Roadrunners News
Riverside Elementary School
February 2020
News from Dr. Holcomb
Have you seen the funny posts about how January feels like it lasts F O R E V E R? (i.e It feels like it's been 3 months and yet it's still January!) Normally I would agree, but this time I feel like January has flown by! I don't know why but I feel like I blinked and it was gone. We still have so much work to do and yet time is slipping away. We also have had recent tragedies in the world which cause us to reflect on our life, our family, and our work. I truly thank you for partnering with us in your child's education. We know they are your most precious gift and we work really hard to help support their academic and social learning. We couldn't do that without you. My greatest hope for everyone is that we roll into February on a positive, happy, and healthy note!
5th grade Parent Night
West Middle is hosting a 5th grade parent meeting on February 19th from 5 PM-6 PM. West Middle will discuss the transition to middle school and will answer questions parent might have.
Parent Teacher Conferences-February 24th & 25th
It is time once again to make plans to attend our conferences. We are once again utilizing online conference scheduling through www.myconferencetime.com/riverside. Please make it a priority to attend your child’s conference on Monday, February 24th or Tuesday, February 25th. We look forward to seeing each of you! Look for additional information coming home in your child’s Thursday folders regarding when the scheduling window will open.
*Due to conferences, there will be NO SCHOOL for elementary students on Monday, February 24th or Friday, February 28th.
ELPA testing
The time for the ELPA 21 testing is quickly approaching. Students in our ELL programs will be taking the ELPA21 test March 16th-March 27th. It is required that we assess all of our students who are in our ELL programs as well as any students who have waived services. Students in grades K-5 will be taking tests on the computer in the areas of Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing.
What can parents do to help their child do well on the tests?
· Make sure students are to school on time
· Have your child dress comfortably
· Stick to normal bedtime and breakfast routines
· Be a positive cheerleader as they prepare each day
Save the Date: Kindergarten Registration-April 21st
Kindergarten Registration for Riverside will be held on Tuesday, April 21st. We will be sending home additional information home about our registration and look forward to a great day meeting all of our incoming students. Students will need to be 5 years old by September 15, 2020 to register.
Cold weather
Our Iowa weather continues to be throwing all kinds of temperatures our way. Please be sure that your child comes in warm clothing appropriate for the weather. We will not go outside for recess unless the temperature (including wind chill) registers above 15 degrees. If your child needs winter attire, please let the office know. We have a number of resources available to us in the way of coats, hats, and mittens. Thank you! Stay warm!
Newsletter: Now Available in 100+ Languages
If you prefer to read the newsletter in a language other than English, please scroll to the bottom of this newsletter to select your preferred language. Simply select the "Translate" button on the lower right, select your language from the drop-down menu, and click "Close." The entire newsletter will then be translated into the language you have selected. Over 100 languages are available for selection.
Boletín Informativo: Ahora Disponible en más de 100 Idiomas
Si prefiere leer el boletín en un idioma que no sea inglés, desplácese hasta la parte inferior de este boletín para seleccionar su idioma. Simplemente seleccione el botón "Traducir" en la esquina inferior derecha, seleccione su idioma en el menú y haga clic en "Cerrar". El boletín completo se traducirá al idioma que haya seleccionado. Más de 100 idiomas están disponibles para su selección.
Literacy News
Students just finished taking the Winter Screening for the FAST assessments. The data is looking promising and we will sit down as a full staff to sort all of our data. We will use that data to help us determine new student groups, new WIN groups, and to help us lay out what our instruction at the teacher table will look like for the next 9 weeks.
Our staff has continued their learning on how to help students read passages closely for important information as well as how to design questions to support their understanding of the passage. We call those text dependent questions.
Math News
Students have started taking the Winter Screening for the FAST assessments. This is the first year for this required test and we are learning a lot about this assessment and how to support our students.
We recently were fortunate to have Jody Vanderloo, our District Math Coordinator, come present to our staff about math fact fluency. We know in order for students to gain mastery in facts they have to be fluent. However, many people mistake fluency for speed. We learned that there is much more involved in fluency. Students need to be accurate in their answers, be efficient in selecting a strategy to solve a problem, and be flexible in their thinking in order to solve different kinds of problems. We also had conversation about providing opportunities for students to have many opportunities to practice their new learning.
Stay tuned for more updates on our learning and ways that you can help support your child(ren) at home.
Important Dates
Feb. 4 5:30 PTO meeting
Feb. 13 3:35 Kindness Club
Feb. 14 2:30 Valentine parties
Feb. 18 6:00 Rollerama Night
Feb. 19 5:00 PM-6:00 PM West Middle Parent night for 5th grade parents
Feb. 24/25 Parent Teacher conferences
Feb. 24 NO SCHOOL for Elementary conferences
Feb. 28 NO SCHOOL
Mar. 3 5:30 PTO meeting
Mar. 12 3:35 Kindness Club
Mar. 16-Mar 27 ELPA testing
Mar. 19 6:30 West Side Band Concert
Mar. 24 5:30 4th/5th grade Orchestra Concert--at West Middle
District and School Climate Survey: Coming Soon
Every voice matters in Sioux City Community Schools. That’s why we need to hear from all parents and guardians. Provide feedback using our District and School Climate Survey, which is open February 4 - March 13. The survey is available in English or Spanish.
How to take the survey:
· A link will be sent to parents/guardians by email, text message, and voicemail.
· If you do not receive a link, please contact 712-224-7471 to request a link.
· Paper surveys are available for pick up at your child’s school.
· Take the survey online at your child’s school while at conferences.
The survey asks for feedback on student and academic support, safety and behavior, school leadership, and family involvement. We will use the results to better understand our students’ needs, determine our strengths, and identify opportunities for improvement.
All survey responses are strictly confidential. The District has partnered with an independent research and communications firm, K12 Insight, to administer the survey and compile the results. District employees will not know who participates or see individual responses.
If you have questions, please contact Mandie Mayo, Director of Communications, at mayoa@live.siouxcityschools.com.
La Encuesta del Ambiente Escolar y del Distrito Próximamente
Cada voz importa en las Escuelas de la Comunidad de Sioux City. Es por eso que necesitamos escuchar de todos los padres y guardianes. Proporcione sus comentarios utilizando nuestra Encuesta del Ambiente Escolar y del Distrito, que estará abierta del 4 de febrero – 13 de marzo. La encuesta está disponible en inglés y español.
Como tomar la encuesta:
· Se enviará un enlace a los padres/guardianes por correo electrónico, mensaje de texto y correo de voz
· Si no recibe un enlace, comuníquese al 712-224-7471 para solicitar el enlace.
· Las encuestas en papel están disponibles y las puede recoger en la escuela de su hijo.
· Tome la encuesta en línea en la escuela de su hijo durante las conferencias.
La encuesta solicita comentarios sobre el apoyo académico y estudiantil, la seguridad y el comportamiento, el liderazgo escolar y la participación familiar. Utilizaremos los resultados para comprender mejor las necesidades de nuestros estudiantes, determinar nuestras fortalezas e identificar oportunidades de mejoría.
Todas las respuestas de la encuesta son estrictamente confidenciales. El Distrito se ha asociado con una compañía independiente de investigaciones y comunicaciones, K12 Insight, para administrar la encuesta y recopilar los resultados. Los empleados del distrito no sabrán quién participa ni verán respuestas individuales.
Si tiene alguna pregunta, comuníquese con Mandie Mayo, Directora de Comunicaciones, a mayoa@live.siouxcityschools.com.
Maintaining A Safe and Healthy Environment
The Sioux City Community School District is committed to providing an environment where students and staff members are treated with dignity and respect. We recognize that we are not unique, in that we experience the challenges of school and community-based bullying, yet we want to be unique in serving as a District that works to make a significant and positive difference in this arena. Please, join us in the effort to maintain a safe and healthy school environment. Visit our website, www.siouxcityschools.org/anti-bullying-harassment-hazing/, to learn more about our anti-bullying policy, view resources to help us combat bullying, or report concerns. We also welcome your feedback. Consider sharing your ideas or concerns using the Let’s Talk tool on our website.
Manteniendo un Ambiente Seguro y Saludable
El Distrito Escolar de la Comunidad de Sioux City se compromete a proporcionar un ambiente en que los estudiantes y el personal sean tratados con dignidad y respeto. Reconocemos que no somos únicos, ya que experimentamos los desafíos del acoso escolar y comunitario, pero queremos ser únicos en servir como un Distrito que trabaja para hacer una diferencia significante y positiva en esta escena. Por favor, únase a nosotros en el esfuerzo para mantener un ambiente escolar seguro y saludable. Visite nuestro sitio web, www.siouxcityschools.org/anti-bullying-harassment-hazing/, para aprender más acerca de nuestro política contra bullying/acoso, repasar los recursos que nos ayudan a combatir el bullying, o reportar sus preocupaciones. También agradecemos sus comentarios y sugerencias. Considere compartir sus ideas o inquietudes, usando la herramienta Let’s Talk (Hablemos) en nuestro sitio web.
Let's Talk
An engaged community makes our District stronger. That is why we have made it easy for you to connect with us whenever it is convenient for you. We encourage you to take advantage of Let’s Talk!, our 24/7 online submission site. Reach out with your ideas, questions, concerns, and praise. To make a submission, please visit http://www.siouxcityschools.org/lets-talk/.
Communication and Preparedness
Student and staff safety is of paramount importance in the Sioux City Community School District. For this reason, the District exercises a host of crisis prevention and planning tactics. Should an emergency occur, the school notifies you through our Blackboard phone system. In an emergency, the system calls every phone number associated with your child in order to reach you. The message will give you details about the emergency and provide directions on when/where to pick up your child if the normal school day is altered. Learn more about school safety.
Focus 2022 Strategic Plan
Non-Discrimination Statement
The Sioux City Community School District offers career and technical programs in the following areas: Business & Marketing, Family & Consumer Science, Health Science, and Industrial Arts, Technology, & PLTW.
The Sioux City Community School District is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. It is an unfair or discriminatory practice for any educational institution to discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information (for employment), national origin, religion, age (for employment), disability, socioeconomic status (for programs), marital status (for programs), or veteran status (for employment) in its educational programs and its employment practices.
Inquiries or grievances, including Section 504 grievances and grievances under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, may be directed to Jen Gomez, Director of Student Services & Equity Education at 627 4th Street, Sioux City, IA 51101, (712) 279-6075, gomezj2@live.siouxcityschools.com. Please see District Board policies 103 and 504.4 for additional information on available grievance procedures.
Riverside Elementary School
Principal: Dr. Angela Holcomb
Website: https://www.siouxcityschools.org/riverside/
Location: 2303 Riverside Boulevard, Sioux City, IA, USA
Phone: 712-279-6811
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Riverside-Elementary-School-273195942712223/
Twitter: @riversidek5