Ridgeway RAP February 24, 2023
Phone (573)214-3550 ~ Fax (573)214-3551
Please be sure that you have signed up for a conference with your child’s homeroom teacher.
Link to Conference SignUp Genius
Principal's Pen
Parent-Student-Teacher conferences are next week, and we are excited to see you!
Please remember to:
- Be prompt or early for your assigned conference time.
- Please bring your child to the conference.
- You will have 15 minutes to visit with the teacher. Write down any questions you have, and bring them to the conference.
- While you are at Ridgeway for your conference . . .
- Visit the Book Fair in the media center. All students get to put their name in a drawing for free book boxes, no need to purchase anything.
- Look through Lost-n-Found at the east end of the basement level.
Upcoming Events
Parent-Teacher-Student Conferences & Book Fair - Wednesday, March 1, 3:00-6:00 PM
Parent-Teacher-Student Conferences & Book Fair - Thursday, March 2, 3:00-6:00 PM
No School - Friday, March 3
Parent-Teacher-Student Conferences & Book Fair - Friday, March 3, 8:00-10:00 AM
March Munch-n-Read - Friday, March 10. Unit A families - please mark your calendar and plan to join us from 1:50-2:20.
Ridgeway Clubs
February 27 to March 3
Tuesday, February 28 - Winter Building Club (Final Meeting)
Wednesday, March 1 - No Clubs
Thursday, March 2 - No Clubs
Friday, March 3 - No Clubs
No Tutoring February 27 to March 3
Ridgeway Garden Workday
Ridgeway Garden Workday - Saturday, February 25, 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Please RSVP to Emily Koonse (emilykoonse@gmail.com) or Tom Paige (tompaige@hotmail.com)
The Book Fair is coming to Ridgeway!
Option # 1 - In Person
Our in-Person Fair coincides with Parent-Teacher-Student Conferences, so we hope to see you all there!
Wednesday, March 1, 3:00-6:00
Thursday, March 2, 3:00-6:00
Friday, March 3, 8:00-10:00
Students can preview the selection ahead of time, but sales will only be conducted Wednesday and Thursday after school and Friday morning.
Option #2 - Online
You can also shop our Online Book Fair at https://efairs.literati.com/ This is a great way to get a head start on the shopping, share the link with family members, or purchase gifts. The online fair is open now and closes on Friday, March 3. All books will be shipped to Ridgeway at the conclusion of the fair and sent home with the student. Please email Mrs. Munsterman at rmunsterman@cpsk12.org if you would like to arrange for an alternate pick up method for gift books.
Option #3 - Kids Book Club
A third way you can support our school and get students excited about reading is by signing up for a Literati Kids Book Club. This book subscription program sends a box of 5 books to your house each month tailored to your child’s reading level and interests. You can decide to purchase any of the books or just borrow them for the month and send them back using the prepaid shipping label. Our school gets 10% of every dollar spent through this program for the entirety of the subscription. To find out more or sign up visit www.literati.com/schools and search for Ridgeway Elementary.
TIGER TUESDAY WINNERS
Unit Notes
Unit A
We are looking forward to next week's Parent-Teacher-Student Conferences. If you have any specific questions that you would like to discuss, please contact your child’s homeroom teacher ahead of time.
Unit B
Please send in new pencils with your child if they are running low.
Unit C
Second Steps
Over the past few weeks, all Units have been working through a book series called ‘Sitting Still Like a Frog’. We have learned how to stay calm and attentive in moments of potential anger, frustration or stress. This is similar to how a frog sits still and quiet to observe their surroundings. Key parts of our lessons include:
- Listening to our breathing and understanding how our breath changes as our emotions do.
- Practicing the ‘pause’ before reacting/responding to a situation.
- Checking our inner weather report to determine how we’re feeling at that moment.
- Handling emotions that are difficult, especially anger.
Families can practice these skills at home by periodically checking in with your student and asking, “What is your breath telling you?” and “What is your weather report right now?” Over the past several months, we have focused on tending to strong emotions related to learning, peers, and more. It is equally important for adults to check in with ourselves from time to time, please ask your student to teach you how to ‘Sit Still Like a Frog’!
Specialist News
A message from Ms. Roettgen - Speech-Language Pathologist
Home practice is an important part of speech therapy. By practicing at home, students can take skills learned in speech and generalize them to other environments. Practicing at home for 5-10 minutes a day can make a big difference in your child’s progress. Here are some easy ways to incorporate speech into everyday activities and routines:
- Scavenger hunt- Go on a scavenger hunt for objects with your child’s target sounds in them. You can look inside for toys and household objects, outside on a nature walk, or in the car for billboards and signs.
- Reading- Read a book and find words with your child’s target sounds. Whether you’re reading to your child, or your child is reading independently, this is a great opportunity to find a variety of words to practice.
- Game night- Some quick prep can turn game night into a fun way to practice speech. If you’re playing a game like Pictionary, Hedbanz, or Apples to Apples, sort through the cards with your child to find all the cards with his/her target sounds and use those cards to play.
If you don’t have a ton of time to practice speech at home, don’t sweat it! Try to start with just one day a week and build up from there. If you have any questions about practicing at home or what your child is working on in speech, please reach out to me at groettgen@cpsk12.org.
Greta Roettgen, Speech-Language Pathologist
A message from Mrs. Ryberg - School Counselor
Greetings! It is such a great privilege to get to know your students. Below are some resources for parents and families.
PROTECTIVE FACTORS
Making connections and relationship-building with your student is a protective factor. Protective factors help students grow up healthy and strong. Read this resource to ‘Make time for 9’: https://fiveforfamilies.org/wp-content/uploads/Make-Time-for-Nine.pdf
DEVELOPMENTAL ASSETS
Nurturing internal and external assets in your student can help with their overall development, growth, problem-solving skills, and ability to be resilient during times of stress. Here are some helpful resources:
The Search Institute, Developmental Assets: https://www.search-institute.org/our-research/development-assets/developmental-assets-framework/
“Nothing—nothing—has more impact in the life of a child than positive relationships.”
Ideas for building positive relationships with your child for social, emotional, and academic growth/development:
- Quality time together: Reading with your student and having meals together, being active together, having fun with play and creative activities such as art, music, games, nature, family traditions
- Conversation Starters: Build relationships and self-awareness in your student. Great times for this include traveling in the car or dinner together. https://myhealth.alberta.ca/speech-language-hearing/language/for-preschoolers/conversation-topics-kids
- Model an attitude of Gratitude: Name or write down specific thankful things every day to increase feelings of happiness.
- Focusing on a growth mindset: What went well today? What did you do to solve a problem today? Looking for the good and seeing the positive in situations can train the brain to see the positive and become a problem solver with a solution focused mindset.
- Keep lines of communication open: Letting your child know that you are their ally and there to help/support them during times of need no matter how big they feel the problem may be.
- Discuss and encourage character traits: Character traits are things like kindness, respect, honesty, caring, empathy integrity, hard work, courage, and patience.
- Giving choices and autonomy: This practice nurtures independence, creativity, and good decision making with guidance from you.
Sibling Kindergarten Registration
As we prepare for next year's Kindergarten class, it is time to let the Ridgeway office know if you have a younger sibling of a current or former Ridgeway student entering Kindergarten next year. In order to hold a spot for your child, please let the office know by completing this form https://forms.gle/7shJBqrVxFordGFN8 by Wednesday, March 1, 2023.
Once the form is filled out you will receive an email with more information about the 2022 Kindergarten registration process.
If you have any questions please contact Angie Kome at Ankome@cpsk12.org or call the Ridgeway office at 573-214-3550.
Not Returning to Ridgeway Next Year?
As we prepare for the 2023-2024 school year, it is time to assess our student enrollment. Please submit this form if your child will NOT be attending Ridgeway next year. We need to know as soon as possible or no later than April 28.