Riverdale Gazette
March 2020
Principal's Message
Dear Riverdale Families,
Luckily March entered like the lamb that is usually goes out as! The sunshine has reinvigorated our students and staff, which has brought a lot of energy to the building.
The hot topic with many families (and students, for that matter) has certainly been the Coronavirus (COVID-19). Please be sure to see the link lower in this newsletter to get information about the virus and what DPS is doing to combat the virus. At Riverdale, our hard-working custodians, Dave and Max, are being vigilant about wiping door handles, banisters and other high-frequency contact spots. As I'm sure you're already doing, please remind your students about the importance of proper hand-washing techniques and other preventative measures (i.e. sneezing/coughing into their elbow).
With Spring quickly approaching, we are looking ahead to the ever-exciting Next Generation MCAS that will start during the last week in March. Please see the Riverdale Elementary School website (http://riverdale.dedham.k12.ma.us/pages/Riverdale_Elem_School) to view the schedule of testing under the "News" tab. The dates are also on the calendar that many of you have linked to your home devices. We are incredibly proud of how our students did last year and look forward to seeing how well they do this year!
As always, thank you for all you do for your students and the school! I'm looking forward to a great next 66 days of school!! As a reminder and as vacation plans start to be made, we are now slated to get out of school for the year on Monday, June 22nd.
Sincerely,
Ed
Ask a Grader
Ask a second grader about BallPark Estimates
Ask a third grader to define nouns, verbs, and adjectives. They should be able to give examples of each as well.
Ask a fourth grader how to decompose a fraction as a sum of unit fractions.
Ask a fifth grader to explain what theme is? Have your child, give an example of a theme from a book they are currently reading.
Counselor's Corner - Mrs. Sheehy, LICSW
Happy Spring! This month I am joining Riverdale’s librarian for a school-wide mental health initiative as a part of "One Book Dedham," a collaboration between the Dedham Human Rights Commission and the Dedham Public Library. "One Book Dedham" hopes to engage the community through literature and other events in discussions about mental health awareness. Specifically focused on depression and anxiety across all age groups, from children to seniors, the program’s goal is to improve education, compassion, and strategies for living with depression and anxiety.
With our younger students, we are focusing on ways to manage difficult thoughts and feelings and asking for help, when you are concerned about yourself or a friend. With our older students, we are talking more in depth about normalizing getting help for mental health issues and understanding the difference between anxious and sad feelings we all experience and thoughts and feelings that require accessing support services. Your children have been engaged and interested in the topic. Ms. Mayyasi and I have been particularly impressed with the empathy and sensitivity the students have expressed. I am happy to communicate more about what we have been discussing with the students. Please reach out if you are curious.
I still have some Dedham Community House Summer camp scholarships and April Vacation Camp scholarships. Please be in touch if you would like a scholarship or if I can be of assistance to you or your child. I can be reached at Riverdale every day through my direct line 781-310-2709, through the school's main number 781-310-2200 or by email esheehy@dedham.k12.ma.us
Celebrating 100 Days of School
Important Dates
· March 13 - DEF Spelling Bee
· March 25 - All Town Chorus
· March 27 - Report Cards issued
· April 1 - Early Release, Dismissal at Noon
· April 10 - No School
· April 15 - Family Folk Dance
· April 20-24 - April Vacation
LOST & FOUND
The Lost & Found located on the first floor under the stairs is piling up , please make sure your student checks it. Before April vacation all Lost & Found will be donated.
Thank you
About Us
Website: https://www.dedham.k12.ma.us/Page/1880
Location: 143 Needham Street, Dedham, MA, USA
Phone: 781-310-2200
Twitter: @DedhamRiverdale