Thursday, March 10, 2011

Principal's Newsletter -- March 11, 2011


This week's newsletter is going out a bit early -- I know some folks are going out of town for the weekend and I wanted to reach out ahead of time. In writing this I'm reminded I used to send these out Friday afternoons rather than Sunday evenings. I'll try to switch back.

There are the usual notices:
  • Conference Sign-Up sheets are in the office -- Thursday and Friday are the dates.
  • Lost and Found will be donated (after we search for names) during the break.
  • The trimester ended today!
Some less usual announcements:

Spirit Week:
Monday, March 14th – Pajama Day!!

Tuesday, March 15th – Decade Day- Dress in your favorite decade or a mixture of a few- Poodle skirts, tied-died duds, disco wear etc.

Wednesday, March 16th– Wacky Day!!! - Wear your wackiest outfit!!

Please remember to respect the dress code
Pi-Day (or near-abouts): Next Tuesday (March 15th) There is an opportunity for 15 6-8th grade students to attend a Pi Day celebration at Lewis and Clark. Students in attendance will participate in the following events.

1) PROBLEM SOLVING: A traditional math competition set up with individual and team events. Hopefully, students in the math department with create new challenge questions in a similar format to the Math Counts competitions to facilitate problem solving rather than problem remembrance. We also hope to assign a Lewis and Clark student to each group to work with the students.

2) PI RECITATION: This will be for students to memorize digits of pi. There will be prizes for those who can remember the most.

3) PIE EATING: Timed pi eating contest. This will be for students and coaches.

4) PIE BAKING: Will be judged by L&C math professors

5) CIRCLE DRAWING: drawing a circle of a given diameter free-hand. Points will be given for accuracy.


The event is scheduled between noon and 2:30. We would need to leave school around 11:40 or so and will probably return by 2:45-3.

If you would like your student to participate please send me an email at nhershman@riverdale.k12.or.us.
Track & Field News from Mr. Nebert:

Informational Meeting (for parents and athletes):
Tuesday – March 15, 2011 - meet in Mr. Nebert's room (#209) @ 3:45 - 4:15

Jackson track clinic is this Saturday from 1:00 – 3:30 pm. This is just a chance for the kids to see what track is about, no serious training. There will be five rotations: distance running (all on the Jackson grounds), field events (shot, discus & turbo jav), long jump (and possibly high jump if it’s nice and dry), sprints and relays, and hurdles. At least two of the Wilson coaches will be helping out and they are bringing high school track kids to help out with the different events so we’ll have some extra help. Dietrich is bringing Wilson Obegeide (silver medalist in the 1992 Olympics in Atlanta) to work with sprinters. We’ll start setting up around noon and I expect kids around 12:45. Hope to see you and some of your track stars on Saturday.

And another thought...

Namely, the first signs of Spring are emerging here on campus. I took a moment to snap a badly framed shot from the North corner of our campus yesterday (Brian Black I am not). The moment gave me time to reflect on how quickly this year is flying by. And things here really get going in the Spring -- Field Studies, Field Day, Talent Show, Music Concerts, District Arts Night, Promotion...hang on tightly!

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Principal's Newsletter March 7, 2011

I have the best job in the world.

OK, so there's some email involved, but on nights like this past Friday night, and this coming Thursday night, it's clear to me that I really do.

All that I can really say about Cabaret is that, when I wasn't grinning ear-to-ear I was wiping tears away. I imagine that I'll be experiencing similar emotions at the concert on Thursday night as well. The kids work so incredibly hard to perform for their parents and friends. I don't tell them enough how proud they make us all -- my goal for the week is to let them know.

The week's calendar is linked here, but don't miss the Speaker on Tuesday night (thank you PTC!) and the concert on Thursday (thank you Molly!)