Riverside Review
01.13.23
Principal Message
Happy Friday RSI Parents and Family Members,
The first full week of the second semester is in the books and we are all synced up at RSI. Thanks for helping your students get back into "school mode" for us, it is greatly appreciated. Tomorrow the RSI Robotics Team will make their way to heavy competition at Noblesville West. Please wish our Robotics Crew the best, as they put their creations to the test!
Upon our return from winter break it is apparent that the Apple Watch must have been on special deal. Now that our young Hawks, many, are sporting an electronic watch we are facing some new distractions and disruptions. This message is a simple reminder and ask to all parents and family members to remind students that cell phones are NOT permitted at the intermediate school level. They are able to be located in lockers and turned off. Please note that continued texting, communication, or simply playing on watches will be treated within the same context as cell phones. Thanks for your help and remember if you need anything, call the front office!
This coming Monday we honor Dr. Martin Luther King and will not be in session for school. Please note the Dr. King celebration event below that will highlight a variety of students across schools in Hamilton Southeastern. I hope you may attend and celebrate with the HSE community.
Have a safe and warm weekend.
Sincerely,
Dana Kaminski, Ph.D.
Principal RSI
Contact Information
Dr. Kaminski - Principal - dkaminski@hse.k12.in.us
Mr. Farrell - Assistant Principal - bfarrell@hse.k12.in.us
Mrs. Satterly - 5th Grade Counselor - ssatterly@hse.k12.in.us
Mrs. Anton - 6th Grade Counselor - banton@hse.k12.in.us
Mrs. Bohannon - IT Specialist - kbohannon@hse.k12.in.us
PTO Meetings
We are excited to be kicking off a new year! PTO meetings are held on the 2nd Tuesday of each month at 6pm in the Media Center. The dates are below:
March 14
April 11
May 9
MLK Food Drive
Parents of 6th Graders - Mark Your Calendar!
On Tuesday, February 7th, there is a parent meeting at 7pm in the Riverside Junior High School cafeteria (Hawk Hall). This meeting will be a brief introduction to the junior high, and scheduling will be discussed. Plans are underway for next year's classes for junior high students. 6th grade teachers will be asked to recommend students for advanced placement in 7th grade English, Math, and Science classes. If you have questions concerning how your child will be recommended, please contact your child's current 6th grade English, Math, or Science teachers. 7th grade students will have 1 elective choice to make. Students have a choice between the Fine Arts Option or the Family and Consumer Science (FACS) Option in seventh grade. They will make their selection on February 8th at school. Attached is a guide that will help with that elective selection. Please discuss with your student prior to that date which elective for them to choose.
Counselors Corner
SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING ~
5th Grade Summary:
In this week’s lesson, your child will learn how to reflect on their experience working toward a goal.
Try This at Home:
Ask your child to tell you about their goal-setting journey, including what worked, what didn’t work, and what they could do next time. Tell your child about a goal that you set and worked toward. What worked, what didn’t work, and what did you learn?
6th Grade Summary:
In this week's lesson, your child will learn how different parts of the brain play a part in managing their strong emotions.
Try this at home:
Ask your child to teach you about some of the different parts of the brain and how they manage emotions. Look up a picture or video of the brain and learn some more!
Golden Hawks - Quarter 2 Recognition
Student Lunch Visitations
We know that many of our families have enjoyed the opportunity to eat lunch with their student(s). However, due to safety and space limitations in some of our schools, district administration has made the difficult decision to keep our student lunches closed to all outside guests at this time.
We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and encourage you to look for other opportunities to engage with your student(s), their class, and our schools. There are many ways to get involved! If you have any questions or concerns, contact Jimmie Lake, Chief Operations Officer, at 317-594-4100 or jlake@hse.k12.in.us
Important Information from the Transportation Department!
We have been notified by the Transportation Department there will NO LONGER be guest riders allowed on the bus this school year due to the lack of extra seating.
Best Buddies Event
5th/6th grade students need a permission slip to attend. See attached permission slip. Late permission slips will not be accepted. Permission slips are due by Tuesday, January 17th. Permission slips can be turned into Miss James in room 537 or emailed to dljames@hse.k12.in.us
We would love to have parent volunteers to help chaperone the event! If you are interested in chaperoning, please email dljames@hse.k12.in.us!
Activities Picture Day
RSI Yearbook Club
• A 5th and 6th grade school club that will work together to create the 2022-2023 Riverside yearbook.
• Students who are enthusiastic and creative are needed. Students should be interested in photography, writing, and designing.
• Meetings will take place mostly on Fridays before school from February 3- March 22.
• Meetings will be held from 8:00 am-9:00 am in room 543
• Any 5th or 6th grade student interested in participating in the Yearbook Club should fill out the attached application and turn it into Mrs. McLaren or Ms. Rhodes by Tuesday, January 24.
• Students will be notified through school email by January 27th whether they were chosen for the club.
Club application and dates are included below.
Soldiers of Hope
Attention RSI Families - Lost & Found
This is our LAST CALL for our very full LOST & FOUND before the items are donated to charity!
- We have over 142 coats/jackets that are just waiting to be found
- These items will be donated after next Friday, January 13, 2023
- Parents, you are more than welcome to come check in as a visitor at the RSI office and check the lost and found
Preorder your copy of the RSI yearbook today!
Fishers Youth Assistance Program - Snack Attack
Fishers Youth Assistance Program (FYAP) is offering a free weekend snack program for any student attending Hamilton Southeastern Schools who qualifies for the reduced lunch program or has an increased need currently. Snacks will be delivered to schools each week and sent home with students.
To be part of this free program, you must sign up your family online. https://forms.gle/xrKNaxRaLypSqKvV8
If you have any questions about the registration, please email fyapfood@gmail.com
Cafeteria Updates
All students regardless of account balance can receive a breakfast and lunch meal deal. At breakfast we use a point system, a meal deal is 3 to 4 points. It MUST include a small juice. At lunch, a meal deal is an entree, fruit and/or vegetable, and milk which is optional. Any items beyond the meal deal are extras and have a cost. Checks and cash are accepted for payment. You can also make payments on Efunds as well. Remember to include your student’s ID number as well as their name on the checks or envelopes so our cashiers can add deposits to the correct account. We are still having supply chain issue. Please look for twitter updates daily for menu changes @RSICafeRJH
FOOD SERVICES IS HIRING!
COME HELP US PROVIDE THE IMPORTANT MEALS THE STUDENTS NEED TO MAKE FOR A GREAT SCHOOL DAY. Flexible hours, same schedule as your students and more. Support our schools and become involved in our district. We are a great team!
https://www.applitrack.com/hamiltonse/onlineapp/
Hamilton Southeastern Schools - Frontline Recruitment
Frontline Recruiting and Hiring, Applicant Tracking for Educators. Online Job Employment Applications, Web Based Employment Applications for School Districts and Educational Institutions.
Mudsock Youth Athletics
Spring Program Registration is Open!
Get moving with us the spring! Registration for baseball, softball, soccer, boys and girls lacrosse, rugby, boys volleyball and track and field is open at myathletics.com. Learn about each of our programs here. Remember to register between January 1st – 31st to guarantee your place on a team and receive the best pricing.
Spring Program Scholarships
Families who qualify for free our reduced lunches within the district are also eligible for program scholarships with MYA. Families can apply for one per season per child and must apply and be accepted during our open registration period. For spring sports these dates are 1/1 – 1/31. Email info@myathletics.com
Rugby Try-It Days (Open to 5th – 8th Graders with Female Only Times)
Calling all 5th – 8th graders who live within the HSE School District. Attend one of our free try-it days, including female only sessions, to learn about the sport. We are specifically trying to grow our junior high girls team! Sessions offered on Sundays at RJH (Feb. 5th) and HIJH (Feb. 26th). Learn more here
YMCA Before School Care
Student Handbook
All HSE Schools student handbooks (K-12) are now online for easier access. The 5/6 handbook is available via this link: https://rsi.hseschools.org/MediaLibraries/RSI/RSI-Documents/5-6-Student-Handbook.pdf
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!
Using Skyward
Skyward allows parents to access grades, report cards, bus information, immunization records, lunch account/food service information, student fees, schedules, and the BACK TO SCHOOL FORMS 2022-2023. All students are required to have an iPad to expand our HSE21 curriculum. Families have the choice of purchasing an iPad on their own or they may choose to rent the iPad through the school. Please visit our HSE21 website for more information.
ParentSquare
We have switched from Skylert to ParentSquare for our mass communication platform (Skyward is still being used for grades, attendance, etc.). We realize there are many methods for communication in HSE Schools, by moving to ParentSquare we will be able to reduce those some of those methods.
ParentSquare is a simple-to-use platform that provides a safe way for everyone at a school to connect. With ParentSquare, you'll be able to:
- Receive messages from the district and school via email, text or app notification
- Choose to receive information as it comes or all at once at 6 p.m. daily
- Communicate in your preferred language
- Comment on school postings to engage in your school community
- And more all from your phone or web portal!
We invite you to go to www.parentsqure.com to activate your account. Once on the site, put in your email address we have linked to your student in the Sign Up/Create Password section on the right side of the page. Then click “Go”. You will be receive a link to your email account to continue to setup process. Once signed in, if you have a phone number setup in Skyward you will be asked to confirm the number. Also, you will be asked to confirm your students.
After you create your account, we recommend downloading the ParentSquare app from the Apple or Google Play store. With the app, you can enable push notifications on your phone for alerts as well as set a language preference.
If you need to make any changes to your email or phone numbers, please log into Skyward and make those changes under the Student Info section.
Canvas
The following instructions are how to create and pair accounts in Canvas. Your HSE students will be using Canvas throughout virtual and in-person instructions. If you have a child or children that are new to the district, please use the following instructions to link your child's Canvas account to your parent account. Please note that if you have already created a Parent Canvas account and linked your child(ren)'s account(s), you will not need to do this.
You will need your child's school email address and ID#. This information can be found in Skyward. Please click here to access Skyward. If the link is not working, you can go to the HSE homepage and click on the Canvas tab located at the top right of the screen.
Once you are logged in, you will select your child's name from the drop down menu under Family Access at the top of the page. Next, you will click on the Student Info tab from the column on the left. Your child's school email can be found next to the word School in the middle of the screen (just to the right of their school picture) and their school ID # is located under their picture (their school ID # is labeled as Other ID).
Steps:
- Please click here to access Canvas. If the link is not working, you can go to the HSE homepage and click on the Canvas tab located at the top right of the screen. You will click on the Students/Staff Portal rectangle to login with your child's information, using your child's full school email address as the username. Enter "hse" in front of their 6 digit other ID number for the password. You will now be logged in under their name.
- While on their Canvas page, click on Account and then Settings. Look to the right and click Pair with Observer. You will need to write down the code so you can use it to link your accounts.
- Click Account and Logout. You are now logged out of your child's account.
- If you have multiple students in the district, you will need to complete steps 1-3 for each of your children. You will need a pairing code for each student in an HSE school.
- Once you have a pairing code for each of your children, you will click here to access the home page of Canvas. If the link is not working, you can go to the HSE homepage and click on the Canvas tab located at the top right of the screen. You will click on the Parent Canvas Portal rectangle to create your profile. You will need your name, email, create a password, and one student pairing code. Click on Start Participating.
- Check your email now to finalize your Canvas sign-up.
- To add other children, go back to the HSE homepage, click Canvas tab, click Parent Portal, and login. Click on Account, click on Observing, and add your next child's pairing code.
Riverside Info You Should Know
Our goal is to keep our parents/guardians informed of the events and policies at RSI. Please read the information below and call the school office with any questions. Thanks for being such a vital part of making Riverside Intermediate a special school.
Skyward allows parents to access students’ grades from teachers’ electronic grade books.
Health card and consent to treat forms must be completed each school year. This ensures the health and safety of your student, allows us to care for your student and allows your student to attend field trips. These forms are available to complete on your parent Skyward account by clicking on “Back to School Forms”. Fill out all forms online and click “Complete” at the end for the forms to be seen by the nurse.
ParentSquare will be used as the primary communication tool between the HSE school district and students, parents, and staff for emergency situations (for example: school delays or closings). It will also be used for attendance and general information as well throughout the year to notify parents about important information, upcoming events, or milestones.
iPads are required for all students in the 5th and 6th grade to expand our HSE21 curriculum. Families have the choice of purchasing an iPad on their own or they may choose to rent the iPad through the school. Please visit our HSE21 website at https://www.hseschools.org/academics/technology-classroom for more information.
The Riverside Review is our weekly newsletter that is sent out via ParentSquare. It is also posted on our website at https://rsi.hseschools.org/happenings/newsletters. It is full of important information and scheduled activities.
Our Calendar is on our website with the most up to date information. https://www.hsecalendars.org/public/genie/752/school/13/
School Attendance is extremely important. The school attendance line is 317-594-4328. Parents are requested to notify the school as soon as possible. See the student handbook for the detailed attendance policy.
The Tardy Bell rings at 9:15 am. If your student is going to be late to school or absent from school, please call our attendance line at 317-594-4328.
Change of Transportation/ Early Dismissal requires a note sent to school with your student. Be sure to include your student’s full name. Your student should give the note to their homeroom teacher first thing in the morning. This will advise the office of a change. The dismissal bell rings at 4:00 pm. Photo ID is required when signing out a student during the school day.
All Cell Phones are to be turned off and secured in student lockers during the school day. Their use during the school day is forbidden. Cell phones will be confiscated if visible during the school day. All confiscated cell phones must be picked up by a parent.
To be Excused from Participation in PE, students MUST have a doctor’s note stating why he/she cannot participate and for how long the student should be excused. A parental note may be used for one day only.
Safe Visitor Background Checks MUST be on file with the school before a parent is allowed to volunteer in the classroom, have lunch with a student, or go on a field trip. Background checks are valid for 3 years.
Address Changes must be reported to the main office and require proof of residency. Refer to the HSE website for acceptable documents.
Golden Hawk of the Month is the character education program at RSI. Students will be recognized for displaying any of HSE’s nine positive character traits throughout the year by earning a poster and a prize!
The Counselors at RSI loop with the students. Therefore, your student will have the same counselor for 5th and 6th grade. Individual counseling, group counseling, classroom guidance, and character education are all services provided by the counselors at RSI.
Breakfast and Lunch pricing is $1.40 per day(breakfast) and $2.80 per day(lunch). Checks may be made payable to RSI. Please include student ID number on the check. You may also use your debit or credit card to pay for lunch online through eFunds.
Canvas is a tool for teachers to use to distribute important information, submit assignments, and more. Students use the same credentials for Canvas as they use to log into the computers at school.
Students Fees will be assessed one-time per school year. The fees will cover the cost of textbook rental, consumable and material fees. The fee is based on a student’s schedule/courses taken. Fees are assigned in the fall near the end of August with payment due in October. These fees are in addition to the rental fee for an iPad.
District News/Updates
R.A.V.E Reviews
Help us in recognizing and appreciating our talented, hard-working, and dedicated employees by submitting a R.A.V.E. (Recognizing All Valuable Employees) Review. All HSE staff members are eligible for nomination and may be recognized multiple times. To submit a R.A.V.E. Review, click here to fill out a quick and easy online form and share why the individual is a 5-Star employee. Recipients will receive a R.A.V.E. Review window cling to proudly display their nomination in their workspace, a certificate and letter of recognition with their review. Each month, one R.A.V.E. Review recipient will be selected at random by the Hamilton Southeastern Education Foundation for a $100 gift card. Thank you for your support!
HSE COMMUNITY INSIDER
Don't Forget to Sign up!
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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