Friday, April 9, 2010

Principal's Newsletter March 9, 2010

Upcoming events:

Monday
8:40 AM - 3:30 PM GS - 4th Gr. FT - Ft. Vancouver
6:00 PM School Board Regular Meeting, HS Library

Tuesday

Wednesday
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM GS - Jazz Band FT - University of Portland

Thursday
4:00 PM - 6:30 PM GS 5/6/7/8 Track meet at Jackson Middle School

Friday

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Principal's Newsletter March 5, 2010

Below, as usual, is a listing of events that are coming in the week. However, the Spring is so incredibly busy, that I'd like to draw your attention to two very lovely events you won't want to miss.

  • Next Monday evening is the CAL -- Children's Author Lecture -- and the author this year is Jane Yolen. this is a phneomenal event that Riverdale has been sponsoring, promoting and benefiting from for a number of years. I went to last year's event and will be back this time. Tickets are still available in the office!
  • The 7th annual District Art Night will be held on the 27th, from 6:00-8:00, at Riverdale High School.

Now, for the main attraction:

In any given newsletter I could easily identify a handful of students doing inspiring work, following their respective passions. This week, in particular, I am privileged to name two of our students, each of whom has excelled to a degree that leaves me nearly speechless.

  • Noelle Foden-Vencil approached me last year about the possibility of recording a radio story at school about "Take Your Daughter to Work Day." An ambitious project, on its own merits. And OPB may not have aired had she not steered it in such a thought-provoking direction, questioning the validity of singling out daughters in a modern era wherein gender equity, ostensibly, a non-issue. And, the Associated Press may not have identified it as a meritorious piece of journalism had she not done such a quality job of blending the serious with the lighthearted. But they did. The story won Noelle, her father, and producer Eve Epstein a regional first place award for Best Light Story! (You can here it here.) Look out Kristian; competition's coming.
  • Ask anybody familiar with Morgan Pearson what drives him and they'll sum it up in one word: baseball. Rogers Hornsby is purported to have said, "People ask me what I do in winter. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for Spring." Morgan epitomizes this idea, with the exception that he actually does something about his passion in the off-season. Recently, Morgan has become involved with an organization called Friends of Baseball; he has committed to writing a regular feature column, and he decided to start off with a bang. Morgan managed to talk and email his way into a press pass with the Texas Rangers. It granted him access to the practice facility in the "Cactus League" for Spring Training, which he then parlayed into a sit-down exclusive interview with star player Josh Hamilton.

With kids like these, who needs principals?


Finally, I recently received a note from a neighbor about traffic on SW Marigold. She was extremely gracious in her appeal to ask that we be more conscious of slowing down within the Ash Creek neighborhood, and I promised her I would do everything I can to help. Please help me help her. Thank you!

Upcoming events:

Monday
4:00 PM Special Board Meeting, RHS computer lab

Tuesday

Wednesday
9:00 AM GS PTC Executive Mtg, GS Principal's Office

Thursday
8:45 AM - 4:00 PM GS Author Visit, Matt Holm, K-4

Friday