A BIG DEAL!

Safety

School safety is our number one priority! We want to create a school environment where all of our students feel comfortable and secure. If you have concerns about your child's safety we certainly want to hear from you. And we do respond quickly to concerns that your kids express to us. We don't want to miss a thing--and we know that timely resolution of conflicts can help everyone focus on what they're actually here for: full participation in their studies, getting those credits and getting that diploma!

Just so you know, we will be forming a school safety committee in which we review our school safety plan and solicit ideas for how we can make things even safer. We will need at least one parent. We will probably have several meetings during this fall semester--so if you're interested please let me know! We would very much value your participation! It would be a good opportunity to learn about the safety measures in place at RVHS and to also let us know your thoughts for improvement.

As always, if you have an idea to help make our school a better place (whether it be for safety or anything else) please let us know! You don't have to join a committee to do that!!! Just call us or send us an email--or stop by! Your kids go to this school, but it's also our community school--and we want it to be the best that it can be---for everybody!

Finally, we're very proud of our "Students of the Week"! Nominated by our Teachers, these students stand out for their friendliness, their helpfulness and their positive outlook! See information about each one below! Well done, students!!!

Have a great weekend!

David Schlottman

Principal

• Report Your Student's Absence To:
  

  951-294-6302