Navigating the River

Each week, you will receive our newsletter containing important dates, events, and school news. Navigating the River is one of the best ways to stay up to date on what's happening at the River and ways to get involved to help make this school year the best yet! #RMSGoodAsGold

• February 23rd - Boosterthon Glow Run/Celebration during Connections
• February 26th - 6th Grade Mock Milestones
• February 27th - 7th Grade Mock Milestones
• February 28th - 8th Grade Mock Milestones
• February 29th - Golf and Track Team Pictures (4:15 PM @ RMS)
• March 1st - Peer Leaders Applications Due
• March 11th - Football Informational Meeting @ 6:00 pm
  
• March 12th - Attack the Day Workouts begin
• March 13th - PTSO Spirit Night @ Alessio's (3775 Windermere Pkwy)
• March 14th - Early Release Day
• March 15th - No School for Students
• March 19th - Parent University @ RMS - 6:00 pm
• April 1st - 5th - Spring Break

Get important information even faster by following us on Facebook and Twitter (X)!

Facebook: www.facebook.com/riverwatchms

Twitter (X): www.twitter.com/RiverwatchMS

Parents, we need your help! We have some opportunities for you to volunteer some time at the school (while also getting to see your student)! If you can donate some time, please fill out the links below!

2/23 - Glow Run

Mock Milestones are coming soon and that brings a schedule change to accommodate the testing periods each day. Check the days and schedule here to see the different bell schedules for each day!

6th Grade - 2/26

7th Grade - 2/27

8th Grade - 2/28

Congratulations Yashika Dixit on winning 2nd Place in the Georgia Recycling Coalition's Recycled Art Contest (Ages 11-13) contest. The judges were truly impressed by your piece.

Winners will be showcased and highlighted on the Georgia Recycling Coalition's website (georgiarecycles.org) and social media (@garecycles) in April as part of Earth Month celebrations.

Congratulations to 6th grader Ella Kim for being awarded Honorable Mention in the district-level competition for Young Georgia Authors! Ella, who is in Ms. Alvarez's class, was awarded Honorable Mention for her story titled "In This World."

Riverwatch Middle School parents and families,

Our main fundraiser, the Riverwatch Middle Glow Run has kicked off and we are in the middle of our major fundraising campaign! We have a goal for 80% participation (registered and $15 Pay to Play donation made). Students are competing with their teams to earn team prizes while also earning individual prizes based on their donations!

Mark your Calendars!

• Register your student on MYBOOSTER.COM under your Panther Time teacher and donate your $15 Pay to Play flat donation.
• Check our Facebook and Campus blasts each day to see the Nightly Challenge!
• Event Day on 02/23/2024

**Note: There is a $15 flat donation required for students to participate in the Glow Run and Glow Celebration! This donation also allows your student the privilege to participate in nightly class incentives during the program.**

Riverwatch students had a fun time spending their Quarter 2 PRIDE points in January. Students had many different ways they could spend their points. The PBIS team offered 2 very different but equally enjoyable activities for students to choose from during the purchase window. The first activity was making Winter Gnomes. Each grade level had a teacher hosting this activity. Students enjoyed making the cute furry toys with their friends. Coach Unger and Coach Garner hosted a Winter Games activity in the gym which always draws a lot of interest from our active RMS students. Students who did not purchase an activity with their PRIDE points shopped for goodies using the PBIS app… AND SHOP THEY DID!!! Overall we had 1,682 purchases from the PRIDE store and 109 students participated in one of our fun activities!! In addition to our Q2 PRIDE points activities we had 15 students who were top PRIDE points winners for the month of January. The students are listed below:

• P (Personal Responsibility)
• 6th - R. Kading
• 7th - T. Fu
• 8th - E. Hill
• R (Responsibility)
• 6th - M. Priymakov
• 7th - L. Han
• 8th - P. Guru
• I (Integrity)
• 6th - S. Ramkumar
• 7th - S. Paramatmuni
• 8th - A. Alteri
• D (Determination)
• 6th - E. Luong
• 7th - E. Panquito
• 8th - K. Budim
• E (Empathy)
• 6th - S. Ferguson
• 7th - G. Ruiz
• 8th - V. Momotok

RMS PANTHER PRIDE IS GOING STRONG!! We are still encouraging students to exhibit their PRIDE behaviors so they can earn points for our end of the year PRIDE celebration activities.

The Riverwatch Middle School MATHCOUNTS Team had an outstanding weekend at the MATHCOUNTS Northeast Georgia Chapter this past Saturday. Our results are as follows:

Our MATHCOUNTS Team which consisted of Tejas G., Yun Tian L., Nia L., and Jason C. placed 2nd overall.

Individual winners:

2nd Tejas G.

5th Yun Tian L.

7th Nia L.

19th Sashya K.

29th Emily Z.

30th Jason C.

Countdown Round Winner: Tejas G.

All students listed above will advance to the State Competition in March!

Congratulations to the following students on being selected from the Northwest Georgia Regional Science & Engineering Fair (last Friday in Cartersville) to compete in the 2024 Georgia Science & Engineering Fair (GSEF):

NeoCare- Nila P., Anika V., Arani P.

CosmoFrost- Dhiya P., Eileen Y., Vaiga A.

NanoGenuity: Crafting a Sip towards Health- Rushi B.

By making it to GSEF, their achievements and hard work have earned them a place among the top young STEM researchers in the state. At GSEF they will have the opportunity to share their research with leading scientists and engineers and compete for awards, honors, and scholarships. GSEF will take place at The Classic Center in Athens, April 11-13, 2024.

A HUGE thank you to all the 8th Grade Science teachers for sponsoring our students and an extra GIANT thank you to Ms. Smyth for her tireless effort to organize and put on the in-school science fair!

February is Black History Month which was created to recognize the significant achievements and culture of Black Americans. To read more about these contributions, see the link below!

Black History Month - Notable Figures

The National Center for Civil and Human Rights (Atlanta, GA) has family activities in celebration of Black History Month. Each week offers different themes related to famous contributions to the world. Activities and giveaways will be held throughout the building every weekend from 12 pm to 5 pm. For more information, visit the Center's website!

Our very own Ms. Rosseter, orchestra director at RMS, has been chosen as the recipient of the Professional Development Scholarship Opportunity for Educators from the National Aviation Hall of Fame! We are so lucky to have Ms. Rosseter leading our orchestra program at the River!

Good evening parents,

ATD (Attack the Day) workouts will begin Tuesday, March 12th, 2024, at 7 am in the morning. These workouts are for any 6th or 7th grade boy or girl who wants to work out each week to help them become stronger on and off the field or court. The workouts will be every Tuesday and Friday at 7 am. All students will be dropped off at the front entrance of the school and will walk around outside to the gym door where Coach Garner will be there to check them in.

Below you will find the ATD workout dates:

March 12th (First Day)

March 15th

March 19th

March 22nd

March 26th

March 29th

April 9th

April 12th

April 16th

April 19th (Last Day)

Please use the link below to sign your student up for the ATD Workouts.

https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=ucFBvII3AkSp4r-McSVXkByT9FVFtBFIingOsbeTBNdUM1JTWE05S0tEODZPSVJXUTBBMU5VSVJWMC4u

Thank you,

Kimbra Balthazor (Football Coordinator)

40 RMS DECA students participated in the State Career Development Conference last week in Atlanta.

We had 8 students place in the Top 8 in their event.

Anushka Dingare - 1st Place in Middle School Principles of Marketing

Adya Dharni - 2nd Place in Middle School Theme Speech

Sanika Khairnar - 3rd Place in Middle School Principles of Business and Administration

Samaira Budhwani placed in Middle School Role Play

Aiyana Verma placed in Middle School Principles of Hospitality and Tourism

Natalia Gomez Gonzalez, Rayna Patel, and Ashley Scheffler placed in Middle School Promotional Pitch

AND…Alexis Lee participated in a high school event and got 5th Place in the Entrepreneurship Individual Series and has qualified for the International Conference in Anaheim, California!

Our students wouldn't be this successful without the hard work and dedication of their sponsor, Ms. Ruckert! She was recently featured in the Forsyth County News for her effort, dedication, and love of what she does!

Check out the article here!

Applications will go live on February 5th. Any 6th grader interested is welcome to apply!

If your student is interested in playing football for the 2024-2025 school year, please attend the informational meeting that will be held on Monday, March 11th, 2024, at 6 pm in the Riverwatch Middle School Cafeteria. We will be discussing all things football (games, payment, spring workouts, summer camp, and fall football season). If you are planning on attending, please fill out the following form.

https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=ucFBvII3AkSp4r-McSVXkByT9FVFtBFIingOsbeTBNdUM0pXVFdDQzJWUTAxVThYNVRJWE1CQVNRWC4u

Any questions can be emailed to Kimbra Balthazor at f35013@forsyth.k12.ga.us

Our most recent digital citizenship student lessons focused on digital footprints and responsibility. To partner with parents in protecting our students, we have compiled a list of resources available to support proper digital citizenship!

Resources:

• Internet Safety Guidelines and Conversation Starters from Forsyth County Sheriff's Office
• Guarding Your Child's Digital Footprint: A Parent's Ultimate Guide
• Parental Controls for Windows
• Parental Controls for Macs
• Parental Controls for Androids
• Parental Controls for iPhones

• Attendance (Excuses, Check-In/Check-Out), Attendance Update Letter from Ms. MacAllaster
  
• Transportation Changes
• Updated Exam Policy for 2023-2024
• Joining PTSO
• RMS Panther News
• Yearbook Ordering - Order #1287 (Riverwatch Middle School)
• Previous Editions of Navigating the River - January 31, January 24, January 17, January 10, December 20, December 13, December 6