News and Notes
As we get closer to the end of the school year, absences over the year tend to pile up. I’m learning in my work with families around attendance that this is often because of three reasons: (1) our students are not giving us medical notes they may have, (2) parents are not calling in absences, and (3) parents are only excusing parts of absences and not the entirety of them. This is our friendly reminder to please visit your student’s Skyward account and check their absences. If you see any “U”-noted absences, these are unexcused absences in our system. These absences drive our need to complete attendance contracts, attendance petitions with the county, and attendance filings with the state. We’d prefer to avoid these at all costs.
Please take a minute this weekend to check your student’s Skyward account and look at their attendance page. If there are any inconsistencies with the attendance (an excused absence wasn’t entered, for example), please e-mail me at keith_mclaren@ycs.wednet.edu and Beckie Whited at beckie_whited@ycs.wednet.edu to let us know. If you’d like to talk more about it, please feel free to reach out to me by calling the main school office line.
Over the coming weeks, without these changes, there are many students who will need intervention around their attendance. Please help me make sure that this doesn’t apply to your student.
Thanks for your time and attention to this matter.
Kindest regards,
Keith McLaren
RMS Restorative Specialist
End of Term 3 - Record's Day - Friday, March 17 (Half Day)
Wednesday, March 29, Thursday , March 30, and Friday, March 31
**These are each half days—Student school day ends at 10:30 a.m.**
- Spring Break ~ No School ~ April 3 - 7, 2023
SPRING FAMILY CONFERENCES - Scheduling Closes on March 28, 8:00am
Conference scheduling will close on Monday, March 28, at 8:00 a.m. (This is a date correction).
Spring Conferences will be arena-style, which means that all teachers will be at tables in either the Commons or the Auxiliary Gym for parent convenience. Parents will sign up by teacher through Skyward for ten-minute conferences.
Parents should try to schedule each of their conferences on the same day and as close together as possible to avoid having to come to the building on multiple days.
The purpose of parent conferences is to connect with your child’s teachers in-person. If you cannot make it in-person and need to schedule a Zoom conference, please let your teachers know in advance so they can provide a Zoom link. If you would like a language translator, please contact the teacher or counselor to inform them so that we can communicate through a translator on the phone.
During each 10-minute conference, teachers will share current progress, positive observations about your child, and areas for growth and improvement. It will also be a time for you to ask questions and provide information about your child that may help teachers to further build strong student-teacher relationships.
If you are in need of a meeting longer than 10 minutes with a specific teacher (or if a teacher is not available to meet at the time you are present and you want to schedule another time), counselors will be available to schedule that meeting for a later date. In the parent survey after conferences, we will ask for your feedback on your school and conference experience.
See contact information for counselors below:
- Ms. Keller (student last name A-K) 360-400-0916, email: melanie_keller@ycs.wednet.edu
- Ms. Jansen (student last name L-Z) 360-400-0914, email: stacey_jansen@ycs.wednet.edu
Please note that teachers select whether they will be available during Monday and Tuesday evenings in addition to the afternoon conference times or be available during all three days of conferences during the afternoons only. Please check the availability of all your child’s teachers before scheduling each conference through Skyward. **Please communicate with your teacher directly if you are unable to schedule. The office is unable to schedule for you**.
If a conference time needs to be changed, added or re-scheduled, please email the teacher individually as the office is unable to make these changes.
WORLD’S FINEST CHOCOLATE FUNDRAISER – ORDERS ARE DUE MONDAY, MARCH 20, 2023
Every year RMS students are given the opportunity to sell World’s Finest Chocolate to help with the cost of their end of year grade-level trips.
Our school will receive 50% of all chocolate sold which directly benefits the students!
Helpful Hints:
Fill in the order form completely.
Collect money from your supporters at the time of their order.
- Make checks payable to Ridgeline Middle School. We cannot accept online orders/payments at this time, only cash or check.
Verify quantities and monies collected.
Put money in the collection envelope & return no later than March 20.
Thank your customer for supporting Ridgeline Middle School!
Thank you for helping to make our fundraiser a BIG success!
Orders are scheduled to be available for pick up for you to deliver to your customers by March 30.
If you have questions or need additional order forms, please contact Melanie LaMadeleine ASB/Athletics Secretary at 360-458-1100 option 3.
Thank you for helping us make this fundraiser a big success and supporting your student's events!
Urgent Reminder ~ Chromebooks and Chargers
This is a key factor in student education and success and we thank you for your help with these reminders!
Mark your Calendar....
March 16
- 6th & 8th Leadership Servus Conference (Healy)
- Happy St. Patrick's Day
- End of Term 3 - Early Release Day
- First Day of Spring!!
- Comfy Cozy Day
- ONLINE CONFERENCE SCHEDULING CLOSED AT 8:00AM
- CHOCOLATE FUNDRAISER DUE TO OFFICE TODAY!
- Twin/Duo Day
- RMS Spring Chorus Performance, RMS Commons 6:00pm
- Late Start
- Tutu, Tie Dye, Neon, Camo, Flannel Day
- RMS Band Concert - @ YHS PAC
- Throwback Thursday
- Board Meeting, 6:00pm @ DO
March 24
- Homeroom Theme Day
- 8th Grade Leadership Applications Due
- Spring Sports Registration Due Today
- Teen Night
- AVID University Field Trip
March 28
- ASB Applications Due
- Spring Sports Begin Today
March 29 - 31
- Student Led Conferences - Early Release Days
April 3 - 7
- SPRING BREAK!
Math For Life
Need a fun Spring Break activity? Check out Math for Life 2023! Join us on Saturday, March 25 to Sunday April 9, 2023
Maps will be provided for all K-6 students. Large stack will be provided to middle schools. Teachers and Parents can download from the website in both English and Spanish.
YCS Employment Opportunities
RIDGELINE MIDDLE SCHOOL
Office Professionals:
Kim Gosney, Principal's Secretary
Melanie LaMadeleine, ASB and Athletics
Beckie Whited, Registrar and Attendance
Counselors:
Melanie Keller, (Students with last name beginning A-K)
Stacey Jansen, (Students with last name beginning L-Z)
RMS Library Technician:
Marjie Hicks, Email: marjie_hicks@ycs.wednet.edu
Phone: 360.458.1100
Fax: 360.400.1256
Newsletters are always available online at www.ycs.wednet.edu/ridgeline
