Principal's Newsletter November 23, 2009

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Everyday we are thankful to be working in your community, with your children. We are thankful that you entrust their learning to us, and for the learning we achieve through them.

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Winter Sports Edition

I do want to take a moment to clarify a few details about the upcoming winter sports schedule.
Communication around the beginning of a sport season has not been our high water mark in my two years and I take full responsibility for it. Please know we are working to improve this facet of our communications.

The gym at Smith, as many know, is less than ideal. Thus, we will schedule games at the high school when the Mavericks are away and at other teams' facilities. Some will still be held at Smith.

Girls Basketball

• All 6th grade girls are welcome to join the 7/8 girls in their season. Because of relatively low participation there will be no stand-alone 6th grade girls team later in the Winter.
• Practices will be held at Smith after school @ 3:30 (2:30 on Wednesday).

Boys Basketball

• The practices (through 12/17) will be held at Smith after the girls practices, starting at 5:00 (4:00 Wednesdays). The post 12/17 practice schedule will be posted on 12/1.
  
• Players will likely have the chance to stay between dismissal and practice in a study hall.
• A stand-alone 6th grade boys team will begin its practice season on January 25th.
  

All practices and games are on the district athletic calendar here. Games are also listed on the regular calendar here.

Have a great Thanksgiving!

Principal Newsletter -- November 13, 2009

Here is a photo -- not a Brian Black quality shot, taken with my phone -- of what we will see next year when we climb the central stairs to the main second floor landing. We are looking at the library, and at the river and Mt. Hood beyond. Thursday was the first time I was able to get up to the second floor, and I took advantage of the opportunity. It's very thrilling to be planning the learning spaces we'll be inhabiting next Fall. At the same time, we are all too cognizant of the challenge the students and teachers of Marysville Elementary in Portland face. On Monday, they will be moved to a new location. We had a summer to pull this off, and it was by an admittedly narrow margin at that. They have five days. Our student council is putting together a program to assist them collect supplies and materials by this next Friday. A collection box will be on site all week.

Nearly as exciting is the arrival of our first band and choral concert, to be held this coming Thursday evening at 7:00 at Riverdale High School. Each of our concerts will be held at the high school this year, and Mrs. Scholz and the 6-8 students have been practicing intently to prepare! I was just treated to a preview of the 6th grade choir, and can personally attest that it will be a wonderful evening.

Next week, we'll try to put a meaningful cap on an incredibly whirlwind first trimester.


Upcoming events:

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday
9:00 AM GS PTC Meeting @ Smith
9:15 AM - 11:30 AM GS - 2nd Gr. FT - Winningstad Theater
7:00 PM - 7:45 PM GS - Winter Sports Info Night (Parents) - Library

Thursday
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM GS - Kinder FT - Langelers House
7:00 PM - 6-8 band and choral concert @ RGS gym

Friday
End of First Trimester
2:45 - 3:10 PM Fall Sports Assembly - Gym

Principal Newsletter -- November 6, 2009

There are time when I find myself focusing on the administrative side of this work -- dealing with budgetary concerns and the like. And then there are other times, when I'm reminded of the substance of our work -- helping students develop themselves as people, as learners, and as part of a larger community.

One of the elements of our school that I am quick to share with parents and students touring with an eye to join us is the benefit of being a K-8 school. To be sure, our structure makes scheduling difficult at times. But relative to the opportunities provided by the availability of having middle schoolers mentor primary students in how to produce an effective presentation and communicate important ideas, any limitations quickly fall away.

Below I've copied in powerpoint presentations developed by two teams of students -- one from the 7th grade and another from the 2nd. Lisa Becker had the kids working together as she often does, and they created fantastic products. (In one case, two siblings chose to work together; the other is a meta-presentation, a "how-to" lesson in creating powerpoints.)

It's important for me to pause occasionally to celebrate the thinking and learning going on every day in our school. I hope you will join me in doing just that while viewing these projects.







Upcoming events:

Monday

4:00 PM District Athletic Committee Meeting, RHS
6:00 PM School Board Regular Meeting, HS Library

Tuesday

Wednesday
All day event Holiday - Veterans' Day (Schools and District Offices Closed)

Thursday


Friday

Division I Championsip vs Catlin Gable Monday Night!

Come cheer on our boys at 6:30 -- Catlin Gable campus.