Riverside Elementary News
September 19, 2016
Principal Message
Riverside Families,
It’s been a great start to the year! More than ever, our Riverside community is bubbling over with student leaders. Many have been recognized for demonstrating leadership in a variety of areas, including academics, friendship, and character. As students are recognized, they are awarded a Riverside Super Hero/Super Leader t-shirt. This year we will continue our journey, recognizing and nurturing the unique giftedness in each of our students.
We’re looking forward to welcoming parents on Thursday, September 22nd for our annual Curriculum Night. Teachers will share a Road Map of curriculum expectations for each grade level, as well as ideas on how parents can partner with us throughout the year. Please make plans to join us for this important event! Kindergarten, first, and second grade teachers will be presenting between 6:30 p.m. and 7:15 p.m.; third, fourth, fifth grade teachers, and Mr. Graves will present between 5:30 p.m. and 6:15 p.m.
Thank you for entrusting us to come alongside you to support students in achieving their greatest and noblest dreams. We’re looking forward to an amazing school year. As always, please feel free to contact me with any questions, comments, or suggestions you may have.
If You Can Dream It, You Can Do It!
Suzanne
Curriculum Night Schedule
Thursday, September 22nd
Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd will meet from 6:30 p.m. - 7:15 p.m.
Third, Fourth, Fifth Grade, and Mr. Graves will meet from 5:30 p.m. - 6:15 p.m.
Picture Day - Friday, September 30
PTO News
Your PTO Board Members
Brittany Mehrman, President
Anna Findley, Vice-President
Becki Hornbeck, Secretary/Treasurer
Contact Information:
Email: yourriversideelementarypto@gmail.com
Find us on Facebook at Riverside Elementary PTO
Upcoming Events
September 28 Science Alive Assembly
September 29 Science Alive Assembly
October 12 PTO Meeting at 6:30 p.m.
October 14 Trunk or Treat
November 18 Movie Night & Fall Raffle
January 20 Movie Night
March 24 Movie Night
March (TBD) Book Fair and Social
Stay Connected!
MISTAR PARENT PORTAL
https://mistar.oakland.k12.mi.us/waterford/parentportal
If you have not yet accessed the Parent Portal, please sign up today! This website will provide you with easy access to your student’s attendance and report cards. Please contact our Data Center (248) 682-2658 to retrieve a PIN and Password to gain entrance into the MIStar Parent Portal. Once you have logged on, you can go to “My Account” and change the password to a more suitable one.
BLACKBOARD CONNECT
After you have registered in the MIStar Parent Portal, your information will automatically be downloaded to Blackboard Connect which is the district’s communication portal. You will receive school closings, attendance information, and other important communication.
Sign on to http://www.waterford.k12.mi.us/ 24 hours after opening your Parent Portal Account.
Click on Blackboard Connect/MIStar on the top right screen
Click on the Blackboard button
Click on Sign Me Up! which is located at the bottom right of the screen
Your First name
Your Last Name
Your email address
Student ID (available through MIStar Parent Portal)
Select a Password
Confirm Password
Select media for communications (voice/text/email/no call etc.)
Click the ‘I agree to the Blackboard Connect Agreement’
Go down to the third tab on the left ‘Find Contacts’ to add your students.
Just a reminder that we also utilize Blackboard Connect for voice messages, too. If you would like to receive these messages, please make sure voicemail is set up on you phone. Thank you!
Dismissal - When a Change is Required
After School Opportunities
Math Pentathlon Informational Meeting
Join Mrs. Miller to hear more about the Math Pentathlon-a great opportunity to have some fun and learn to be an even better math thinker! The meeting will take place Thursday, September 22nd at 5:15 in the Cafeteria, right before Curriculum Night. If you can’t make it, feel free to contact Mrs. Miller at millek01@wsdmi.org.
Please Sign Up!
Riverside is pleased to inform you of our continuing partnership with the “Blessings in a Backpack” program. This program is designed to provide students who receive free and reduced lunch with enough food for three meals a day during the weekends. Our local North Woodward Community Foundation, as well as the Meijer Corporation support the work of the local “Blessings” volunteers.
If you would like to take part in this free program for the 2016-2017 school year, your child will receive a backpack every Friday, filled with food for the weekend. Backpacks will be dispensed in a discreet and caring manner. The simple meals may include food like macaroni and cheese, beef ravioli, canned chicken, canned tuna, fruit granola bars, peanut butter, soups, juice and other items. We ask that you return backpacks each Monday so they may be filled and returned to your child on Fridays. There is no cost associated with this program.
If you would like to have your child participate please, send a note to your child's teacher titled "Blessings Participation Request, or request a form from the office. If you have more than one child at Riverside, be sure to list the names of all children in attendance.
Please be sure to indicate on the form if your child has any food allergies. If your child has a food allergy, please check all food labels upon receipt. Waterford School District and Riverside Elementary cannot be held responsible for any accidental food allergen exposure.
Make Every Day Count: Boost School Attendance
Students with regular attendance are more likely to read well by third grade and score higher on tests. They also tend to be more engaged in school and feel better about themselves. Put your child on the path to success with these attendance strategies:
Make school a priority. Every absence (excused or not), can impact a child’s academic achievement. Talk to your child about how important their education is. Make daily routines for homework and waking up on time for school.
Maintain communication with teachers and keep an eye on your child’s academic progress. If your child seems disconnected from school or is prone to skipping class, try signing him or her up for an after-school activity. A report by the University of Minnesota found that students in an after-school program attended 18 more days of school and missed nine fewer than their peers.
Make a plan. If your schedule or transportation situation makes getting your child to school a challenge, ask for assistance. Make a carpool or transportation plan with other parents or family members, or ask your school principal for community programs or school initiatives that may help.
Report In. Know your school’s attendance policies. If an absence or early dismissal is unavoidable, contact your school. If your family’s religious observances fall on school days, let teachers know early in the year which days your child will miss.
Carefully weigh sick days. If your child is sick, talk with your health care provider to determine whether they should stay home from school. If the doctor or nurse recommends that your child stay home, find out exactly how long and on what conditions he or she can return to class (for example, after 24 hours of antibiotics).
Before keeping your children home, make sure they aren’t faking symptoms. Regularly feigning sickness may be a sign that your child is anxious about facing a challenge at school.
Schedule wisely. Know your school’s calendar, and arrange doctor and dentist appointments after school, on weekends, or during holiday breaks, if possible. Resist the urge to schedule vacations when students will miss school. This gives students the impression that school is not a priority.
Help students complete assignments.
When your child has to miss school, make arrangements with teachers to pick up a packet of make-up work. Ensure that your child follows through, and be available to explain concepts or monitor their work. If your child’s absence will be lengthy (for surgery, for instance), alert teachers as soon as you know and pick up assignments as the days go on.
Web Resources
Absences Add Up offers a list of reasons why kids might miss school, and offers solutions for parents looking to keep their kids learning. www.absencesaddup.com/reasons-why-kids-miss-school
This infographic, How Sick is Too Sick fo School?, can help families decide which symptoms should keep students at home.
Attendance Works offers research, webinars, and handouts designed with elementary and middle-level parents in mind. http://www.attendanceworks.org/tools/
Parent Information Night for Special Education
Come learn about IEPs, Services and Supports, Transition Planning & more!
You’re Invited! Come to this informational night to learn more about what is available to you as a parent of a child with special needs, learn to advocate for your child and get your questions answered! This event is open to any parent(s) of a child with exceptional needs. Light refreshments will be provided!
When: September 28, 2016 - 6 to 7:30 pm
Where: Kurzman Administration Building Crary Campus
501 N. Cass Lake Road – Room 205
Facilitator: Nadine Milostan, Executive Director, Student Support Services
Guest Presenter: Oakland Mediation Center
Who should attend: Parents & Families of students with special needs
Come join us!
If you plan to attend, please call
(248) 682-3242 or email MilosN01@wsdmi.org to confirm your registration or return this form to the Student Support Services Department on the Crary Campus, 501 N. Cass Lake Road Waterford, MI 48328
What is Destination Imagination?
Destination Imagination allows students to explore their creativity, innovation, and teamwork to develop and present creative solutions to complex challenges, and participate at fun local tournaments.
Destination Imagination is the premier creative problem-solving program teaching students the creative process, which is a necessary 21st century skill. Most importantly, DI is a FUN experience for all involved!
Contact us to learn more: Email Betsy Grossnickle at Grosse01@wsdmi.org or via phone at 248-683-3170
WE CREATE THE NEXT GENERATION OF INNOVATIVE THINKERS AND LEADERS
Destination Imagination is available to all students from kindergarten to college-age. Each team also needs the commitment of at least one adult to serve as a TEAM MANAGER, who will help facilitate group meetings.
Teams are forming – You are invited to learn more!
Waterford Creativity Info Meetings
Tues, Sept. 27, 7-8:15pm at Mason Middle School Media Center
or Mon, Oct. 3, 7-8:15pm at Kettering High School LGI Room (same info will be presented at each of these events!)
There is no obligation in attending - parents AND students are invited! Sample activities, lots of details, and time for questions & answers are included. www.MIcreativity.org www.DestinationImagination.org
Nurturing the 7 Habits in Ourselves and Our Students
Habit 1: Be Proactive: The Habit of Choice
While the word proactivity is fairly common, it is a word you won’t find in most dictionaries. It means more than taking initiative. It means as human beings, we are responsible for our own lives. Our behavior is a function of our decisions, not our conditions.
Look at the word responsibility---“response-ability”---the ability to choose your response. Highly proactive people recognize that responsibility.
( The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, pgs. 70-71).
In school, we help students look at situations and find the best choice they can make. We remind them about their ability to choose how they act or react. Some words we encourage students to think about and use:
I can control my feelings.
I choose …
I will …
I prefer …
What are my choices or alternatives?
Return Summer Reading Books
In the spring, students received a special summer reading bag filled with books for them to enjoy over the summer months. Time spent reading is the number one predictor of reading achievement. We hope your child found many opportunities to enjoy these books. Please return these materials to your current teacher so we can continue to use them in the upcoming year.