River Heights Elementary School
December 2019
Upcoming December Events
Mon. Dec. 2nd to Fri. Dec 6th -- Candygram sales (25 cents each) - Proceeds to World Vision
Thurs. Dec 5, Wed. Dec. 11 & Wed. Dec. 18 -- Warm Winter Hot Chocolate Sales ($1) - Proceeds to River Heights Cares
Tues. Dec 3 -- International Day of Persons with Disabilities
Wed. Dec 4 -- Elf : The Musical (Gr 3-6 @ MHHS)
Wed. Dec 4 -- Parent Council Meeting (7:30 pm in Staffroom)
Thurs. Dec. 12 -- Winter Village (6:00-8:00pm)
Fri. Dec. 13 -- NO School: School-based Professional Learning & Staff Meeting
Christmas Spirit Week (Thanks to the Student Leadership Team)
Mon. Dec. 16 -- Dress Up as a Christmas Character Day
Tues. Dec .17 -- Crazy Christmas Hair Day
Wed. Dec. 18 -- Red and Green Day
-- Christmas Musical and Primary Choir presentation 2:00-2:45(ish)
Thurs. Dec. 19 -- Ugly Christmas Sweater Day
-- Annual Christmas Sing-along (2:15-2:45ish)
Fri. Dec. 20 -- Pajama Day
-- Noon dismissal ...... Happy Holidays!
Mon. Jan 6 -- Welcome back to the 1st Day of School for 2020
*Please check the following calendar links to the River Heights website for updates:
- Monthly Calendar with Daily Events
- 2019-20 at a Glance - Please note that there is now No PD Day in January as had previously been shared and there is No Day in Lieu in May as there has been in the past. We apologize for any possible confusion.
RH Community Book Club
We will plan another Book Club for the spring. If you have a suggestion for a great read that might help us all to support the kids we love, please connect with Laura Gale.
Please know all are always welcome to join us (whether you have read the book or not!).
Healthy Living - Respect for Ourselves and Others
The month of December recognizes International Day of Persons with Disabilities. On December 3rd, students are encouraged to reflect on the rights and well-being of those with disabilities.
Spreading the word will help create increased awareness of this important day!
Choice in Education Survey
What does choice in education mean to you?
Alberta Education is doing a survey to gather information from stakeholders in order to shape the choice in the Education Act.
Alberta Education wants to hear from Albertans on opportunities to protect, improve and enhance education choice in Alberta including: public and separate schools, Francophone schools, charter schools, private schools, early childhood education and home education. Your feedback will be used to inform the development of the Choice in Education Act which will affirm that parents are the primary decision-makers in their child’s education and support the range of choice within the current education system.
We need your help to share the voice of Medicine Hat as future decisions will certainly have an impact on Public Education and our children.
http://bit.ly/ChoiceInEdSurvey
The deadline to complete the survey is December 6, 2019
Learning at River Heights
River Heights Elementary School provides an instructional program that enhances the delivery of the Alberta Education Curriculum. We emphasize critical and creative thinking skills within a safe and caring environment. We promote the integration of subject areas using technology as a vehicle. We encourage and facilitate student independence/interdependence.
Our motto describes our shared educational philosophy: "Explore, create, reflect”.
1) Student-Centred Integrated Learning (including the use of meaningfully integrated technology)
Students at River Heights Elementary are encouraged to make connections and build mental bridges between subject areas. We weave subject area concepts and content together rather than allowing math to always remain in isolation from social studies, for example. This integrated approach to learning facilitates a deeper level understanding and a higher level of student engagement as they develop ownership in projects and activities involving more than one curriculum subject. Meaningfully integrated technology serves as a vehicle for many of our integrated activities; technology is seen as a tool for learning rather than an activity.
2) Critical and Creative Thinking Skills
Critical and creative thinking skills are central to our program. Students are immersed in the use of thinking skills that are then used to investigate curriculum topics mandated by the Alberta Education Curriculum.
The application of Edward DeBono's Six Thinking Hats is taught throughout the school as well as additional thinking strategies suitable for particular grade levels. These thinking skills are valuable tools that encourage students to grow in creative and critical thought patterns.
3) Student Independence and Interdependence
We plan for experiences which encourage children to make clear plans, organize ideas and resources, investigate topics, share their learning with others, and reflect on their progress. We challenge students to become more responsible for their learning and to grow in independence. We provide students with opportunities and guidance in working with a wide variety of peers. We know that being able to engage in positive and productive interdependence is an important life skill.
4) Safe and Caring Learning Environment
Students and Staff demonstrate the Tribes Agreements in our interactions with each other and with families.
1. Demonstrate mutual respect.
2. Offer appreciations. Do not give put-downs.
3. Exercise the right to pass; respect the right of others to participate.
4. Demonstrate attentive listening.
River Heights Elementary provides parents with one option to consider as they make a selection best suited to meet the needs of their child and his/her learning style. By making the deliberate choice to attend River Heights Elementary, both parents and children are demonstrating a commitment to the education philosophy and goals of our school.
Parent Council Information
Parent Council
Our next meeting is Wednesday December 4, 2019 at 7:30pm in the staff room (by the
gym). Grade 4 teachers will be presenting. We love hearing our teachers present what
our children are learning. It is also a great way to get to know other parents and hear what
parent council does! There will be some holiday snacks and drinks to enjoy as well.
Winter Village is fast approaching on Thursday December 12th from 6-8pm. We are so
excited for this event! We love to see all the River Heights families come out with their treats
to share and spend an evening together doing fun activities. Don’t forget to send in to the
school your donation(s) of new or gently used gifts for the Gift Shop! You will also need cash
the night of the event for the coat check and the raffle table. Once again we have some
AMAZING raffle items coming in... keep checking in... soon they will be in the display case by
the office.
A super big THANK YOU to every single family in the school for your amazing support of the
Big Box of Cards Fundraiser. They are gorgeous cards and you did amazing selling lots of them! We will be announcing the winning class of the pizza party, and the winners of the iPod and gift cards at an assembly soon! Once we get final numbers we will let you all know how much we raised.
Note to ALL PARENTS: please sign up for our Parent Council Remind App. If you have the app search for @rivheipc and if you do not have the text (587) 409-2952 and put @rivheipc in the message. We will send messages communicating with hot lunch volunteers, calling out for more volunteers, informing of meetings, etc. We will send messages communicating with hot lunch volunteers, calling out for more volunteers (like for Winter Village), informing of meetings, etc.
Make sure you check out our Facebook Group: RIVER HEIGHTS SCHOOL PARENT COUNCIL
Also, we want to remind parents to support our hot lunch program which runs every week
during the school year. We have hot lunch every Friday unless there is a PD day or holiday
and then it runs on Thursday. We are super fortunate to have such an amazing hot lunch
program but need your support for it to be a success. Purchase as many as you can for your
children and volunteer as much as you can. You can order hot lunch through School Cash
Online. There is a sign up for volunteers on the Parent Council board as well as the volunteer
check in sheet. [please make sure you sign in and out every time you volunteer in the school]
Hot Lunch Information
We are always looking for help! Without volunteers this fundraiser would not be a success. Please connect with a Parent Council member or the school office if you are able to volunteer to serve hot lunch!
All ordering is done online. Follow this link to place your orders:
http://www.schoolcashonline.com/
Reminder, all hot lunch orders are due one week before. No late orders can be accepted.
If your child is absent from school on hot lunch day, we are unable to provide refunds or credits because we have to pay for the food upfront. You can call the school if you would like to pick up your child's order and it will be set aside for you.
Hot Lunch Menu
December:
- Fri, Dec. 6 - Dairy Queen
- Thurs, Dec 12 - Hot Dogs & Cookie
- Thurs, Dec 19 - Pizza 73 & Veggies
January:
- Fri, Jan 10 - McDonalds Hot Cake Happy Meal
- Fri, Jan 17 - Pizza 73 & Smoothies
- Fri, Jan 24 - Taco Time & Freezies
- Fri, Jan 31 - Taco in a Bag & Frozen Treat
Parent Council Meetings
- Wed. Dec. 4th @ 7:30 pm
- Wed. Jan. 15th @ 7:30 pm
- Wed. Feb 5th @ 7:30 pm
- Wed. Mar. 4th @ 7:30 pm
- Wed. Apr. 1st @ 7:30 pm
- Wed. May 6th @ 8:00 pm
- Wed. June 3rd @ 8:00 pm
Staying Connected
We use this page to share information and love to share our celebrations and little glimpses into our days at school together!
*Please note that there is a River Heights School page and a separate River Heights Parent Council Facebook group page.
Our School website can be found at http://riverheights.mhpsd.ca/
River Heights Polar Bear Club
Community Resources
A Message from Children's Allied Health
Children’s Allied Health (previously CHADS) Behavioural Services would like to share our current programs and services information with you.
We are a family based, early intervention program designed to provide behavioural strategies to children under the age of 8 and support parents to manage behaviours in the home.
Our services include:
· Sleep education for parents of children 18 months and older. We offer a monthly sleep seminar which is held in Medicine Hat and is available to additional Alberta Health Services sites through videoconferencing. Please see the handout below for upcoming dates.
· Children’s programs which are held in Medicine Hat and are facilitated using Play-based therapy and Brief Solution-Focused Therapy. All of our programs are designed to include corresponding parent sessions. These programs include Kids in Control, Kids in the Middle, and Bravehearts. Please see the handout below for program descriptions.
· Parent Consultation Services are offered by our Child and Youth Development Specialists, who are available to consult with parents by telephone, Skype, or in our office regarding behaviour, child development, and parenting topics.
Registration for these services are ongoing and referrals may be received by fax from your organization (see referral form below), or parents are welcome to call us directly to self-refer (403-502-8257).
Lost & Found
Please remember to add your child's name or initials on the tags of any clothing, jackets, hats, shoes, boots, backpack, etc. It helps us to find the rightful owners and hopefully saves parents money.
River Heights Elementary
Email: rvrhgts@sd76.ab.ca
Website: http://riverheights.mhpsd.ca
Location: 301 6th Ave SW Medicine Hat, Alberta T1A 5T6
Phone: (403) 527-3730
Facebook: facebook.com/RiverHeightsES
Twitter: @RiverHeightsES