Ridgeline eNews
February 15, 2024
RIDGELINE CALENDAR OF EVENTS:
Full calendar: http://www.ridgeline.org/calendar
Thursday 2/15 Middle School Information Session 6-7 pm
Monday 2/19 Regular School Day (Hazardous Weather Make-Up Day) & President’s Day
Saturday 2/24 Children's Choir Pre-Concert Rehearsal at 2 pm & Concert at 2:30 pm - Hult Center
Saturday 2/24 OBOB In-School Battles at Ridgeline 10am - 12 pm
Sunday 2/25 OBOB In-School Battles at Ridgeline 10am - 12 pm
Sunday 2/25 Lottery Application Deadline at 11:59 pm
Friday 3/1 Direct Donation Drive (DDD) begins
Wednesday 3/6 Equity Committee 7 pm
Friday 3/8 Art Show & Silent Auction 6-8 pm, Ridgeline Gym
Saturday 3/9 OBOB Regional Battles at Siuslaw Middle School
Be sure to check the full calendar at https://www.ridgeline.org as some dates may change. Please note that Ridgeline’s calendar differs slightly from 4J elementary and middle school calendars.
NEW NEWS
Middle School Information Session - Tonight, Thursday, 2/15 from 6-7pm
A virtual Middle School Information Session is scheduled for Thursday, February 15th, from 6:00-7:00 pm. This session is targeted for families of 5th and 6th graders who would like to know more about Ridgeline’s middle school program. Participants will be able to hear from each teacher about their programs and then time will be provided for questions and answers. The webinar format has been chosen so that we can record the session and make it available on our website for those who can not make the February date, while still protecting the anonymity of the participants. Registration is now open: click on this link to register for the webinar.
DO NOT MISS THIS: 2024 - 2025 Lottery Enrollment - Sibling Priority for Current Ridgeline Families
Siblings of students who are currently enrolled and will remain enrolled in Ridgeline in the coming year receive enrollment priority. If space is unavailable, students with sibling-level priority will be the first group selected by an equitable lottery process for placement on the waiting list.
In order to qualify for sibling preference, you MUST complete the Online Enrollment Application for any incoming sibling by February 25, 11:59 pm.
Children's Concert - February 24, 2pm - Required Rehearsal
The Eugene Concert Choir presents All Americas for Kids on Saturday, February 24 at 2:30 pm at the Hult Center. This is an educational concert performed for and with kids and it is a special opportunity for all lower elementary students. Participating lower elementary students are required to attend the pre-concert rehearsal at 2 pm, in the Silva Concert Hall.
If you signed up to receive 2 free tickets, one parent ticket and one for your student performing, those will be going home in your child’s backpack this week. Families can purchase additional tickets in advance at the Hult Center Box Office, with no additional processing fees, or at EugeneConcertChoir.org (professing fees apply). We hope many Ridgeline students are able to participate!
Ridgeline Safety Drills and the “I Love U Guys Foundation”
Ridgeline practices monthly safety drills and utilizes the Standard Response Protocols (SRP) from the I Love U Guys Foundation, providing a common shared language for students, staff, first responders and families. This school year we have practiced Shelter for earthquake and Evacuation drills for fire. We have also implemented a few Holds when it was necessary to keep the hallways clear. A Hold may be used if there is a medical emergency, an incident in the hallway, or another situation requiring hallways to remain clear for a period of time. A Hold is typically short in nature, and students are free to go about their regular routine within their classroom until the hold is released.
We realize that you and your student may have a range of feelings about drills or emergencies. By talking about different situations and practicing drills at school, it assures them there is a plan in place to help keep them safe and they know what to do and expect.
This month we will practice a Lockdown drill and later in the year a Secure drill. Your student will receive instruction from their teacher prior to the drills so they know what to expect and they may also practice with their classroom prior to the actual drill. Should an actual Lockdown or Secure be required, families will be notified as soon as possible, although our first priority is your student’s safety.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Volunteer Thank Yous
Thank you to all of the amazing parents who participate in the weekly Wednesday Kinder Walks! We appreciate your presence and assistance with Ridgeline students.
New Volunteer Opportunities - Outdoor Clean-Up Days
Spring School Work Parties - March 2 & 3 and April 14
The first Ridgeline outdoor work parties are just around the corner. With the Art Show coming up on March 8, we need volunteer help getting the school grounds looking snazzy! We have two primary goals for these initial school clean-up days: weeding and pruning. If you have your own gardening gloves, tools, rakes, etc please bring them! Join either work party, or sign up for both days, and help Ridgeline look fabulous! Click on this link to sign up for Saturday, March 2 from 10 - noon, or here to help on Sunday, March 3 from noon - 2pm. For both days, we are also seeking volunteers to bring snacks and beverages (water, coffee, lemonade, etc).
We also have an outdoor Mulch To the Moon work party planned for Sunday, April 14, from 10am - 2pm. We are going to have an absolute mountain of mulch delivered and hope to mulch all of the Amazon Drive-facing beds on the property so it looks beautiful for Student Marketplace. Ridgeline has four wheelbarrows, several shovels, many buckets, some rakes, and a few pairs of gloves. BYO gloves, shovels, and rakes if you have ones that you like and prefer to work with. Our hope is to have enough volunteer help to lay down new mulch throughout the school grounds. Sign up here to join one of the wheelbarrow teams, to help spread mulch, or to bring snacks for this epic work party!
Save these dates and sign-up now!
Special Project with Jesse
Do you think electricity is neat and do you have an analytical mind? Reach out to Jesse at jesse.cloninger@ridgeline.org to set up times, probably a couple of hours across a couple of days, to work as a team and use an outlet tester and radios to unravel the mysteries of the past so we once and for all have a complete and updated map of our electrical panels.
Direct Donation Drive
The DDD is the Direct Donation Drive. It’s the name given to Ridgeline’s annual campaign where we simply ask for donations. During this 10-day fundraising window, we host an Art Show and a Silent Auction in the Ridgeline gymnasium. Please save the date and plan on coming to see your student's art on display! Admission is free.
To make this incredible event possible we need A LOT of volunteer help! Sign-ups are open for event prep, matting art, and mounting art. In addition, we need significant volunteer help with event set up, which includes setting up the art displays for the event on Thursday, March 7. And you guessed it, we will also need volunteers to help with clean-up after the event.
If you are limited on time and still want to contribute, please consider signing up to bring 1-2 dozen store-bought cookies for the refreshments table. Use this link in Track It Forward to see the full list of volunteer jobs under Events, and thank you in advance for helping. Many hands make light work!
Volunteering
Volunteers are an integral part of the Ridgeline Community. Families pledge to complete 40 hours of volunteer time per school year. There are a myriad of volunteer opportunities throughout the year. Volunteers serve on committees, make materials at home, do grounds work, act as crossing guards, help in classrooms, chaperone field trips and much more. To help us get to know you better and your areas of interest, please fill out the Volunteer Interest form here.
To fully participate in most volunteer opportunities, volunteers are background checked. In addition to the background check, volunteers need to complete the volunteer code of conduct. After that, they will be issued a green badge with their name on it and notified that they are ready to go! Visit our website for more information on volunteering.
Track it Forward
Ridgeline uses Track it Forward for volunteer sign-ups and to log your volunteer hours. If you are new to Ridgeline or have not yet created an account, please do so! Last year we had a lot of folks forget to log their hours. Volunteer hour reporting is important for us to show support for Ridgeline when applying for grants and for reporting to our sponsoring district.
If you are a first-time Track It Forward user and have not set up an account you will need to create an account first. If you already have an account, skip to step two.
1. Go to https://www.trackitforward.com/site/ridgeline-montessori
-Select sign in
-Create your account
2. Go to the app store on your device and search for Track It Forward
-Download the app
-Log In
You are all set!
CONTINUING NEWS
Tier III Services
Employment Opportunities
Please help us spread the word. Ridgeline Montessori Public Charter School seeks a part-time tier III instructional assistant to join our passionate and experienced staff. Please see our website for application details.
OBOB Update & Volunteers Needed Feb 24 & 25
Ridgeline’s 3-5 grade OBOB teams will be competing in the in-school battles on Saturday, February 24, and Sunday, February 25, from 10am-12pm. The battles are game show quiz-like competitions and they will be held in the Ridgeline Gymnasium. Everyone is welcome to be a spectator! We still need a parent volunteer to serve as the Moderator, or question-asker, for the battles. If you are interested or have questions about this role, please contact OBOB Coordinator, Amie Chaudoir at 541-393-7054 or at achaudoir44@gmail.com.
The winner of the 3-5 grade in-school battles will go on to participate in the Regional Battles on March 9, at Thurston High School in Springfield. Ridgeline’s one 6-8 grade OBOB team will also be going to the Regional battle on March 9, at the Siuslaw Middle School in Florence. OBOB students greatly appreciate your support.
GO RIDGELINE!
RIDGELINE COMMITTEES & ORGANIZATIONS
Fundraising Committee
COMMUNITY NEWS
Fall in Love with Rose Children's Theatre
Are you looking for a spring activity that will help boost your child's confidence? Come join our cast of sea creatures in Finding Nemo Jr. Registration is still open for grades 2nd-8th. No prior experience needed. To register click here.
The Rose Children's Theatre has more auditions, shows, workshops, and summer camps. Be sure to check the RCT website for more information on summer camps and all they have to offer.
Transgender Parent Support Group
5th Annual Eugene Youth Math Festival - Saturday, February 24
We invite elementary and middle school students (ages 5-14) who share a passion for games, problem-solving, crafts, or hands-on math activities, to come to the Eugene Youth Math Festival. Kids who like math will have hours of fun and even kids who might not particularly like math up to this point will enjoy many of the planned 50 stations!
This year we will have Spanish-speaking UO students to assist guests who need translations.
*Please note that the Math Festival volunteers cannot take responsibility for unaccompanied children and that anyone attending the event may have their photo taken for promotional or educational purposes (photo releases are required for entry). Also, we recommend bringing snacks and water bottles for the kids.
Time: Saturday, February 24, 10 am - 1pm
Location: McArthur Court, University of Oregon, 1601 University St.
Admission is free and no registration is needed. Come and explore!
Back Youth - Spring Break Camp
Back2Youth is a 501(c)3 nonprofit educational & environmental organization located in Eugene, Oregon. We seek to bridge pathways to greater health, wellness and resiliency by reconnecting youth with Mother Nature. Our mission is to provide resources, education and direct access for all local youth to know the value of and to have regular engagement with the natural world around them, as well as, encouraging them to explore varying eco-systems, while also supporting their physical, emotional and mental wellbeing.
Back2Youth was launched in 2021, and in just three years we have already changed dozens and dozens of lives of youth ranging from 11-18 in the Lane County area. Our outdoor adventure camps are diverse and range from hiking, biking, fishing, camping 101, archery, rafting, kayaking, teamwork challenge courses, nature education, social and emotional learning (SEL), leadership, meditation, grounding, yoga, intuition work and many more mindfulness-based, self-empowering activities. We feel that it is imperative to help youth attain these inner developed tools to assist them along their journey to becoming more self-aware, sustained, responsible and community-minded young adults. If your family is looking for a Spring Break opportunity for youth between the ages of 11-18 years, check out the Back2Youth 3-day Spring Break Camp.
Tsunami Books - Book Signing and Presentation on February 17, at 2pm
I’m Jack Cooper, author of Silly Lily’s Rhyming Adventures in Nature, a child’s playful journey through the natural world around her. I’d like to invite the Ridgeline community of readers and future readers to attend our slide presentation and book signing at Tsunami Books on Saturday, February 17, at 2pm. For details on the presentation, click on tsunamibooks.com and search for events in February. For more information on the book, please visit the website www.sillylilysadventures.com. There are free classroom-ready downloadables and sample pages.
Library Card Fundraiser - February 24, 3-5pm at Tsunami Books
Ophelia’s Place - Spring Activities
Ophelia's Place is excited to share about their upcoming spring activities. Attached is a PDF with information. Please feel free to share within the community.
Positive Community Kitchen - A Cookoff for a Cause
The Positive Community Kitchen (PCK) is a youth-led organization that delivers free, organic meals to community members who are experiencing a health crisis. Our dual mission is a teaching kitchen that runs Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday weekly and allows youth and adults in our community to learn how to prepare, cook, and package these healthy meals. These are then delivered to families around the Eugene/Springfield area for free.
Every year, the PCK Youth Leadership Committee plans a teen-led fundraiser in the spring. This year they are gearing up for the 2nd Annual After School Snacks: A Cookoff for a Cause. They are looking for 6 youth & 6 adult chefs to compete at this fundraiser. Since this is all about the youth and supporting their community need, they are also going to have a youth art silent auction, youth band, youth caterers, and more.
The Positive Community Kitchen runs all year long and is always in need of volunteers. If you know of anyone who is undergoing a health crisis and could use the PCK services, please don't hesitate to reach out to Toni Bendix, Volunteer Coordinator, at 541-249-4942 ex:103 or via the Text line at 541-302-3776.
Positive Community Kitchen - learn more about our mission
Sign up to Compete! - for youth (12+) or adults to sign up to compete
Signup to Volunteer at the Event! - any youth between 12-22 years of age can sign up to volunteer at the event.
Pavilanis School of Music
Do you have a child interested in taking music lessons? How about youth bucket drumming? They have that too! Please see the flyer for more information and be sure to check out their website here.
Global Recycling Day- The Art of Bricolage
From February 23 though March 22, Maude Kerns Art Center will be hosting a show of art made from recycled materials by 9 different artists called “The Art of Bricolage”. In honor of Global Recycling Day on March 18, 2024, this will be a wonderful opportunity for students to see and get inspired by artwork made from used goods and discards.
Below is an e-poster that explains the whole project, including access to a Guide to Used Goods in our area. There will also be a display at the show with discount coupons and materials from many of the Secondhand Outlets.
Please consider bringing your students to see this fun and inspiring exhibit.
Contact Rogene Manas with any questions.
Websites: www.rogenemanas.com
www.artfulpaperclay./com
Author of: Artful Paper Clay: Techniques for Adding Dimension to Your Art
Facebook: Rogene Manas Artist
Instagram: rogenemanas
Pinterest: Rogene Manas