

The River Hawk
Rio Norte News - February 16, 2024
A Note From the Principal
Hello River Hawk Families,
We hope your River Hawk spread some extra love to you this past week in honor of Valentine's Day! Hearts, stuffed animals, roses, and other gifts were definitely spread across campus with a festive atmosphere.
I want to take a moment to thank Mrs. Kapp and Mr. Ippolito for organizing the optional Medieval Times excursion for our 7th graders and hope those that attended had a great time (see a few photos below). A shout out to all the staff and parents who attended to help supervise this wonderful event!
Progress Reports were posted to Infinite Campus this past Tuesday afternoon, so please be sure you check your student's progress. Under Menu select Documents and then Q3 Progress Report Card. This is a good time to have your student reach out to their teacher/s if they are struggling and need support prior to the end of the quarter on March 15th. Each team utilizes advisory a bit differently but they all offer opportunities for students to get additional support if needed. They should check with their teacher/s to find out how, if they are not certain.
The QR code in the city survey last week was a challenge for some families district-wide. If it didn't work for you, or if you didn't have a chance to take it, see the same article below for a clickable link that has now been added.
8th grade families there is a DATE change to the Valencia High School Parent Info night. Be sure to check that out below the Important Dates section.
Finally, take a moment to read about our Math Counts Team later in this edition, as we are so incredibly proud of the hard work they put in to preparing for their competition last weekend! We're also wishing our Science Olympiad Team the best of luck at their competition this weekend! Go River Hawks!
In this issue learn more about:
- Important Dates
- UPDATED 8th Grade Valencia HS Information Dates
- Math Counts Competition
- Medieval Times Photos
- United States Youth Volleyball League Flyer
Repeat of:
- 8th grade Universal Studios Trip
- Hart District Jr ARTrepreneurs Art Exhibit
- DFY in SCV Parent Feedback Survey
- Young Champions Karate Flyer
- Attendance - too sick for school?
Have a lovely weekend,
Mrs. Bennett
Important Dates
February 19th:
- Presidents Day - NO School
February 22nd:
- District Spelling Bee at La Mesa Junior High
February 29th:
- Last day to turn in 8th Grade Universal Field Trip Permission Slips and Payment
March 7th:
- PTSA General Association Meeting, 5 p.m. via Zoom
March 13th:
- PTSA Chipotle Fundraiser Night
- Valencia High School Parent Information Night for 8th grade families
March 15th:
- End of Quarter 3
CLICK HERE for a printable copy of the calendar pictured.
8th Graders - Important Dates for Valencia High School
Almost all Rio Norte Students automatically roll into Valencia High School. *Note exceptions at the bottom of this page.
Valencia High School Counselors, with the assistance of our counseling team, will be sharing important information with our students. Please see these important dates:
- DATE CHANGE March 13th - 8th Grade Parent Meeting for incoming freshmen at VHS Theater at 6 p.m. Counselors will present and have a Q&A. You can anticipate approximately 45 minutes for this session.
- March 18th - By this date, all Rio students attending VHS will be added to the VHS Counseling '28 Google classroom (some students might see they are added 3/14 or 3/15).
- March 18th or 19th - our Rio Counselors will present in 8th grade English classes about the HS course request/registration process.
- March 19th - 8th graders and their families are welcomed to VHS's Open House - sports and clubs are present in the VHS Quad prior to the start of the evening.
- At the conclusion of Open House, VHS will send a communication to 8th grade families about the course request process and deadlines. The Google Form Course Request link will be in this communication.
- March 20th thru April 7th - Rio 8th graders can submit their Google Course Request form (must be completed by 4/7/24).
- April 8th or 9th - Each 8th grade student headed to VHS in fall will have a 1 on 1 meeting with their VHS counselor to review course request selections and make adjustments as needed.
*Please note that only a few exceptions apply to the automatic rollover - Castaic Residents and a small group of students per their IEP placement. If you are uncertain if your student falls into these categories, please reach out to Mrs. Ferry at gferry@hartdistrict.org or your student's case manager (Spec. Ed.).
Math Counts Competition
A HUGE shout out to our Math Counts Team under the direction of Ms. Groller. They competed against other middle and junior high schools this past Saturday at CSUN and took 8th place and Most Improved School (from 11th place last year)! Our team was up against some magnet and specialty schools with math or science focuses and should be extremely proud of all their hard work and this important honor! Ms. Groller and I are incredibly proud of them and hope that they, and their families, are very proud as well! A special shout out to our former Rio River Hawks who came BACK to work with our team and share what they learned from prior experiences - what a way to give back!
8th Grade End of the Year Event - Save the Date
The 8th Grade end of the year Universal Studios trip will take place on THURSDAY, May 16th, so save the date! Permission slips were given to all 8th grade students in their advisory classes at the end of January. Please be sure to read (both sides) very carefully for all details on the trip. Students must be at school the day of the trip to attend and parents please take note this is non-refundable due to Universal's refund policy. Once funds are turned over to them, we are unable to get funds back to families, even for illness. Permission slips are due back no later than Thursday, February 29th. This is an OPTIONAL after school event to celebrate our 8th graders' accomplishments. Any family needing assistance should talk to your student's counselor.
Student Artrepreneurs Exhibition
In a new piloted enrichment opportunity at a few district schools, Hart District Students will have the opportunity to showcase their art in a business format. Through Heroes of Color and our Department of Social Work and Wellness, "Jr. Artrepreneurs" alows students to sell their artwork and take customized orders for their creations. The exhibits will take place on March 18th and 20th at The Centre (address on pictured flyer and PDF below).
DFY in SCV Needs Your Feedback
DFY (Drug Free Youth) in SCV is looking for parent feedback to ensure their program remains relevant to parent concerns in our community. Please use the QR codes (below) to answer this quick 5 question survey - no identifying information is required unless you choose to receive materials at the end.
Clickable Links if the QR Code doesn't work:
English: https://city.sc/dfyinscv-prs
Spanish: https://city.sc/dfyinscv-prs-spanish
English
WE NEED YOUR INPUT
The City of Santa Clarita is not immune to the dangers of drugs and the devasting effects it has on families. We all probably know someone who has been affected by drugs, directly or indirectly. Please take a minute to scan the QR code to take a five-question survey to help us bring drug awareness to community members and parents! Thank you
Española
NECESITAMOS SU APORTE
La ciudad de Santa Clarita no es inmune a los peligros de las drogas y los efectos devastadores que tiene en las familias. Probablemente conocemos a alguien que ha sido afectado por las drogas, directa o indirectamente. Por favor, tómese un minuto para escanear el código QR y conteste la encuesta de cinco preguntas para ayudarnos traer el mensaje sobre las drogas a los miembros de la comunidad y los padres! Gracias
RIO NORTE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL
Thomas Flores, 8th grade Assistant Principal
Shonna August, 7th grade Assistant Principal
ATTENDANCE Needs: Email lmcdaniel@hartdistrict.org
Email: bjbennett@hartdistrict.org
Website: https://www.rionortejuniorhigh.org/
Location: 28771 Rio Norte Dr, Valencia, CA, USA
Phone: 661-295-3700
Nondiscrimination Statement / Declaración de no discriminación
The William S. Hart Union High School District prohibits discrimination, intimidation, harassment (including sexual harassment), or bullying based on a person’s actual or perceived race, color, ethnicity, national origin, immigration status, ancestry, religion, age, marital status, pregnancy, parental status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, military or veteran status, political affiliation, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, sexual orientation, or association with a person or a group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics. For questions or complaints, contact Equity Compliance Officer and Section 504 Coordinator Erum Velek, and Title II / Title IX Coordinator, Mark Crawford. Both can be reached at the William S. Hart Union High School District, 21380 Centre Pointe Pkwy, Santa Clarita, CA 91350, (661) 259-0033, or by email: UCP@hartdistrict.org.
El Distrito de Escuelas Secundarias William S. Hart Union prohíbe la discriminación, la intimidación, acoso (incluido el acoso sexual) o intimidación basada en la realidad o percepción de una persona raza, color, etnia, origen nacional, estado migratorio, ascendencia, religión, edad, l estado civil, embarazo, estado parental, discapacidad física o mental, condición médica, estado militar o veterano, afiliación política, sexo, género, identidad de género, expresión de género, información genética, orientación sexual, o asociación con una persona o un grupo con uno o más de estos características percibidas. Para preguntas o quejas, comuníquese con el Oficial de Cumplimiento de Equidad y el coordinador de la Sección 504, Erum Velek, y el coordinador del Título II / Título IX, Mark Crawford. Ambos pueden ser contactado en William S. Hart Union High School District, 21380 Centre Pointe Pkwy, Santa Clarita, CA 91350, (661) 259-0033,
o por correo electrónico: UCP@hartdistrict.org.