Friday, September 10, 2010

Riverdale in the News


Check out the first-day-of-school article in the Portland Tribune.

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Principal's Newsletter September 10, 2010

What a week!

We started off with a first day that felt more like October than the day after Labor Day. Apparently, just as early Spring lasted through the last day of school, Autumn began last weekend. In the end, it is just as well, as it allows us to focus on the learning and growing we get to do with your children.

We are busily calibrating, and re-calibrating, to to the new building. Children have a wonderful way of letting us see the hidden uses, nooks, and to-do list items in a new setting. As I write we are already miles ahead of where we were on Tuesday morning in terms of logistical concerns. And, by the close of next week, we will be much further yet. In fact, as our families are users of the building as well, I plan on sharing a long string of practices, rules, and standards we are developing and refining in next week's edition of this newsletter. We spent a great deal of time in the Spring and this summer, refining our rules and expectations. I hesitated to share these prior to wading into the year, lest we share something that changes as a result of a new-found circumstance. In most cases, what we have done is to simplify written rules, and to make them more consistent with our practice. Aligning practice to published expectation is a big part of our faculty-led movement toward polishing our school culture this year. We want it to match the magnificent new facility we have been given! So, you can look out for a rather dry -- but important -- post next week.

If you brought a can to the Sneak Peek, thank you. Better yet, thank 6th grader Derek Song! He organized and facilitated the food drive, which generated enough food to feed 25 families for a month. Derek's thoughtfulness and ingenuity is a great example of the kind of intentionality we want to foster.

How about our new lunch program? I snapped this picture the other day as I salivated over the grilled chicken and veggies. Many thanks to Allison and Mary -- and the dozens of parent volunteers -- for making this a reality. Of course, there are tweaks we need to make as each day unfolds, but this is true each year.

Many of you have inquired if we are exhausted this week. In a sense, the obvious answer is clearly yes. But, the energy the children brought to school this year is both thrilling and contagious. We are thrilled to be teaching and learning alongside your children. And I, selfishly, am humbled and proud to be associated with this outstanding faculty. Now, we have a building to match their talents. Time to go to work...

Coming Soon:

Monday:
  • Kinder first day!
  • School Board Meeting
Thursday:
  • First home volleyball game.
  • First DII boys soccer game (away)
Friday:
  • Newcomer's Coffee

Sunday, September 5, 2010

Sneak Peek Tomorrow!

I want to wish everyone a Happy Labor Day weekend!

As well, here are a few details about the Sneak Peek event and the first day of school.

First, parking. A map is posted here, also on this blog. It shows areas that are available for parking, and highlights those which are not legal parking areas. (The East side of Breyman, for instance, is not parking-friendly; we have gained street parking in areas that had previously been reserved for buses, along Military and Breyman.) For big evening events, like the Sneak Peek, parking in the drop-off areas is allowed, so long as we leave the fire-lane ramp access open -- it will be marked with cones. Traffic will flow on school mornings and afternoons, with pass-through still possible even with drop-off and pick-up happening in the South lot. The North lot, meanwhile, is for buses. Vehicles may turn left or right into and when exiting both lots.

On the morning of the 7th we will gather outside first thing in the morning. At 8:35 we will begin to line up by grade level in the covered play area. Teachers will come to escort their classes into the building for the first time; parents assisting with supplies and materials are welcome to follow, and then come outside for the PTC coffee.

Please make sure to bring a can of food (per person) as admittance to the Sneak Peek on Monday afternoon at 4:00. Collected donations will be given to the Oregon Food Bank -- this is very much in the spirit of the year the faculty has planned for 2010-20111. It is critically important to us that, at the time we recognize just how blessed we are with this wonderful new facility, we also remember to give back to the larger community. I am especially proud that this particular initiative was the brainchild of a student -- Derek Song.

Finally, in terms of coming events, the PTC back-to-School Coffee is at 8:30 on Tuesday; and the Fall Sports Night is Tuesday at 7:00 in the Commons.