Ridgeline eNews

Full calendar: http://www.ridgeline.org/calendar

Friday 3/8 Student Art Show & Silent Auction 6-8 pm, Ridgeline Gym

Sunday 3/10 Direct Donation Drive concludes

Saturday 3/9 OBOB 6-8 grade team at Regional Battles - Siuslaw Middle School

Saturday 3/9 OBOB 3-5 grade team at Regional Battles - Thurston High School

Thursday 3/14 Board Meeting 6-8 pm

Monday 3/18 Site Council Meeting 5pm

Monday 3/25 Spring Break starts

Monday 4/1 No School - Planning Day

Tuesday 4/2 Classes resume

Saturday 4/6 Outdoor Work Party at Ridgeline 10-12 pm

Sunday 4/7 Outdoor Work Party at Ridgeline 12-2 pm

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.

Exciting update: 16 wonderful members from our Ridgeline community, out of 193 families, have already stepped forward with generous donations, totaling $5,689 thus far! We're still working toward an incredible matching gift of $10,000, and we need your help over the next 3 days to make it happen! Let's keep the momentum going – every contribution brings us closer to this amazing opportunity! Your donations, no matter the size, work in harmony like the plants in a well-tended garden. Thank you in advance for supporting Ridgeline and investing in public Montessori education. Every gift matters and helps us get closer to reaching Ridgeline’s overarching fundraising goal of $98,000. Click on this link to make your donation today.

The Student Art Show & Silent Auction is Friday, March 8 from 6-8 pm, in the Ridgeline gymnasium. This is a drop-in event! If you aren’t able to stay from 6-8 pm that’s perfectly fine! We encourage you to still come, even if it’s for 20 minutes to see your child's 2 pieces of artwork on display.

In tandem with the Student Art Show, the Silent Auction will be happening from 6 pm - 7:30 pm. We will have several unique pieces of art, and 8 beautifully wrapped, and themed gift baskets up for bid. Starting bids will range from $15 - $150. The Silent Auction will conclude at 7:30 pm and all winning bids will be determined at that time. There will be a cashier available to collect cash, check, and card payments for our winning bidders.

We are looking forward to a wonderful night together, filled with creative expression, celebration, and cookies! We kindly ask that all students be accompanied by a family member and ask that students refrain from touching the artwork. There will be sidewalk chalk activities in front of the school, and access to both playgrounds (with family supervision), for wiggly kids who need movement breaks.

Merideth Turner, Ridgeline’s Art Specialist, is working hard to help all students feel confident in their art abilities. As we approach the Art Show, it is helpful to remember that many of our students might be sensitive about comments regarding their artwork. Here is the link to a great article, How to Talk to Kids About Their Art: Tips from an Art Therapist.

Please also review the guide below, for some helpful tips on how to facilitate this conversation with your student, while observing their artwork at the event. We will have extras printed out for you to pick up at the door, for anyone wanting a hardcopy.

Thank you to the 10 families who have signed up to bring cookies on Friday for the Art Show! We still need a few more, in order to have a fully stocked refreshments table. Use this link in Track It Forward if you'd like to contribute. Please bring your cookies to the front office and THANK YOU!

The Ridgeline community aims to be good neighbors at all times. We acknowledge that mornings can be hurried and it may feel stressful when there are several cars in line on West Amazon Drive. Please be patient and kind, as there are many children on foot, getting in and out of cars, and safety is of utmost importance! If everyone does their part, the queue moves fairly quickly.

If you do have the time, please consider parking along the sidewalk and walking your student to the “hug and release” corner. This helps cut down on the number of cars waiting on West Amazon Drive.

If you need to drop something off at the front office, please circle back around to the front of the school after 8:30 am, or after 3:15pm. If your child is leaving for an appointment, please pick them up before 2:45 pm. We discourage pick-ups between 2:45 pm and 3:05 pm. This is a busy window, as all classes are getting ready for dismissal.

We also want to point out there is a fire hydrant in front of the school and it is unlawful to park in front of it. You may be ticketed, or return to a damaged car, if an emergency occurs and a fire truck is not able to access it. In addition, it is unlawful to block the bus stop, and driveways. We have had multiple complaints from neighbors who need to get out of their driveway during the morning drop-off window and in the afternoon. If someone needs to get out, practice kindness and let them! Smiles and friendly waves are well-received!

Thank you for being mindful of your surroundings, following the law, showing kindness and appreciation for our volunteer crossing guards. They are a gift to us, rain and shine!

Have you ever been curious about how we utilize State assessment data at Ridgeline? Contrary to placing heavy emphasis on these assessments, we introduce them to our students as just another work they engage in. Interestingly, many students find this a refreshing change and enjoy the unique experience of the test.

Behind the scenes, Ridgeline takes the data collected from the test and level teams look for trends. Teams meet to deep dive into what trends emerge, cross-reference what concepts were taught and how, and collaborate on strategies to improve their teaching practices. The results also provide invaluable insights into each student's strengths and areas for improvement, guiding us to tailor our educational approaches and support their journey at Ridgeline effectively.

Moreover, the data contributes to reports for both the district and the state, playing a critical role in our school’s assessment and future planning.

Participation is crucial. Oregon schools must achieve a participation rate of at least 94.5% among eligible students each year. Last year, while our participation rate improved, we continued to fall short of this requirement. This under-representation can impact our understanding and support of diverse student needs.

As you consider your options for this year's state testing, we ask you to think about the importance of full participation. It not only reflects our collective commitment but also ensures the accuracy and relevance of the insights we gain.

For more information on this spring's 2023-24 state testing, including details on how to opt-out or exempt your child, please refer to the resources provided below. Your involvement and decisions are key to our collective success and understanding.

Combined 30-day notice and opt-out form (English)

Combined 30-day notice and opt-out form (Spanish)

OSAS Science Testing Exemption (English)

OSAS Science Testing Exemption (Spanish)

Both food pantries are nearly E-M-P-T-Y. Please help us restock it with fruit, fruit cups, rice cakes, all-fruit bars, fig bars, z-bars, and high-protein items including string cheese, nuts, yogurts, jerky etc. We are so grateful for the steady snack donations that help keep Ridgeline students fueled with brain food, ready to continue learning every day. Thank you so much!

Thank you Chelsea Whitney, Colleen Vehafric, Jennifer Little, and Trina Mills for donating sidewalk chalk for the Art Show on Friday. And a special thanks to all the families who are bringing cookies for the refreshments table: Chelsea Whitney, Colleen & Frank Vehafric, Gabe Tabak, Jennifer Horner, Madison McEwen, Megan Thompson, Mia Sims, Merideth Turner, and Tamar Hurwitz. We can’t wait for our stellar Ridgeline students to showcase their creative artwork at this extra special event!

Spring Outdoor Work Parties - sign up to help on April 6, 7, or on April 14

We hope to get 3 great work crews together for each of these dates and accomplish a lot. If you can only come for 1 hour, please still sign up!

Outdoor work parties will be held on April 6 & 7 to weed, prune, and clean up the Ridgeline property. Click on this link to sign up and help on Saturday, April 6 from 10 am - noon, or on Sunday, April 7 from noon - 2 pm.

You can also sign up to help at the Mulch To the Moon work party, on Sunday, April 14, from 10 am - 2 pm. 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 the Student Marketplace event. 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!

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.

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!

It has come to our attention that an increasing number of personal items, such as fidget toys, Legos, stuffed animals, special pens, and other toys are being brought to school by students. While we understand the appeal and comfort these items may provide, they are beginning to pose challenges within our learning environment. Personal items have been accumulating and, in some cases, have created distractions and other behaviors. As educators, it's crucial that we maintain a conducive learning environment where all students can focus and thrive. Thank you for your cooperation and commitment to maintaining a positive and productive learning environment for all our students.

Current Ridgeline families: we will assume you plan to return to Ridgeline next year, unless we hear otherwise. No action is needed at this time. If you are planning to make alternative plans for the 2024-2025 school year, please complete the Intent to Withdraw Form by March 22. If you have further questions, contact enrollment@ridgeline.org. We look forward to a great rest of the school year!

Let's support our wonderful teachers in getting resources and information to our students. We know that there are many amazing families that make up our community. If you have a voice to share, or resources, or time to assist with educational projects, contact Marty Wilder at martyfwilder@gmail.com.

The Ridgeline Board will have an executive session from 5:30 to 6:00 pm or 8:00 to 8:30 pm and a regular meeting on March 14th from 6:00 to 8:00 pm over Zoom and in person in the library. Action items on the agenda include: Contract Renewal Administration and Certified Staff. Information items on the agenda include: Formal Complaint Procedure and Process, Public Complaint Procedure, Discrimination or Bias Incident Complaint Procedure, 3-Year Projections, Evaluation for Executive Director, 4J Annual Review, Expectations for Student Behavior Student Code of Conduct. Discussion items on the agenda include: Board Budget Priorities 2024-25, Salary and Benefits Schedule 2023-24, Contract Renewal Administration and Certified Staff , Board Chair Update, Responsibilities of Traffic Control, Review Draft Recruitment Letter.

The agenda will be finalized and posted here by Tuesday March 12th; the Zoom link to join is https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88176985729?pwd=UDFvdGk0blZhZzVVbHR0RzlHWmFlUT09 Meeting ID: 881 7698 5729 Passcode: 766547. Board meetings are open to the public, except when an executive session is indicated on the agenda. All are welcome to attend. There is time at the beginning of our agenda to make a public comment.

You can always reach the board by email (board@ridgeline.org). Members of the public may also provide comments to the board in written form by emailing board@ridgeline.org prior to the meeting. The board will read (not aloud), review, and take into consideration all comments. In order to be fully considered at this meeting, comments must be received by noon on the day of the meeting. Please clearly label the email subject line as: "Public Comment."

Hello,

My name is April-Kay, and I am the Board president, a parent, and a member of the Ridgeline Equity Committee. For the past five years I have served on the Board of Directors. This year we will have a couple of openings. I would like to extend a personal invitation to you to join our meetings and (virtual or in person social gathering) to get to know the responsibilities of being on a charter school board. It is such rewarding work to be part of the planning, funding, decisions, maintenance, and regulating policies which back our school and allow for so many of our children to thrive in our public Montessori school. If you have any questions or concerns or would like more information, please reach out via email.

Warmly,

April-Kay Williams

april-kay.williams@ridgeline.org

Site Council will meet on Monday, March 18, from 5-6:30 pm in the Ridgeline Library. Students, parents, classified staff, certified staff, board members, and administration make up the Site Council. No more than half the council may be teachers, and no more than half can be parents at the school. Each stakeholder group meets on a regular basis to identify areas of concern and suggest agenda items for the full Site Council's consideration. In this way, the Site Council ensures that everyone involved in the school has a voice in how the school grows, develops, and is governed. Meetings are open to the entire Ridgeline community, and we encourage your attendance and input. You can reach Site Council through the facilitator at sitecouncil@ridgeline.org. Please don’t hesitate to ask questions or give input!

The Ridgeline Equity Committee is putting on an event for students, families, and staff around Gender 101 with TransPonder on March 21st from 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM on Zoom. You can register for the event here and read more about what we will cover below. Students ten and older are welcome to join.

Gender 101: VarieTea Transgender Education Awareness Services

This training was designed to share foundational knowledge around gender and all that goes along. This VarieTEA pack of gender 101 will include the following;

- Terminology & definitions

- Do’s & Don'ts

- Inclusive language

- Gender Expression & Gender Identity

- Strategies for Creating a more inclusive environment

- Pronouns & the importance of respecting them

Hello from Wordcrafters in Eugene!

We are excited to announce that two students from your school are finalists in the 2024 Fiction Fantastic Young Writers Contest: Roya Talebreza-May and Kai Suzumura will both have stories in our upcoming anthology, Realm of Forgotten Dreams.

K-2 Spotlight

“The Falcon's Egg” by Roya Talebreza-May, Ridgeline Montessori Public Charter School

Middle school category, grades 6-8

“The Green Ember” by Kai Suzumura, Ridgeline Montessori Public Charter School

Finalists and their families are invited to attend the celebratory awards ceremony on June 6, at the Downtown Eugene Public Library. Placement will be announced that evening and each author will have an opportunity to read an excerpt of their work.

Streaming will be available for those who want to watch from home on the Eugene Public Library YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/EugeneLRCS/. We’ll also be sharing the stream to the Wordcrafters in Eugene Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/wordcrafters

Congratulations Roya and Kai!

Ophelia's Place invites the community to check out their exciting new seasonal calendar of activities. To view the detailed schedule, please check the attached PDFs. Additionally, you can explore their website for more information. Ophelia’s place believes in the power of coming together and learning.

Transponder is hosting a Transparent Support Group at Theo's Coffee House, located at 199 W 8th Ave #1, in downtown Eugene. All families are welcome. Check out the flyer for more information.