April, May, June Newsletter
by Yvette Carpenter
April 09, 2008
NEWSLETTER
RIVERTONCOMMUNITY UNIT SCHOOL DISTRICT#14
APRIL/MAY/JUNE 2008
www.rivertonschools.org
SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT
Thomas H. Mulligan, Superintendent
Requirements and Satisfaction
I have stated in earlier articles that the Riverton School District continues to implement the Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence. The Baldrige Criteria was initiated by the federal government many years ago in an attempt to foster excellence in the business community across the United States. After years of success in that sector, the criteria were adapted for use in schools, health care, and government. Based on research from “excellent” (best in class) organizations in each field, the Baldrige Criteria defines those processes, practices, programs, etc. that consistently exist in those excellent organizations.
One area in the criteria that has begun to make a substantial impact on the Riverton School District is the district’s commitment to “listening” to stakeholder requirements and ascertaining stakeholder satisfaction. The term “stakeholders” refers to the different groups that work with and within the school district. Examples of stakeholder groups are students, staff, parents, non-parent tax payers, business partners, etc. “Requirements” refer to what stakeholders want (expectations) from certain aspects of the school district. For example, when looking at the school district website, Board members may want (requirements) Updated and Consistent Information. Students may want Consistent Access to Homework. Parents may want Consistent Access to Students Grades. Non-parent taxpayers may want information related to the District Tax Levy. In many cases, the different stakeholder groups may have different requirements (as is the case in the example of the district website). For the district to meet stakeholder needs, the district must take these requirements into consideration when designing and improving the district website. This holds true with every aspect of the school district. Once the requirements are determined and the aspect of the school district is
then conduct satisfaction surveys of the various stakeholder groups to see if the district is meeting the stakeholder group’s requirements. In other words, the district must ask Board members whether they feel the website provides Updated and Consistent Information; students whether or not the website provides Consistent Access to Homework; parents whether or not the website provides Consistent Access to Students Grades, etc. The district can then use the knowledge from the requirements and satisfaction data to make changes and improvements to the various district processes.
The district began conducting stakeholder surveys last year and will continue again this year. This year the district is scheduled to conduct requirements and satisfaction surveys for parents, students, teachers, support staff, and Board members. The parent survey will come home during the month of April. The district plans to expand this to non-parent taxpayers and business partners next year. The district puts a high priority on the information it gets from the stakeholder surveys.
The leaders in the school district absolutely believe that the school system is here to serve the learning community, and in order to do that; the district must get consistent feedback from stakeholder groups on how the district can better serve their needs. If you are asked to complete a survey, please take the time to do so. I can assure you that the feedback is taken very seriously and is used to improve programs for our students.
PDSA in the Classroom
I have written earlier about the Plan Do Study Act approach to classroom instruction that our district has made as a priority this year. In January, we had 20 staff members trained on using the PDSA approach in the classroom. The PDSA approach is an instructional approach where the teacher outlines clear instructional targets, and the teachers and students work together to study classroom assessment results and to determine together what would be the best approach for instruction to increase the number of students in the classroom meeting learning targets. Those 20 teachers have been implementing the PDSA strategy with great success in their classrooms since early February. The district had another 45 teachers trained on PDSA over the March intersession. They all have committed to using PDSA in their classrooms over the next couple of months. The district now has over two-thirds of the district’s teaching staff trained in PDSA. I am sure you will hear many of the students talking about PDSA at home!
Personal Note
On a personal note, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that my wife and I brought a new Riverton Hawk into the world on March 13. She is a beautiful new little girl (only five pounds), and we named her Addison Mulligan. I can’t wait until she gets old enough to begin attending the district Pre-K program (of course that is because she will be potty trained by then). We couldn’t find a better community or school district for our new daughter to be raised in than Riverton!
Summer Office Hours:
Elementary School – The office will be open through June 13, from 8:00am-3:00pm; it will reopen July 14, 2008.
Middle School – The office will be open through June 13, from 8:00am-3:00pm; it will reopen July 14, 2008.
High School – The office will be open Monday through Friday, from 8:00am-3:00pm.
District Office – The office will be open Monday through Thursday, from 8:00am–4:00pm.
Moving? If you are moving this summer, please be sure to contact the district office with your new address. This will ensure your receipt of future newsletters. Also, please let us know of any new families who move into our school district during the summer, as we would like to send them a July/August/September newsletter in early July. You can contact the district office at 629-6009.
Registration: Registration for students attending school in the Riverton School District for the 2008-2009 school year, will be held from 2:00pm–7:00pm on Wednesday, July 16, 2008, at Riverton High School.
From the Nurse’s Desk
Heather Wade
Sports physicals: Sports physicals are required for all students participating in school sports activities and are good for one calendar year from the time they are done. These dates are kept on file in the Athletic Director’s office at the high school. Sports physicals can be turned in at any school. The official copy of the physical will be kept in the student’s health file. A school physical is acceptable for sports, but a sports physical is not acceptable as a school physical (there are different requirements for each).
School Physicals: Many parents are already making appointments for school physicals for next year. If you send a physical to school with your child for the following school year, please attach a note letting the nurse know that it is for the upcoming year; otherwise it might be mistaken for a sports physical. Keep in mind that all students entering Kindergarten, 6th grade, and 9th grade need an updated physical with immunizations per public health guidelines, and all students in K, 2nd, and 6th grade need dental exams.
Cold and Flu Season: Cold and flu season is still upon us. With an increase in illness, comes an increase in germs. Please remind your children to wash their hands well, and cover their mouths and noses when they sneeze or cough. Everyone’s help is needed in preventing the spread of disease. Hopefully, spring will be here soon.
Health Records: It is very important to keep your child’s health record up to date. If your child develops a medical problem during the year, please call and let the nurse know so that the record can be updated, and the information can be passed along to staff that need to know in the nurse’s absence.
Head Lice: Head lice are difficult to control and continue to challenge us no matter what the season. Nits can be very difficult to see. Some are close to the scalp (within ¼” of the scalp) and all are firmly attached to the hair shafts. Also, the nits may appear white or brown in color. Contrary to popular belief, the color has nothing to do with whether or not they are still “alive”. I want to make you aware of the following information:
1. Head lice do not transmit diseases.
2. Head lice are completely dependent on human blood for nourishment.
3. Animals are not a source of human lice.
4. Prevalence for head lice in long hair is not different than in short hair.
5. Head lice crawl; they do not jump or fly.
6. Head lice bite wounds can be anywhere on the scalp, but are usually on the back of the head, back of the neck, and behind the ears.
7. Itching is the earliest and most common symptom.
8. Direct contact with head or hair of an infested person or contact with personal items such as hats, hairbrushes, bedding, etc. transfers head lice from one person to another.
9. Incubation period of eggs (nits) is 7 – 10 days. Newly hatched larvae take 10 days before they lay eggs. Life span of an adult louse off a human is 2 days.
If I send your child home because he/she had head lice, the child can return to school the next day if he/she has been treated with the shampoo and nits have been removed. The child may not ride the school bus or participate in any school functions until admitted back to school by the school nurse. If the child has any nits, the parents will be requested to pick him/her up. To save yourself a trip, please wait with your child until he/she has been checked.
All persons treated for head lice should be treated a second time in 10-14 days. (Unless the directions on the box or your physician say differently).
Hopefully, by everyone working together, we can keep this problem to a minimum. Please check your child frequently, and be courteous enough to report the head lice to your school, babysitter, etc…
I am available at 7:30am every morning at the middle school. I get to the elementary at 9:15am. Please don’t send your child to school without seeing me first.
There is some very good information on Head Lice at www.cdc.gov.
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Stacey Binegar, Principal
Fairgrounds Day: Due to the electrical problems at the State Fairgrounds, we were contacted by the representatives who let us know that we will be unable to have our end-of-the-year fair trip this year.
Pre-School Screening: Pre-school screening will be held April 29 and 30 at St. James Catholic Church. Pre-school children in the age bracket of 2½ to 5 years old (after September 1 of 2008), not age eligible for Kindergarten) should be screened at this time. Students for the Riverton Early Start program are chosen from this screening. Children must meet eligibility requirements to be considered for the program. This will be determined through the screening. Call Stacey Solano, Early Start Parent Coordinator, at 629-6001, Ext. 350 to schedule your appointment. If you know of any children who are age-eligible, please inform them of our screening dates.
Summer Office Hours: The elementary school will be open two weeks after the conclusion of the 2007-2008 school year and two weeks prior to the start of our 2008-2009 school year from 7:30am–2:30pm. You may contact the office by calling 629-6001.
R.E.S. Celebrates Arts in Education Week! The four fine arts of music, drama, dance, and visual art were celebrated during the week of March 24-28. This is a special week designated in our state to honor the arts and arts education in our schools. The theme for this year wasInspiring Learning Through the Arts. Specialist teachers organized speakers, performances, and activities with an arts focus for students throughout the week. Students heard performances from Riverton Middle School and High School choirs and actors and actresses from the school musicals. A dancer from the Springfield Ballet Company shared experiences, as well as Carly Shank, director of audience development for Sangamon Auditorium at U.I.S. Artists from Riverton High School brought their work to inspire our young artists. On Thursday, we were treated to puppet shows by Marilyn Price. We were honored to have all these talented people share their time and talents with us. They have inspired us to learn more about the arts and life.
Integrated Arts (Mrs. Becker/Mrs. Riddle): The Value of Art: As we all look forward to spring and summer, we think about the grass getting greener and temperatures rising. However, there will be a few rainy days where we can’t get outside and the kids might become a bit bored. With some crayons, markers, scrap paper, scissors or any art tools you have, you can eliminate that boredom.
Art on a rainy day can be a great emotional release for a child. Other worthwhile values of art are that it develops creative thinking, aids physical coordination, and develops work habits and a means of communication. If your child has a hard time getting motivated to do an activity, provide a bit of guidance. Offer a general idea or theme and let them do the rest. For example, suggest they create an animal or imaginary place on another planet. This provides an opportunity for them to problem-solve, make decisions, and plan how an activity should proceed.
An idea popular with children of all ages is a collage. A collage is a random gluing of different objects together in order to make a two dimensional picture. Kids love to do collages! They get to cut and paste, and while there sometimes doesn’t seem to be a rhyme or reason as to why they choose what they choose for their collage, there still is planning and decision making involved in the process. They are easy to do and finding materials for a collage can be simple. Some great objects found around the house for a collage are macaroni, string, yarn, material, foil, old puzzle pieces, pictures of objects out of magazines, and cancelled postage stamps. You can even use natural objects from the yard. If you don’t have colored paper, check in your recycling bin. Flyers and junk mail come in many different colors. Just use the side that isn’t printed on.
Above all, a simple art activity can generate joy. Imagine how happy your child will be when they show you their final product, and they see it handing on the refrigerator door!
Music News (by Mrs. Armintrout): Read about our special Fine Arts Week activities in this newsletter, too! We're Shakin' It Up! at R.E.S. this spring. Kindergarten students invite you to come hear us sing and play instruments at the elementary Open House on April 17. Each class will be performing in the cafeteria, beginning at 6:00pm, and continuing throughout the evening. Get ready to Hit Those Sticks, and Shake Your Maracas!
Fourth graders are awaiting their first opportunity to sing on the stage of the high school auditorium. On Thursday, May 15, at 6:30pm, students will present A Day in the Life of Me. This creative collection features songs in various styles about everyday happenings in kids' lives. Ever been the Last One Picked in gym class? Were you prepared for a Pop Quiz? Join us as we hiccup through The Hiccup Song. Did you ever try to take a short nap during history class? Better stay awake because we will be doing The "My Foot Just Fell Asleep" Stomp. We hope you can join in the fun with us!
Multi Media News(by Mr. Oesch): Spring in the studio always renews a sense of excitement. Students in Kindergarten through 2nd grade will now have KidPix available to create and manipulate images that can be used for multiple purposes. These students will be introduced to animation with storytelling. Third and 4th graders will move into aspects of videography by building persuasive or expository messages using text, voice, sound effects, music, still images, and video with special effects. These students will also be repeatedly tested on the vocabulary words that are posted online. In addition, all elementary school students will be spending studio time learning basic keyboarding skills.
As always, parents are encouraged to monitor online Internet activities and email accounts for the safety of their children. For parents of 2nd, 3rd, and 4th graders who would like to have your child’s e-mail username and password, please contact Mr. Oesch by sending a note to school with your child. Every 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade student has an -mail account that was created for the purposes of safely communicating electronically with parents, teachers, and classmates. Students enjoy finding messages in their inboxes, so please send appropriate uplifting email so that your child can reply.
Parents and grandparents are welcome to volunteer time each week to assist in the multimedia studio. Assisting students with basic skills and tasks will reinforce the importance of collaboration in the studio. If you are interested in learning more, please contact Myron Oesch, Media Instructional Specialist, at 629-6001, Ext. 32, or email moesch@rivertonschools.org.
Reading Specialists(Deb Mitchelson, Debbie Henry, Vickie Young and Barb Theilen): Reading aloud to your child is one of the most important things you can do to help encourage your child’s success in reading. Would you like some new ideas of books to read with your child? Here are a few suggestions:
Charlie Anderson by Barbara Abercrombie
A cat named Charlie decides to spend his nights at Elizabeth and Sarah’s house. One stormy night Charlie doesn’t come home. Because the girls are worried, they go searching for him. They soon discover Charlie’s secret. There are lots of beautiful pictures in this book that any cat-lover would enjoy.
Duck at the Door by Jackie Urbanovic
One cold night a duck, which did not fly south for the winter, comes to the door wanting shelter. The animals who live in the house let him stay. He has an annoying personality, and the members of the household can’t wait for him to leave in the spring. When he leaves, they all soon discover, in spite of his annoying habits, they miss the duck. We all could use a little more tolerance for people who are different. Look for the surprise ending in this entertaining book.
Fancy Nancyby Jane O’Connor
Nancy is a little girl who loves fancy things. Unfortunately for Nancy, her family is very plain. She is surprised at the end of the story by her family’s response to her. If you would like to increase your child’s vocabulary in a way that’s fun, read this book together.
Pre-K News: In April, we will begin our new unit “Things That Grow”. We will be exploring plants, animals and ourselves. Students will be measuring themselves and comparing lengths. They will also be planting seeds and observing them while they grow. We are looking forward to showing off our work at our open house. In May, we will also have our annual Transition to Kindergarten Night for the pre-schoolers who will be leaving us. We are hoping to schedule a field trip to Decatur the last week of school. The pre-schoolers really appreciated the parents who came along on our bowling trip. Pre-K’s last day of school will be May 16. We hope you have a great summer.
Kindergarten News (Miss Eagan, Mrs. Distlehorst, Mrs. Menghini, Mrs. Turek, Mrs. Scranton, Mrs. Harvey): In the 3rd quarter, the children really enjoyed our science unit “Looking at the Earth and Sky”. Throughout this unit, the children explored the earth and its resources, an introduction to the solar system and weather. The month of March brought us to our unit about the farm as we prepare our open house projects! Kindergarten will also be performing “Shakin it Up!” at our open house on Thursday, April 17. Mark your calendar!
Kindergarten graduation will be coming up in May! Watch your child’s bookbag for more information.
Thank you for your continued support as parents. Please continue to read with your child and listen to YOUR child READ!
1st Grade (Mrs. Held, Mrs. Mack, Miss Dolbeare, Miss Luken, Mrs. Fiore, Mrs. Frazier): We continue to be very busy here in 1st grade! We are really getting good at phonics skills that will help us to learn to read, such as long vowels, contractions, compound words, nouns, verbs, adjectives, syllables, word chunks…and the list goes on and on! Then add to that comprehension skills, context clues, and sequencing… and you’ve whipped up a recipe for a great reader!! We will finish up our social studies by exploring the continents to find their geographic location and what life is like on each one. Our last science unit is on Living Things. We get to go to the Scovill Zoo and Children’s Museum in Decatur to enhance our learning of this unit. We continue to do Rocket Math to help us master our basic addition math facts. We also keep practicing the “dreaded” counting money skill (which is SO-O-O-O-O hard for many 1st graders). Our math studies will end up with fractions and place value. Our goal in writing is a five-sentence cohesive paragraph by the end of the year. We’re getting closer to that goal all the time!! Please help us out by encouraging your child to try hard every day and by sending them off to school with a positive attitude and a good healthy breakfast.
Thanks to parents and volunteers who joined the “1st Grade Team” this year. It’s been a great experience working with all of you.
2nd Grade(Mrs. Jerszynski, Miss Ethel, Mrs. Alton, Mrs. Painter, Miss Yale, Mrs. Mileham): As we move into the fourth quarter, we will continue our theme “Amazing Animals”. As we read “The Great Ball Game”, we will learn to identify cause and determine the effect. Our next theme will be “Family Time”. In this unit, the 2nd graders will be learning about contractions and building longer words using various endings. As we learn to comprehend, we will be making generalizations, following directions, and sequencing events. In math, we will explore standard and non-standard units of measurement. The students will revisit money concepts, telling time, graphing, addition, and subtraction facts. In science, we will begin a new unit called, “What makes me sick?” Students will learn about germs and how to stay healthy.
Did you read your child’s first five-paragraph essay about dinosaurs? We were delighted to make the transition from writing a paragraph into writing an essay. We will continue to write multiple paragraph essays for the remainder of the school year. We hope you enjoy reading them! The essays will now be graded using the ISAT rubric, so if you have any questions, please contact us!
In April, the 2nd graders will celebrate National Poetry Month by reading and writing a variety of poems. Through this unit of study, we will focus on building fluency and recognizing rhythm and rhyme.
Every student should still be reading 15–20 minutes every evening. Thank you for your continued efforts in building a life long reader.
We are looking forward to seeing you at our Open House!
3rd Grade (Mrs. Weber, Mrs. Timm, Mrs. Johnson, Mrs. Bonner, Miss Sloman, Miss Cullen): Congratulations to all of our students who worked very hard to complete the ISAT! We are proud of you! We are continuing to work hard during the fourth quarter. We will be studying ways we can help protect the Earth. We’ll be taking a trip to the recycling center to see how materials are collected and recycled. Then we will kick off our health unit with a field trip to UIS to see Bodyology with Slim Goodbody. In class, students will participate in many hands-on experiences to help them understand how human body systems work. Students will continue to work with reading strategies to prepare for 4th grade. In math, we’ll continue to work on multiplication and division skills. Please continue to practice Rocket Math facts with your child. All 3rd graders are expected to complete Rocket Math subtraction by the end of the year.
We know spring is a busy time of year. Please continue to keep school a priority. It is important that your child reads and practices spelling and math facts daily.
We will wrap up the year with our 3rd grade picnic to Center Park!
4th Grade (Mrs. Kirby, Mrs. Darnell, Mrs. Mendenhall, Mr. Hindert, Miss Watson): Fourth quarter is going to be a busy and exciting time in the 4th grade. We will kick off our study of Illinois with a trip to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum. On this trip, we will learn about Lincoln’s life and how he has helped to shape the history of Illinois. We will also be going to the Old State Capitol, New State Capitol, and Lincoln’s Tomb to enhance our Illinois studies. Fourth graders will celebrate Earth Day by participating in Earth Stewardship Day where they will learn about ways to conserve, recycle and preserve our natural resources. We will continue to meet our objectives in math, reading, and writing as well – all with the goal of preparing our students to “graduate” from RES and transition into the exciting world of MIDDLE SCHOOL!
Jumpstart: Teachers are planning an exciting week of Jumpstart classes to help your child get a “jump” on their next grade level. Please remember if your child is referred, it is very important that he/she attend all five days. This program will help your child get a positive start on the new school year. Buses are available and the schedule will be mailed to you the week before jumpstart! If you plan to drive your child, please drop him/her off at the office doors NO earlier than 7:50am. There is NO supervision prior to this time. Classes will be held the week of July 14–18 and will begin promptly at 8:00am; students will be dismissed at 11:45am. Reminder letters will be mailed to those who are referred. Thank you for your support in your child’s education.
Successful Chili Supper/Bingo Night
Terri Grieve, Student Assistance/Parent Coordinator
Our PEP chili supper was an amazing success because of our wonderful parent volunteers and supportive staff. A special thank you to all parents who helped organize the event (especially Chairperson Michelle Landess), teachers who volunteered cooking expertise and time, Mr. Dewayne Collins from Subway for donating the chips, and magician, The Great Randini.
Student Appreciation Community Carnival: In the fall of 2007, our PEP/PTO organization, along with Riverton Elementary Students, sold Clubs Choice Products to raise money for our school. To show appreciation for their efforts, PEP (Parent Educator Partnership) and Clubs Choice will provide a free Community Carnival for our elementary students and their families. The fun begins at 5:00pm on Friday, April 4, at the high school and lasts until 7:30pm. Come and enjoy sliding on giant slides, climbing through the obstacle course, jumping in the moonwalk, walking in the cake walk, and playing carnival games! We even have face painting and balloon animals! All students must be supervised by an adult. Come join the fun Friday, April 4! Teacher Appreciation week is May 5-9!
Free GED Program: Once again, Riverton School District, in partnership with Lawrence Adult Education Center, is offering a free GED (General Educational Development) program. Classes began January 31, 2008, and are held every Thursday from 5:00-8:00pm in the Riverton Elementary School Library. Anyone over the age of 17 may attend. We have open enrollment, which means that participants may come on any Thursday even if they did not attend the first class. Participants may park in the St. James Church parking lot and enter through the main office doors on the south side of the building. The library is located on the second floor.
Each participant will receive information about receiving a GED, fill out registration forms, and take a basic skills assessment for placement in an individualized program.
If you would like to have a second chance at earning a high school diploma, please come on any Thursday from 5:00-8:00pm at Riverton Elementary School. If you have any questions or if you would like to let us know that you are going to participate, you may contact Terri Grieve at 629-6001.
MIDDLE SCHOOL
Fred Lamkey, Principal
IPOD’s and Cell Phones: In recent months, we have had an increased number of IPOD’s and cell phones confiscated from students at school. I would like to remind students and parents alike about our handbook policies. IPOD’s and other music devices are not allowed at school during the school day. Students who bring them to school will have them confiscated and parents will have to stop by the office to retrieve them. Students will not be allowed to take them home after they are confiscated.
Cell phones may be brought to school as long as they are not camera phones. Camera phones are not allowed at school due to privacy concerns. Cell phones are allowed as long as they are shut off and left in a locker (6, 7, and 8) or left in a book bag in the classroom (5 or 6). Cell phones ringing during the school day are a distraction to learning.
Please review these expectations and make sure to adhere to them so we can avert any problems.
Leadership Team: The 2007-08 Leadership Team is comprised of eight members including, Ms. Kari Hires (7th grade math), Michaela Campbell (Guidance Dean), Mr. Lamkey (Principal), Ms. Sims (6th grade), Mrs. Schlichting (5th/6th Grade), Mrs. Viste (8th grade), and Mrs. Trout (5th Grade) and Mrs. Wahl (SASED Coordinator). We have met ten times already this year in an effort to facilitate our school improvement process. Our team set building goals that are articulated to district goals. The emphasis of our goals is to improve reading and math achievement. The RMS Leadership Team is working with the entire staff through project teams and task forces to strive to meet these building-level goals. The Leadership Team would like to recognize the efforts of the entire RMS staff during the school improvement planning process. We hope to see steady growth in achievement over the next few years!
Parent Meeting: Our next meeting is scheduled for May 13, 2008, at 6:00pm, in the middle school library. All community members are welcome to attend.
ISAT/Achievement Test: A reminder that we will be using ISAT and achievement tests results that the students will take in the spring to help determine promotion/retention. The ISAT Test was administered during the weeks of February 25 and March 3. Test scores will be reviewed with the student’s grades to give a clear picture of the student’s achievement and grade placement
End-of-Year Activities:As of today’s date, the end of the year calendar will be as follows:
Thursday, May 22 – Full day of school; 8th grade end-of-
year reward trip
Friday, May 23 – Full day of school; 8th grade promotion
Monday, May 26 – No School – Memorial Day
Wednesday, May 28 – Teacher Institute
Thursday, May 29 – Report cards issued on shortened
schedule
**The calendar is, however, contingent upon use of snow days!
7th Grade News: Several 7th graders, including Sydney Klauzer, Zach Boliard, Hannah Eddington, Brandy Wolford, Jessica McArthur, and Dalton McGhiey, shared some of their thoughts from 3rd quarter:
Reflections on the ISAT:
“The teachers really prepared us for the ISAT this year. We felt pretty confident taking it.”
“Next year we should alternate snacks. Peanut butter crackers got boring!” (Apparently one student enjoyed them since she supposedly ate 50!)
Thoughts from third quarter in general:
“This quarter went really fast because of the ISAT.”
“Mr. Sullivan (student teacher for Science) will be an awesome teacher someday!”
“I liked not having as much homework during the test week!”
“Algebra is easy!”
“I actually liked that book (Code Talker) once we finished it.”
Curriculum Overview: Seventh graders at RMS studied animal adaptations in science this quarter, and gross domestic product in social studies, including a cookie project involving chocolate chip cookies representing the G.D.P. for different countries. While math and reading were both heavily encompassed with extended response practice in preparation for the ISAT, students were also introduced to algebra and read the historical fiction book, Code Talker. Seventh grade writing students experienced researching and writing their first expository essay this quarter as well.
Regional Spelling Bee:
Amy Grimm, Spelling Bee Coordinator
On Saturday March 8, 2008, the State Journal-Register held their 16th Annual Regional Spelling Bee in Springfield. Thirty-two spellers, 4th-8th graders, competed to win a week-long, all-expenses-paid trip to the 81st Annual Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C.
Michael Shereda, a fifth-grader at Riverton Middle School, competed in the Regional Bee after winning first place in the 5th grade Sangamon County Spelling Bee, held in Pawnee in February.
At the Regional Bee, Michael ended up coming in sixth place out of 32. He did an outstanding job! He successfully spelled the following difficult words: polymer, percolate, intractable, egregious, jackal, tomatillo, ubiquitous, dreidel, and collaborate.
Michael was quite disappointed when he missed his final word, “bantamweight”, by only one letter. However, since he has three more years at the middle school, chances are that Michael will spell in future county and regional bees.
Way to go, Michael. RMS is proud of you!
HIGH SCHOOL
Bill Lamkey, Principal
2008-2009 Registration: Registration for the 2008-2009 school year is complete. You can see your child’s choices by going to Family Access. If you see a schedule, please be aware that these are not set yet. Students will receive their 2008-2009 schedules in May and will be given an opportunity to make changes before school is out for the year.
2008-2009 Student Schedule Confirmation: Student class schedules will be mailed out to parents in early May. At that time, we would ask that parents and students review their classes. If changes need to be made, we would ask that students and/or parents contact the counselors before summer break. This will alleviate major congestion in their offices as we begin the new school year.
Senior Finals/Graduation: Seniors will take their final exams on Monday and Tuesday, May 19 and 20. High School Graduation will be held on Sunday, May 25, beginning at 2:00pm in the Hawk Center. All seniors should arrive no later than 1:30pm. A mandatory graduation practice will be held for all graduating seniors on Friday, May 23, beginning at 8:30am. Graduates must be in attendance if they plan on going through the ceremony.
Final Exam Schedule: Due to the use of a snow day, finals exams have been rescheduled as follows:
|
Friday, May 23 |
Time |
Tuesday, May 27 |
|
Period 1 Finals |
8:20–9:40am |
Period 2 Finals |
|
Period 3 Finals |
9:45–11:05am |
Period 4 Finals |
|
Lunch |
11:10am–12:10pm |
Lunch |
|
Period 5 Finals |
12:15–1:35pm |
Period 6 Finals |
|
Period 7 Finals |
1:40–3:00pm |
2:15 pm Dismissal Make-up Exams |
Exam periods are one hour and 20 minutes in length. All students must attend all classes during final exam days. Students with 6th hour P.E. or study hall may be excused on Tuesday at 11:10am provided they have a note from their parent to their 6th hour teacher.
The cafeteria will be open for lunches. Freshmen are required to remain in the building during the lunch period. Grades 10-12 have an open lunch and may leave the building. The CACC bus will leave at the regularly scheduled time each day.
Upcoming Spring Events:
April 2 College Fair @ HS 6:30pm
April 10 Honor Roll Breakfast @ KC Hall - 7:45am
April 18-20 High School Musical Weekend
April 23-24 Prairie State Achievement Exams for all Juniors
May 3 Prom
May 13 National Honor Society Ceremony - 6:30pm
May 13 Academic Awards Night - 7:30pm
May 18 Fine Art Festival TBA
May 20 Last Day for Seniors
May 23 Mandatory Graduation Practice - 8:30am
May 23 High School Jazz Choir Concert - 7:00pm
May 23, 27 Final Exams
May 25 High School Graduation - 2:00pm
May 29 End of Fourth Quarter
National Honor Society/Academic Awards Night: The RHS National Honor Society induction ceremony will be held at 6:00pm, Tuesday, May 13. Our annual Academic Awards Night will begin at 7:00pm, following the induction. Both events will be held in the auditorium.
Fine Arts Festival: The Annual Fine Arts Festival will be held on Sunday, May 18, from 3:00–8:00pm in the High School Auditorium. There will be a dinner sponsored by the Fine Arts Boosters from 4:00–7:00 pm, with all proceeds benefiting district fine arts programs. Art work will be on display in the lobby area and musical performances will be held at 20-minute intervals throughout the evening. Come out and enjoy a day of music while supporting the arts!
ACT: Juniors and seniors who would like to retake the ACT may still sign up for the June 14 test date. The last date to register is May 9. Late registration is May 23. Practice tests for the ACT are available at www.ACTstudent.org . You can also get to this site from the Counselor’s tab on the high school’s website, under testing.
PrairieStateAchievement Exam (PSAE): The Prairie State Achievement Exam (PSAE) will be given to juniors on April 23 and April 24. The PSAE consists of many different tests: the ACT test, Work Keys Applied Mathematics, Work Keys Reading for Information, Illinois State Board of Education Developed Science and Social Science. The State Board of Education puts a lot of weight on these exams. Please be sure that your child is in attendance on both of these days. Make-up exams are very difficult to administer.
Due to the fact that the ACT is a part of the PSAE, the universities in Illinois (and now the whole nation) will accept these ACT scores for college admission. The Illinois Student Assistance Commission will also accept these scores for Illinois State Scholars and other state- sponsored scholarships. The NCAA will now accept these scores for the NCAA clearinghouse. This is a change from the past. If you have any questions, please feel free to call Mrs. Penk in the Guidance Office at 629-6003, Ext. 22.
PrairieStateAchievement Exam (PSAE) Practice Tests: PSAE practice tests have been linked to the high school’s website. Be sure you are at the high school’s site and go to the Counselors tab and then testing. Just click on PSAE - read more and you will several links to practice tests for the ACT and Work Keys. Please share this with your junior student. The juniors will be practicing in class, but any extra practice is always helpful.
Financial Aid Forms (FAFSA): FAFSA on the Web forms are available online for seniors who are planning to attend college next fall. I encourage you or your child to visit the Financial Aid tab on the high school’s website (under the Counselor’s tab) if you have not already done so. You should fill out the form even if you feel you are not eligible for financial aid. Many schools will give money just for filing.
College Zone: www.collegezone.com is the Illinois Student Assistance Commission’s website. Mrs. Penk has found this sight to be very informative for the counselors, as well as for parents and students. There is a place where parents may sign up for e-messaging and receive the latest news and updates regarding financial aid. Parents are encouraged to sign up for this if they have access to the internet and/or email.
Congratulations to Jake Behrens!! Jake has been named an Honorable Mention recipient for the IHSA All State Academic Team. This is a huge accomplishment! Nearly 500 nominations were received from the IHSA member schools, and Jacob was one of 50 students selected by the evaluation committee for Honorable Mention recognition. Jacob is the son of Greg and Debbie Behrens, of Riverton. Congratulations again Jake! We are very proud of you!
Prom 2008: This year’s prom will be held on May 3, beginning at 8:00pm at Green Toyota on Wabash Avenue in Springfield. The promenade and crowning of the king and queen will take place in the high school auditorium at 4:00 pm. After-prom will be held at the high school this year beginning at around midnight. The after-prom parent’s committee has been working diligently this year to provide a lot of fun and prizes for prom goers. Make sure your child signs up in the weeks before prom!
High School Musical: This year’s high school musical production will be High School Musical. Shows will be Friday and Saturday, April 18 and 19, beginning at 7:30pm, along with a Sunday (April 20) matinee beginning at 2:00pm. The cast and crew have been working overtime thus far in preparation for what should be quite a show. Tickets for all performances will go on sale during early April. You may contact the high school for more information.
High School Yearbook Orders: Students who ordered a 2007-2008 RHS yearbook should have received a bill from Jostens. Payment must be received at the Jostens Billing Center no later than April 25. Please send your payment on time. If you wish to cancel your order, please write cancel on the order form and send it back to Jostens. If you have any questions, please call Mrs. Holliday at 217.629.6003, Ext. 7. Contact Jostens about yearbook orders at 866.282.1516 or www.jostens.com. You may pay by check or credit card. We still have a few extra copies of the 2006-2007 yearbooks available for $50.
Class of 2009 Senior Pictures: The members of the Class of 2009 will have a meeting in May with Grussenmeyer’s Class Act Photography of Springfield, the official school photographer for senior pictures for the yearbook. Students must get the picture for the yearbook taken at Grussenmeyer’s Class Act Photography, 217.787.4947, 484 S. Durkin Drive, in Springfield. Senior photos must be taken by the last Saturday in October. There is a nominal charge for the headshot pose for the yearbook. This will supply a picture for the yearbook and also a picture for the class composite that will hang in the hallway of RHS.
Senior Cap and Gown Pictures: All seniors need to bring their cap and gown for a class graduation photo immediately after graduation practice in the new gym. Seniors may also have an individual picture taken in their cap and gown. Grussenmeyer’s Class Act Photography will have a background set up. They will also be offering pictures of seniors receiving their diplomas. The photography studio will be mailing order forms to all seniors for the cap and gown and diploma pictures.
Graduation Videos: Mrs. Holliday will be taping the Class of 2008 graduation. Order forms will be mailed out the first week of May. The price for the video is $15 for VHS and $20 for DVD’s. Payment must accompany the order. Please make checks payable to Riverton High School. Videos will be available to pick up in the main office approximately three weeks after graduation. Orders and payment can be left with the secretaries in the main office after school is out.
High School Library: All overdue library materials need to be turned in and fines paid before the end of the school year.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
APRIL 2008
1 HS Softball v. Clinton(H) – 4:15pm
2 HS Baseball(Var) @Spfd. Griffin – 4:15pm
HS Softball(JV) v. Wmsville(H) – 4:15pm
College Fair at High School – 6:30pm
3 MS Track v. Girard(H) – 4:15pm
HS Track @Pawnee – 4:15pm
HS Soccer @Decatur – 4:30pm
HS Softball @Mason City – 4:15pm
4 Elementary School Community Carnival – 5:00pm at
the High School
5 HS Baseball(JV)(2) v. Lanphier(H) – 10:00am
7 HS Track v. IC/Calvary/Pulaski(H) – 4:15pm
HS Baseball(JV) @Spfld. HS – 4:15pm
HS Baseball(Var) v. New Berlin(H) – 4:15pm
HS Softball v. New Berlin(H) – 4:15pm
8 MS Track @Rochester – 4:30pm
HS Baseball(Var) v. Wmsville(H) – 4:15pm
HS Track(F/S Girls) v. Wmsville/Roch(H) – 3:30pm
HS Soccer @Taylorville – 5:00pm
9 HS Baseball(Var) @Pawnee – 4:15pm
HS Softball @Pawnee – 4:15pm
10 HS Track v. Virden/N.Berlin(H) – 4:15pm
HS Baseball(JV) v. Plains(H) – 4:15pm
HS Baseball(Var) @Plains – 4:15pm
HS Softball @Plains – 4:15pm
Honor Roll Breakfast at KC Hall – 7:45am
11 HS Baseball(Var) @Lanphier – 4:15pm
12 MS Track – Sang. Co. Tourn. @Rochester – 10:00am
HS Soccer(JV/Var) v. PeoriaWoodruff(H) – 10:00am
14 HS Track – Clinton Open – 4:30pm
HS Soccer v Wmsville(H) – 4:30pm
HS Baseball(Var) v. Pulaski(H) – 4:15pm
HS Softball v. Pulaski(H) – 4:15pm
Board Meeting @District Office – 6:00pm
15 MS Track v. Athens/Spfd. (H) – 4:15pm
HS Baseball(JV) @Porta – 4:15pm
HS Baseball(Var) v. Girard(H) – 4:15pm
HS Softball v. Girard(H) – 4:15pm
17 MS Track – 6th Grade Invite @Williamsville – 3:45pm
HS Track @Auburn – 4:15pm
HS Baseball(JV) v. Lutheran(H) – 4:15pm
Elementary Open House – 6:00pm
18 HS Soccer(JV/Var) v. Southeast(H) – 5:00pm
HS Softball @Southeast – 4:15pm
High School Musical – 7:30pm
19 HS Track – Rochester Invite – 9:00am
HS Baseball(Var)(2) @Buffalo Tri-City – 10:00am
HS Softball(JV/Var) @Lanphier – 10:00am
High School Musical – 7:30pm
20 High School Musical – 2:00pm
21 MS Track @Pawnee – 4:00pm
HS Baseball(JV) v. Wmsville(H) – 4:15pm
22 MS Track v. Calvary/Warrens(H) – 4:15pm
HS Baseball(Var) v. Porta(H) – 4:15pm
HS Softball v Porta(H) – 4:15pm
23 MS Track(6th) @Chatham – 4:15pm
HS Softball v. Wmsville(H) – 4:15pm
PSAE Exams for juniors
24 MS Track @Wmsville – 4:15pm
HS Track @New Berlin – 4:15pm
HS Soccer(JV/Var) v. Litchfield(H) – 4:30pm
HS Baseball(Var) @Auburn – 4:15pm
PSAE Exams for juniors
25 HS Track(F/So) – Sang. County JV – TBA
26 HS Soccer(JV/Var) @Springfield HS – 10:00am
HS Baseball(JV)(2) @Southeast – 10:00am
28 HS Track – Sangamo Conf. Meet @Wmsville – 4:00pm
HS Soccer v. Rochester(H) – 4:30pm
HS Baseball(JV)(2)v. Pawnee(H) – 4:15pm
HS Baseball(Var) @Athens – 4:15pm
HS Softball @Athens – 4:15pm
29 MS Track – Sangamo Conf. Tourn – TBA
HS Track(F/So)–Prairie State Conf.@Wmsville-3:00pm
HS Baseball(Var) @Virden – 4:15pm