The Riverwalk Roar
January 5, 2020
Note from Dr. Compton
Pride,
I don't know about you, but I'm excited about the new year. With the new year (and new decade) comes new opportunities. For many, that means opportunities to grow and to improve. Whether it be to learn a new skill/concept (a hard skill) or to simply try to be become a better person by showing kindness and compassion (a soft skill), the start of a new year is the perfect opportunity to venture out and grow.
It’s okay to want to be a better you, and the New Year is a natural time to start. The question is, how? The solution is simple . . . pick "one word."
"One word" is a fun practice and much more effective than New Year’s resolutions. In our busy stress-filled world with tons of distractions, the research shows that 9 out of 10 people will fail with their resolutions. But one word sticks. No goals. No resolutions. Just one word that gives you meaning, mission, passion, and purpose. One word that represents the essence of who we want to be.
What's your one word for 2020?
I'm excited to see what lies ahead for our Pride in 2020, and beyond.
Sincerely,
~Dr. Compton
This Week's Newsletter Photo
This week's photo is of our very own Rivers, with the help from Polk Electric, installing some signs around the school during the winter break. Thanks for the lift, Polk Electric!
A Few Reminders for the New Year
- Our daily dropoff beings at 7:30 am. Please wait until the Safety Patrol are in position before having your child exit the vehicle. If you want to be able to drop off before 7:30 am, you need to register with our Lions Den.
- We load/unload from the passenger side of the car (SC DOT requirement). If you have a car seat on the passenger side that your child can't get around, the car seat needs to be moved to the driver's side so the student who is entering/exiting your vehicle can do so on the right side of the car.
- Our day begins at 8:00 am, so parents who arrive after this time are required to come in and sign your child into school.
- Middle/High School families, 1st period begins at 8:00 am, which means that any student who isn't in their seat when the 8:00 am bell rings is marked tardy. Even if you arrive in the parking lot at 7:58, but it takes your child 3 minutes to walk to their 1st class, they'll be marked tardy.
- Families need to stay in the car line in the AM instead of bypassing the line by driving through the parking lot. Do not use our parking lot as a means to shortcut the line.
- Here's a copy of our cell phone and headphone policy for students.
- 2:00 pm is the latest time that we can early dismiss Monday through Thursday.
- We do offer a "hot lunch" service where families order by Thursday for the following week. To order your child a hot lunch from one of our vendors, please check out our website. If you have any questions about hot lunch, please contact Ms. Belk.
- Please consider downloading our mobile app. We use the app to keep you up to date and to push out important messages pertaining to Riverwalk Academy.
- Parents can stay up to date about their child's grades by logging into the Parent Portal. If you do not know your user name or password, please contact Ms. Mabey.
Beta Club Needs Your Help
The Junior and Senior Beta Club are organizing a Goody Bag drive for the homeless. Students are collecting items from now until January 31. Items that are collected will be put together in small goody bags and taken to Family Promise of York County. Below are the items that are being collected for the project:
- Socks
- Toothpaste
- Toothbrushes (Individually Packed)
- Gloves
- Scarves
- Soap and Shampoo (Travel Sized)
- Liquid Body Wash (NOT BARS OF SOAP)
- Laundry Detergent
- Lotion
- Bandaids
- Neosporin
- Baby Wipes
- Hand Sanitizer
- Gallon Zip Lock Bags
- Hats
Collections boxed to receive donations will be located in Ms. Wilson’s classroom (Mod), Ms. Mavrakis’s classroom (4th Grade Pod), Mrs. Slifer’s classroom (Mod), and the Front Office.
Yearbook
Yearbooks are on sale now! This year, we'll have two yearbooks; one for K - 5 (elementary) and one 6 - 10 (middle/high).
Purchase before April 15th and save $5! To order your yearbook, follow the instructions below.
- Go to www.strawbridge.net and click the "Order Pictures and Yearbooks" button.
- Select Riverwalk Academy and enter our unique code!
- Elementary: YB113308
- Middle and High: YB 113660
- Select "Yearbook" for program type.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to complete your order!
Please contact Ms. Krebs if you have any questions.
Mr. Monty Johnston Named Staff Member of the Month
Mr. Monty Johnston, a part-time bookkeeper, and part-time band teacher is named Riverwalk Academy’s January Staff Member of the Month. Mr. Johnston was nominated by several colleagues who said the following about him:
Monty does such a good job at everything he does and he is always going above and beyond to help out with everything that he can
Mr. Monty rocks! I don’t know of another person who gives as much of his time to not only assist with the school’s finances but who also gives so much of his time to the students. Mr. Monty spends 4 days after school each week, donating his time, to bring band and march band to Riverwalk Academy. Way to go Mr. Monty!
For being selected as the January 2020 Staff Member of the Month, Mr. Johnston will be given his own parking spot for the month and he’ll also be recognized during the January Board meeting.
Congratulations Mr. Johnston for being one of the reasons #WhyRiverwalk.
If you’d like to nominate a staff member for staff member of the month, click here. Nominations can be made by staff, parents, and students.
Lion Artists of the Week (picked by Dr. Compton's daughters)
Check out Riverwalk Academy's online art gallery at Artsonia. Artsonia is the World's Largest Student Art Museum. Yet it's so much more than that! It's a free, safe, educational program designed to connect parents and families with their child's creative activities at school.
Reading to our Cubs
Make sure you check out our new weekly series, Reading to our Cubs. We release these videos each Sunday at 7:00 pm on Facebook. Tonight's story is sure to be a treat.
6th Grade Art Students
Attention 6th-grade students who have second-semester art, you will need a 9”x 12” sketchbook. More information will be sent home to these students on Monday. If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Griffith.
Middle School Reminders
Here are a few "middle school" specific reminders that are also listed above:
- Middle/High School families, 1st period begins at 8:00 am, which means that any student who isn't in their seat when the 8:00 am bell rings is marked tardy. Even if you arrive in the parking lot at 7:58, but it takes your child 3 minutes to walk to their 1st class, they'll be marked tardy.
- Here's a copy of our cell phone and headphone policy for students.
- Families need to stay in the car line in the AM instead of bypassing the line by driving through the parking lot. Do not use our parking lot as a means to shortcut the line.
High School Reminders
Here are a few "high school" specific reminders that are also listed above:
- Middle/High School families, 1st period begins at 8:00 am, which means that any student who isn't in their seat when the 8:00 am bell rings is marked tardy. Even if you arrive in the parking lot at 7:58, but it takes your child 3 minutes to walk to their 1st class, they'll be marked tardy.
- Here's a copy of our cell phone and headphone policy for students.
- Families need to stay in the car line in the AM instead of bypassing the line by driving through the parking lot. Do not use our parking lot as a means to shortcut the line.
Riverwalk Academy Joins 1A Region 2 of the SC High School League
As part of the SC High School Leagues state-wide realignment for the 2020 - 2022 school years, Riverwalk Academy is placed as a Class A school (1A) and assigned to Region 2.
Riverwalk Academy joined the SC High School League (SCHSL) in August 2019 as an at-large school. This gave the school the opportunity to begin competing as a SCHSL school. As part of the approval process, the school knew that they would officially be assigned into a region as part of the SCHSL’s realignment plan for the 2020 - 2022 school year.
On December 19th, the SCHSL announced their realignment plans and Riverwalk Academy found itself with a (1A) classification and assigned to Region 2. According to the SCHSL’s realignment plan, the following schools are within the same region: C. A. Johnston, Governor's School**, Great Falls, Lamar*, Lewisville, McBee, Midlands Stem** ^, and Riverwalk Academy** ^.
* = football only
** = schools without football
^ = charter school
The school presently offers boys and girls swimming, cross country, track, and boys golf. The school is planning on adding volleyball and jv basketball during the 2020 - 2021 school year.
Student Drivers
10th grade students may be eligible to drive/park at Riverwalk Academy. Click here to view the student parking requirements. If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Graham.
- Weather Make-up Day - students return
- no activities scheduled
Tuesday (1/7)
- Marathon Kids (yellow group) @ 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm (Laster)
Wednesday (1/8)
- no activities scheduled
Thursday (1/9)
- Marathon Kids (green group) @ 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm (Laster)
Friday (1/10)
- no activities scheduled
The Pride on Parade
Each week, we'll share photos of members of our Pride wearing their school gear out in the community. If you have any photos to share, please send them, along with a short description, to Dr. Compton.
Check out Maya and Samuel showing off their Lions' gear while playing in the snow in the Adirondack Mountains, New York.
About Us
Email: info@riverwalkacademy.com
Website: www.riverwalkacademy.com
Location: 5750 Mt Gallant Rd, Rock Hill, SC, USA
Phone: 8033278400
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/riverwalkacademy
Twitter: @RiverwalkLions