The Riverwood Review
Edition 6
From Principal Kindra Smith 10-1-21
Dear Parents and Guardians,
There are so many exciting things happening at Riverwood this month! Thanks to the Riverwood Foundation and science teacher Ms. Ann Marie Carrier, we had a successful grand re-opening of our Makerspace this week. Many students, staff and district leaders stopped by to visit and explore the fun and unique learning opportunities this space will provide for our students.
Check out the details below and on our website on Homecoming, PSAT/SAT details, the Fall Play "Dearly Departed", Fall Break and more. What a joy to see our students and staff participating in so many fun and engaging activities in person. https://www.fultonschools.org/riverwoodhs
October 2 is National Custodial Recognition Day. Custodial workers are often the first to enter and the last to leave our schools and facilities. They do the often-underappreciated work behind the scenes of keeping our buildings clean and helping to create that first impression for students, families, staff and our communities. They help to make students want to come to school from simple hellos to the high fives they get and give to students daily. Our Custodians play a vital role in the health, welfare, and education of students in FCS. Help us thank Charles Johnson and his team for the hard work and relentless dedication to Riverwood.
Have a great weekend,
Kindra Smith
Principal
Riverwood International
Charter School
Attention Students
PSAT/SAT DAY Oct. 13th
PLEASE SEE REMINDERS ABOUT THE PSAT/SAT DAY IN OCTOBER
- It will be an Early Release Day: dismissal at 12:45PM
- 12th graders do NOT report to school on 10/13/2021 unless they signed up to take SAT School Day on this day.
- All 9th through 11th graders are automatically registered to take PSAT on October 13, 2021. Fulton County schools pay for 9th and 11th grade test takers and the state of Georgia pays for 10th grade test takers.
- It is critical for all 9th, 10th, and 11th grade students to be in attendance on this testing day. We kindly request to consider NOT checking your child out of school for ANY reason during that day so they can complete the entire test.
- There are NO MAKE UP SESSIONS for the PSAT. If they do not finish their test in one setting, they will NOT receive a score.
The Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test ( PSAT) is a great tool for students considering college. The PSAT/NMSQT measures critical reading skills, math problem-solving skills, and writing skills. Milton High School recommends that students take the PSAT/NMSQT in order to receive feedback about strengths and weaknesses, enter the competition for National Merit Scholar scholarships (11th graders) and to help prepare for the SAT.
PREPARING FOR THE PSAT: Fall 2021 PSAT/NMSQT Student Guide and Practice Test https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/pdf/psat-nmsqt-student-guide.pdf
Homecoming
Homecoming Dance Ticket Sales are selling out fast! There are two purchase options on GoFan: $15 for Riverwood Students and $20 for Dates of Riverwood Students. Please keep in mind that dates from other high schools must submit discipline paperwork (available on Riverwood's website) and ticket sales are limited to 700 Riverwood students and 100 dates from other high schools. Buy your Homecoming Dance ticket TODAY before they are all gone!
Homecoming Week at a Glance
Homecoming Dance "Under the Stars"
October 16th, 8pm to 11pm in Hoskyn Stadium
Tickets $15 on sale during lunch in October
Riverwood Homecoming 2021 Timeline
October Homecoming Tshirts On Sale
October 6th Powder-Puff -https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=mLHcDGmBcEu6n9p-O6cAwnIAMWjcDgFGtFJgzNTPM8ZURUZKWVNYOEhKWTQxQ0RKSVBDR1BNOERBRC4u
October 7th Spirit Days Begin- more to come
October 15th Homecoming Parade! 6pm
October 15th Homecoming Court! Halftime @ Football Game
For any questions email Mr. Kadish kadishj@fultonschools.org
(NEW) Quarantine Tutoring
Fulton County Schools is providing tutoring for students who have been assigned remote due to being quarantined because of COVID-19.
Who can access: When students, classes, grades, and schools move to assigned remote, students can access tutoring through FEV Tutor.
How do I access: The trigger for the three hours of tutoring is the student being marked assigned remote in Infinite Campus. The tutoring hours will be available the following day. Click the link below to access the letter to current students on quarantine:
If your student was previously on quarantine, click the link to access how to set up services for students who were assigned remote prior to services being set up. All students who were assigned remote from the start of the year until September 3rd have access to the three hours of tutoring through October 3, 2021.
Click the link below to access the letter for previous students on quarantine:
(New) Device Exchange
If you have any questions, please feel free to send an email to Ms. Louis at louisv1@fultonschools.org
Late Start Days- Next one Oct. 25th
What are Late Start Days?
The intention with these days is to allow teachers extra time to collaborate with their peers to plan quality teaching and learning.
When are Late Start Days? What time will school start?
School will start 1 hour later, therefore school will start at 9:20AM on 6 specific days.
9/20/21
10/25/21
11/15/21
1/24/22
2/28/22
3/21/22
What will students be doing?
Students do not have to report to school until 9:20AM. Busses will run on the regular bus schedule. If your student rides the bus, there will be specific areas of the building where students will be assigned during this hour.
(New) College and Career Fair
Are you a 10th, 11th, or 12th grader or a parent wanting to learn more about college applications and scholarships?
Register to attend the North Springs/Riverwood Virtual College Night on October 7 from 6:00 PM-8:00 PM. Scan the QR code posted on flyers throughout the building, social media, and Teams.
Pre-registration is required:http://nhsrics.educationconnectlive.com. Talk to live college reps, learn about HOPE and Naviance and interact with HBCU alumni and some of our own current Latino college students.
If you have questions, please contact:
Roxie Garber: garber@fultonschools.org
Jonathan Altidor altidorj@fultonschools.org
Tameka Revere reveret@fultonschools.org
(New) Transcript Request Choice
Fulton County Schools continues to explore more ways to provide our parents and students with additional choices and options whenever possible. Based on input and feedback the district received from parents last school year, our students now have the choice to send their unweighted transcripts or weighted transcripts to colleges, universities, and for scholarship opportunities. Within the college application process, some universities and colleges apply different treatments to weighted and unweighted grades/NGAs. With the district’s goal to provide students a choice, schools will be required to have students select whether they want to have their weighted or unweighted transcripts sent to colleges.
If you have made a request for your transcript this year, please be sure to also complete the following form (https://forms.office.com/r/hy7g1Z4w52) today to ensure the swift processing of your transcript request.
Future requests will be processed using the choice provided on this form: https://forms.office.com/r/hy7g1Z4w52.
https://www.fultonschools.org/Page/18518
Please allow ten days for the request to be processed except during peak processing times in which the processing times may be longer. All requests will be processed prior to the institutional deadline. For more information, please visit the counseling web page. https://www.fultonschools.org/Page/18518
Contact your counselor of record with any questions
(New) Capital Plan 2027 & ESPLOST
Teaching and Learning
Grading Updates
-Students that have not completed an assignment will receive a "0" in the grade book. Please make sure your student is keeping track of any missed assignments on Infinite Campus.
-Per the district, every student is allowed 5 remote learning days. To utilize these days, students must notify their teachers via email BEFORE the missed day and CC Jennifer Williams (williamsjh1@fultonschools.org).
Mark Your Calendars
Fall Break for Students Oct. 11-12
Blue Crew All Sports Season Pass
AVAILABLE NOW
Only $75
To purchase your Blue Crew All Sport Season Pass, it is available at https://gofan.co/app/school/GA5268 or the GoFan app
Action: Fulton County School Code of Conduct
ACTION ITEM: https://tinyurl.com/34b5navt
Parents & Students please use the link above to access the "How to" document to acknowledge in Infinite Campus that you have received the Code of Conduct above. This must be done by
all students above 10 years of age and their parents, guardians, or other person having control or charge of the child.
Click the link to follow the directions to sign acknowledging receipt of the Code of Conduct and Student Handbook in Infinite Campus. https://tinyurl.com/34b5navt
Student Attendance
Just The Facts: Updated Attendance Policy
For students in Fulton County Schools to learn and achieve to their fullest potential, it is critical they attend school and are engaged in the learning process. Student absences, whether excused or unexcused, impact a child's ability to succeed in school.
FCS has implemented a new attendance notification process. Parents/guardians will be notified more often on absences, regardless of whether a student is excused or unexcused. Families will be notified of student absences via daily robocalls, emails, and texts. Students who accumulate multiple absences will receive letters to notify them of missed learning time, and staff will follow up with supportive strategies for families and students.
High School students' attendance is taken each period. Students must be present for 50% or more of the day to be marked present. High School messages begin going out around 4:30 p.m. on the day of the absence. Parents/guardians can monitor their child's attendance using Infinite Campus.
If a parent needs to excuse a student from attendance, notify the child's school as soon as possible. Notify your child's teacher(s) and CC Jennifer Williams at WilliamsJH1@fultonschools.org
The following must be included in a written note or email:
- Student Name
- Student FCS ID Number (lunch number)
- Parent/Guardian Name
- Parent/Guardian Email & Phone Number
- Reason for Excuse
FULTON COUNTY SCHOOLS
UPDATED 2021-2022 COVID-19 Guidance
Masks
COVID-19 cases continue to rise again in Georgia and Fulton County. Fulton County Schools officials are closely monitoring data and consulting with public health officials as we strive to begin the new school year in-person with face-to-face instruction.As indicated earlier this week, FCS will make decisions based on local data taken from the Fulton County Board of Health (FCBOH) Epidemiology Reports and has determined schools and facilities located in municipalities where the rate of infection exceeds 100 per 100,000 residents will require all students, personnel, and visitors to wear masks until such time as the level of spread drops.
The FCBOH August 19, 2021 report indicates the COVID incidence rates for each municipality. Fourteen of the 14 cities in Fulton County exceeded the level public health officials consider “High Community Spread.” Therefore, schools and facilities in these jurisdictions will require masks, including Riverwood. Riverwood is on the list for an indoor mask mandate to continue to be in place for all staff and students.
Additionally, all FCS staff and students are required to report in the portal a confirmed positive case of COVID-19, a pending COVID-19 test result (regardless of the reason for testing), and a direct contact with a person who is COVID-19 positive.
The parent portal can found on the Riverwood homepage www.riverwoodics.org
Following updated Georgia Department of Public Health (GaDPH) guidelines for quarantine procedures, FCS will NOW ALLOW all students, regardless of vaccination status, to continue reporting to school after direct contact if the individual:
(1) is/remains symptom free, and
(2) wears a mask while on school district property for 10 days after exposure.
All students who report a PENDING TEST result may continue reporting to school if the individual:
(1) is/remains symptom free, and
(2) wears a mask while on school district property until the test results are received and reported.
Public health officials strongly encourage individuals directly exposed to COVID-19 to get tested after 3-5 days of the exposure.
- All FCS students are required to report (1) a confirmed positive case of COVID-19 (2) a pending COVID-19 test result (regardless of the reason for testing) and (3) a direct contact with person who is COVID-19 positive.
- FCS students/ parents must use the Parent Reporting Portal (found on the Riverwood website) to make the above COVID-19 report. https://www.fultonschools.org/riverwoodhs
- Reporting students must wait for further guidance from the FCS Health Services Team, Talent Department, or public health officials after submitting a report; do not report to school.
- The FCS COVID-19 Response Team will case investigate all reports in consultation with public health officials. Students will be required to cooperate with response team/ public health department nurses and respond truthfully to all questions.
COVID-19 Quarantine
- All students who meet isolation/ quarantine criteria must adhere to the district's 10-day quarantine directive. Individuals exhibiting symptoms while at school will be directed to leave or isolate until they can be picked up.
- Students who have been fully vaccinated (14 days since the 2nd shot in a 2-dose or single dose of the J&J vaccine) and symptom-free do not have to quarantine. Proof of vaccination will be needed.
- Students who have tested positive for COVID-19 within the past 3 months, fully recovered, and symptom-free do not have to quarantine. Proof of COVID-19 diagnosis will be needed.
School Meals are Free
All students will receive school meals at NO CHARGE for the 2021-2022 school year.
Click the button below to access the Breakfast and Lunch fliers
2021-2022 Health Services Information
Important parent information letter below that all parents need to read for the beginning of the school year from Health Services. Parents please make sure to update your current emergency contact information and follow the procedures regarding student illness/ injury, medication, immunizations, & emergency preparedness.
Click the button below to read the 21-22 School Year Health Services Information
11th grade immunization requirement
Per the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH), effective July 1, 2021, children 16 years of age and older, who are entering the 11th grade (including new entrants), must have received one booster dose of the meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV4), unless their initial dose was administered on or after their 16th birthday.
Meningococcal disease is a serious bacterial illness that affects the brain and the spinal cord. Meningitis can cause shock, coma and death within hours of the first symptoms. Unfortunately, the concentration of the antibodies seen after the initial
MCV4 vaccine wanes with time. Therefore, a booster dose is needed to stimulate the antibody production and provide longer-lasting protection against meningococcal disease.
If your teen has not been vaccinated against meningococcal disease, we strongly recommend getting your 11th grader, aged 16 years or older, vaccinated before starting the 2021-2022 school year. Getting MCV4 (meningococcal conjugate vaccine) now will not only help protect your child against the ongoing threat of meningitis, it will also meet the new school entry requirement.
Ask your pediatrician or local health department about other shots your child may need including:
• the human papillomavirus (HPV) series
• the tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis shot (Tdap or Td booster)
• an annual flu vaccine; and
• catch-up immunizations, including chickenpox, MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) and hepatitis B.
If your child does not have health insurance or their health plan won’t cover these vaccines, call your local health department and ask about getting no cost or low cost vaccines. For more information, visit http://dph.georgia.gov/vaccines-children or call (800) 848-3868.
ACTION: Once you have a copy of the immunization please bring or send it to the school nurse, Ms. Shalanda Gardner.
Thank you for your attention to this very important matter.
Shalanda Gardner 470.254.1914 gardners3@fultonschools.org
Click the buttons below for more information about the vaccine
Infinite Campus Access
Please check to make sure you have access to both your student and parent account in Infinite Campus. Gradebook, Student schedules, student course requests, transcripts, transportation information, and emergency contact lists are all available through the Infinite Campus system. We will be using Infinite Campus extensively and all students and parent must have access. Please scan the QR code which will take you to the district's sign up page. In order to sign up, you will need your student's name, date of birth, and their current grade.
Click the buttons below to access Infinite Campus support documents
Accessing Student Information
Parent Support Organizations
We are very fortunate at Riverwood to have some fantastic parent organizations that support our school. Below is some information about each one. If you can support one or more of these groups with your time, talent, or treasure, it is much appreciated:
Parent-Teacher-Student Association "PTSA" – The Riverwood Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) is an inclusive organization of enthusiastic parents, teachers, and staff who support our school through volunteering, community-building, and fundraising. Join us and help support our students’ journey to a bright and enriched future by selecting the Join The PTSA button on http://riverwoodptsa.org.
Riverwood Athletic Association "RAA" – The Riverwood Athletic Association's (RAA) primary purpose is to raise money for all Riverwood Raider sports teams and athletic facilities. Riverwood is proud of its tradition of athletic excellence. More than 50% of the student body participates on one of the 21 athletic teams. This past year Riverwood moved up to AAAAAA and our athletes rose to the challenge! Membership is open to everyone and includes some great gifts such as free season tickets, an all-weather blanket, tumblers and more! We are a 501(c)3 corporation, all donations are tax deductible. Join the RAA today!https://www.ricsathleticassociation.com/join-the-raa/
The Riverwood Foundation – The Riverwood Foundation is focused on connecting community, engaging students, and enhancing the learning experience. We support academic enrichment (implementing and sustaining innovative programs such as the MakerSpace and the outdoor classroom and garden), professional learning (training programs to support teachers), global citizenship (programs designed to support cultural exposure and service), and AVID (inquiry-based, student-centered classroom structure). Visit https://riverwoodfoundation.org/ for more information or to donate online.
Band and Orchestra Booster Club "BOB" – The Band and Orchestra Booster (BOB) looks forward to the upcoming 2021-22 school year. Our plan is to continue to support our Band and Orchestra students and families by enriching an already strong music program. Join us by becoming a BOB member and/or making a donation to help expand our impact and visit our webpage (https://www.fultonschools.org/Page/19272) to learn more.
Performing Arts Booster Association "PABA" – Would you like to “play a part” in the Performing Arts at Riverwood? The Performing Arts Booster Association (PABA) is a group of parents, teachers, and friends working together to support the chorus and drama programs at Riverwood. Membership dues and other fundraisers finance the acquisition of music, scripts, sets, costumes, lights, sound, and other important items. Parents also donate their time to help with productions. Click https://www.fultonschools.org/Page/19785 to access our Riverwood Drama & Performing Arts Booster.
Previous editions of The Riverwood Review
9-16-21 https://www.smore.com/e9znk
9-3-21 https://www.smore.com/4ymgq
8-17-21 https://www.smore.com/83wgc
8-6-21 https://www.smore.com/fy0xj7-23-21 https://www.smore.com/z9mq5
About us
Website: https://www.fultonschools.org/riverwoodhs
Location: 5900 Raider Drive, Sandy Springs, GA, USA
Phone: 4702541980
Twitter: @RiverwoodICS