Riverside Review
02.10.23
principal Message
February 6-10 we celebrated National School Counseling Week. We are so thankful to have such talented counselors at the River. Our counselors, Brenna Anton and Sera Satterly, have a tremendous impact in helping our students achieve academic success. We have spent this past week thanking them for all they do. See the pictures below of artwork our young Hawks created to honor them.
I wish you all a safe and warm weekend.
Sincerely,
Dana Kaminski, Ph.D.
Principal RSI
Contact Information
Dana Kaminski - Principal - dkaminski@hse.k12.in.us
Brent Farrell - Assistant Principal - bfarrell@hse.k12.in.us
Sera Satterly - 5th Grade Counselor - ssatterly@hse.k12.in.us
Brenna Anton - 6th Grade Counselor - banton@hse.k12.in.us
Erin Whittington - IT Specialist - ewhittington@hse.k12.in.us
Parent Feedback - Student Handbook
Parents and Guardians,
We would like to ask for parent feedback regarding the student handbook (attached). There will be a committee established consisting of parents, teachers, and students to gather thoughts on the 2023-2024 handbook. If interested please sign up through the following link: https://forms.office.com/r/mZAz8nPn8B
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:
March 14
April 11
May 9
Feel free to join our meetings in virtual format by clicking the link below:
Microsoft Teams meeting
Join on your computer, mobile app or room device
Click here to join the meetingMeeting ID: 279 666 022 308
Passcode: kuqSC5
Portillo's Fundraiser
Creating Positive Relationships
Your child’s sixth grade PE class will be participating in the Creating Positive Relationships curriculum during the months of Feb and March. Please review the curricula summary provided below. (Parents have the option to opt-out at any time during the school year, before lessons are taught.)
6th grade curriculum-Building Healthy Futures
Students are taught what to expect as they progress through puberty: physical, emotional, social and mental changes. They learn about the reproductive system anatomy, the steps of physical affection, delaying gratification, and the importance of choosing friends that encourage good decision making. Students also learn how STIs are spread and any myths they may believe are dispelled. Students are shown how HIV effects the immune system. Porn is defined, and it is explained how it provides no health benefit. Students receive a booklet for note taking and they are encouraged to share each day’s lesson with their parent/guardians.
Parents have the right to review the material before lessons are taught at school.
More detailed information is available in a Parent Webinar
at: cpr4teens.org/parents/webinar-info/
If you do not wish your child to participate in these lessons, please speak with the teacher before you exclude your child. These lessons provide great discussion starters for the parent/guardian and child about relationships.
Counselors Corner
SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING ~
5th Grade Summary:
In this lesson, your child learned how to begin to solve an interpersonal problem. This includes finding a way to feel calm, saying the problem respectfully, and deciding whether an adult’s help is needed.
Try This at Home:
Ask your child what kind of interpersonal problems they can solve on their own, and when they might need an adult’s help.
6th Grade Summary: In this week's lesson, your child will identify behaviors that can cause conflicts to escalate, so they keep them from becoming more serious.
Try this at home: Tell your child about a time when you played a part in escalating a conflict. Explain what you wished you had done instead. Ask your child if they are part of a conflict right now that they need help with.
Notes From the Clinic
Thank you!
Immunization Clinics
If your student is going into 6th grade this Fall, they are likely due for immunizations. Remember TDAP and MCV are required for 6th grade enrollment.
The Fishers Health Department is holding school-aged immunization clinics on Friday, February 17th, Saturday, February 18th, & Monday, February 20th to help get your student up to date.
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.
RJH Spring Sports Call Out
RJH Spring Sports Call Out meetings on Wednesday, Feb. 15th.
Boys' and Girls' Track & Field (6th, 7th, 8th grade boys and girls)*
RSI interested students will meet at designated times per our announcement.
*If the student runs JH track they may not join 6th grade track at RSI.
RSI Volleyball Club
Best Buddies
Our next Best Buddies event will be on Wednesday, February 15th from 4:00 – 5:00 in the RSI cafeteria! We will have games, crafts, snacks, and more! We encourage all students to bring a peanut free snack to share. All 5th/6th grade students need to turn in a permission slip to attend the event. Permission slips are due by Monday, February 13th. Late permission slips will not be accepted. Permission slips can be emailed to dljames@hse.k12.in.us or turned in to Miss James room, 537. Please contact Miss James with any questions!
Black Heritage Celebration
Black Heritage Celebration Returns to Fishers High School!
Since 2008, a special tribute of culture, achievements and connection has been held during the month of February at Fishers High School. What was originally developed by parents to unite the Fishers community, The Black Heritage Celebration has evolved into a student-led community event. Attendees of all ages and backgrounds are invited to take part in the free event on Wed., Feb. 15 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
The event will feature interactive displays, student performances and presentations. Representatives from different historical black colleges and universities will be available to answer questions for prospective students and families. There will also be a ‘step and stroll’ featuring members of the Divine Nine sororities and fraternities.
According to organizers, the Black Heritage Celebration has grown in attendance throughout the years. Students hope to continue the tradition, exposing more families throughout the community to highlight the accomplishments and contributions of black people, especially in Fishers.
The Black Heritage Celebration will be held inside the College and Career Academy at FHS. Attendees should enter through door #19, located off Promise Road.
National Children's Dental Health Month
2023 Launch(ed) Women in Technology Conference
We hope to have 150 middle school girls attend this year, which will be our largest crowd yet.
Important Notes:
- IU President Pamela Whitten will serve as host (Pres. Whitten is the 19th president and the first woman to lead IU).
- Prize for school/teacher who brings largest group
- Parking is available for busses
- Flyer is below
YMCA Summer Camp
Preorder your copy of the RSI yearbook today!
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
Mudsock Youth Athletics
Spring Program Registration Remains Open!
Did you forget to register for spring programming? There are still spaces open in many of our baseball, softball, soccer, boys and girls lacrosse, rugby, boys volleyball, and track & field leagues. Play with children across the HSE School District and get moving with us this spring. Register now at myathletics.com and learn about each of our programs here.
Rugby Try-It Days (Open to 5th – 8th Graders with Female Only Times)
Calling all 5th – 8th graders who live within the HSE School District. Attend one of our free try-it days, including female only sessions, to learn about the sport. We are specifically trying to grow our junior high girls team! Sessions offered on Sundays at RJH (Feb. 5th) and HIJH (Feb. 26th). Learn more here
Cafeteria Updates
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
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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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