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Greetings, Ridgeview United families! October is almost over and we're still going strong. Please see below for our upcoming events including our Community Open House on Nov. 16. We hope everyone has a safe Halloween celebration with family and friends and, as a reminder, please have your student leave their costumes and candy at home.

Here are some of our events at a glance. Please join us when you can!

• Nov. 1: Make-up School Picture Day
  

• Nov. 1 & 3: Gymnastics / Tumbling tryouts. View the complete tryout schedule

• Nov. 4: College T-Shirt Day
  
• Nov. 6: Hands on Ridgeview, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. - Sign up for shifts here!
• Nov. 8: Asynchronous Remote Learning for Students (no in-person school)
• Nov. 9: $5 Non-Uniform Day Benefitting PTA/Foundation
• Nov. 21 - 25: Thanksgiving Holiday - School Closed

Check out our calendar for more ways to get involved.

Fresh off of some Red Ribbon Week spirit days, Halloween costumes are for home! No candy, store-bought or homemade treats, or gifts are allowed to be brought to school for Halloween.

As we approach the upcoming holidays, it is vital to remind parents and families that candy, desserts, baked goods (store-bought/homemade), or any other edible items are not to be sold or distributed at school or on the bus unless approved in advance by the school administration. Per our Student Code of Conduct, students who do not adhere to this expectation are subject to disciplinary action for violation 7A: Failure to Follow Rules, and all candy or food items will be confiscated. Please discuss this expectation and possible consequences with your student(s), as this will be taken very seriously. This is due to recent national and state reports about students sharing edible items and synthetic medications with other students that contain very harmful substances. Please know that taking this measure will help us maintain a safe environment for all students. You can help us protect your student(s) by requesting that they not eat anything given to them by another person, anything they have not brought from your home, or anything not in its original sealed package. Thank you for your continued partnership in keeping all of our students safe at school!

Although our students do not wear costumes to school on Monday, Oct. 31, students can help celebrate Day of the Dead. Day of the Dead is a time to remember family and friends who have died. Rather than it being a sad tradition, it is a festive time of remembrance and honor. Students can visit the display set up on Oct. 31st in the atrium and can do some coloring and writing handouts to contribute to the celebration.

Students who missed the original Picture Day and/or students who wish to return their entire picture packet for a re-take should be advised that Nov. 1 is Make-Up Picture Day in the morning during school hours. Students wear uniforms for school photos.

The School Governance Council committee focused on continuing to Enhance the Image of Ridgeview will host a Community Open House for the target audience of neighbors, realtors, local business professionals, and prospective private school families. Please help us spread the word through the below flier with a QR code to RSVP and find out more.

Hands On Ridgeview will be Sunday, Nov 6 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Expect a day filled with projects to beautify RCMS school grounds. Bring the whole family and enjoy a beautiful fall day, helping create new outdoor learning and recreation spaces, sprucing landscaping and enhancing our outside areas. Get volunteer hour credit for your clubs & organizations. Sign up to volunteer here!

At the last Board meeting, Dr. Looney brought forward a recommendation for the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 instructional calendars based on the Board-approved calendar parameters. Board members shared some of the feedback they gathered at their monthly community meetings before voting to accept the calendars for first read. Please note, the calendars have been revised to better align the spring break with that of other metro Atlanta school districts. We encourage stakeholders to stay engaged during this process. The calendars are set for final approval at the November 17 Board meeting. See the full list of Board-approved parameters and more calendar highlights here.

Due to statewide elections and schools being used as polling places, students will have a remote learning day (no in-person school) on Tuesday, Nov. 8. Teachers will provide students asynchronous work by Monday, Nov. 7. There will not be live instruction or live class meetings.

November is National Family Engagement month. Join us for "Family Matters," an exciting event celebrating FCS families and their role in the education and well-being of their students. There will be interactive workshops, hands-on activities, vendors, entertainment, giveaways, food, and a few special guests! Tickets are required per person for entry. Families may attend one or all events at four locations from November 14 through November 17. Please RSVP by November 1.

If you have news or an announcement that you would like to be considered for an upcoming issue of Panther Tales, which is sent out to our Ridgeview United families weekly, please fill out this form and submit it. The editorial team will review your request and will contact you with any questions.