Riverside Review
09.23.22
Principal Message
Happy Friday RSI Parents and Family Members,
I am excited to announce that our young Hawks have named our two newest additions to the goat habitat! Check out the photo below and help me welcome, from left to right, Hawk and Selena Goatmez. I invite you and your family to swing by the outdoor learning lab to say hello to our new friends Hawk and Selena G. Thanks to all of our students and staff who placed their votes and participated in this fun event.
On a more serious note, I would like to remind all of you that next Friday, September 30th, 2022 is in fact a scheduled eLearning Day for all HSE schools. Please keep your eyes out for a parentsquare communication regarding the specific responsibilities for our intermediate students on this date. As always, feel free to send any questions you may have to your child/children's teacher.
Thanks to all of you who emailed me in support of joining in as a volunteer to support any and all local PTO events. We appreciate you!
Have a wonderful and safe 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
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.
Notes from the Clinic - Back to School Forms!
Just a reminder ...... if you have not completed your students back to school forms in skyward- please complete them today!
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.
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.
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!
Counselors Corner
Social Emotional Learning
5th Grade Summary:
In this week’s lesson, your child will practice identifying things that a person can or can’t change in a recurring situation that causes them to feel a strong emotion. Then they will focus on the things that can be changed to recommend something the person could think or do differently to manage their emotions in the future. Also in this week’s lesson, your child will practice breaking down situations that feel big and unmanageable into smaller, more manageable pieces. They will also practice identifying a small change someone could make to manage their strong emotions the next time a situation occurs.
Try This at Home:
Ask your child if there’s anything coming up at school that makes them feel a strong emotion, like nervous, frustrated, or stressed. Ask them what they could think or do differently to make the situation easier to handle.
Tell your child about a recurring situation in your life that typically causes you to feel a strong emotion, like stress or anger. Ask your child what you can change to make the situation better, and why they would suggest that change.
6th Grade Summary:
In this week’s lesson, your child will practice breaking big goals down into smaller, short-term goals.
Try this at home:
Think of a time you achieved a big goal, such as learning to drive or graduating from school. Tell your child about your goal and the series of smaller steps you needed to take to achieve it. Ask your child to tell you about a goal they have.
RSI Student Fees 2022-23
RSI student course fees ARE NOW viewable in Skyward under Fee Management. Fees are due October 3, 2022.
For questions: Teresa Johnson, Treasurer, 317.594.4320 or tejohnson@hse.k12.in.us
HOW TO PAY
- Pay online via eFunds for schools: https://payments.efundsforschools.com/v3/districts/55481
- Send in a check with your Hawk. Make sure you place it in an envelope with the student name, student ID#, teacher name, attn: Treasurer. Checks made payable to: Riverside Intermediate School
- Drop Payment via check or cash (exact change) in the office, M-F, 8:45 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
- Fees not paid or first payment not made are subject to additional processing fees.
HOW TO SET UP PAYMENT PLANS
- eFunds for Schools:
- Add a payment to your cart and begin Check Out process
- Edit payment frequency to set-up how often you’d like the payment to be made
- Send in/drop off Payment:
- Installment payments are accepted
HOW TO APPLY FOR ASSISTANCE
- If your student is already approved for assistance the fees have already been adjusted
- As a reminder, if your student was free or reduced in 21-22 you must reapply in this current school year. This is due September 16, 2022. Find the application in Skyward Family Access, Food Services and click on the applications. You can also submit a paper application available at:
or you can pick up a paper copy in the RSI office.
Hawk Party - Thursday, 9/29
Robotics
Best Buddies
Best Buddies is a club that fosters one-to-one friendships between students with and without disabilities. Best Buddies helps create friendships between all students in our school! If you were unable to make the information meeting, please pick up a handout outside of Miss James’ room, 537. Handouts include information about the club, schedules, and steps to register! Registration forms to join Best Buddies are due by Wednesday, September 21st. Please make sure to fill out an online registration form AND a Best Buddies Match Survey if you are interested in being matched in a one-to-one friendship. Contact dljames@hse.k12.in.us with any questions!
Book Fair
Pack your book bags: the Literati Book Fair is coming! Grab your Passport to Adventure and visit us on October 5-14. Every purchase benefits our school! The schedule will be published next week for the Humanities classes and the time they will be visiting.
Our online fair is already open, and you can visit it by clicking on this link - https://efairs.literati.com/ and then searching for Riverside Intermediate. Gift cards can be purchased at the online fair. Any unused money will stay on the card and can be used at future book fairs. There will be tax added to every purchase at all book fairs moving forward. I will have a tax chart and calculators available for students to use to help them calculate the total cost of their purchase. Click on the link and take a look at what is being offered!
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
From the Cafeteria
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.
YMCA Before School Care
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.
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.
RSI PTO
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:
October 11
November 8
December 13
January 10
March 14
April 11
May 9
Mudsock Youth Athletics
Winter Program Registration:
Registration for our recreational basketball programs for both boys and girls remains open at myathletics.com. The leagues welcome athletes in Kindergarten through 8th grade. The girls season runs from November through early March. Boys (K) play January through March, (1st - 6th) November through March, and (7th/8th) January through March. Find the girls basketball information packet here. Find the boys basketball information packet here. Some divisions will form waitlists soon so thank you for registering now to play.
Travel Basketball Tryout Information:
Registration for tryouts for Fishers (3rd-8th) and HSE (3rd) girls travel basketball is open at myathletics.com along with Fishers and HSE (3rd-6th) boys. Find everything you need to know for girls here and boys here.
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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