RES Rocket Weekly
December 2nd - December 6th
B Week
Character Education and Mindset
Character Trait for December: Self-Discipline
December Mindset Focus: We Love a Challenge
Discipline is a choice.
It's simply consistently choosing the
hard right over the easy wrong.
Self-Discipline is knowing you can,
but deciding you won't.
In our RES School Family, we value self-discipline
as we each choose to accept the challenges of life.
Work is hard and it's a challenge
that RES students and staff willingly accept!
Week at a Glance
Our Book Fair will be open all week!
Monday, December 2nd
10:45am Character Ed/Mindset lesson - AM Pre-K
2:30pm Character Ed/Mindset lesson - 2nd Grade Classes
3:00pm MTSS/PBIS Rocking Rockets Celebration -
Students needed to achieve 75% or higher overall positive percentage for November on ClassDoJo to participate.
Tuesday, December 3rd
9:45am - 10:15am Character Ed/Mindset Lesson: Mrs. Milller's Class
4:00pm - 5:00pm Competitive DI Team (Mr. Cross' Team)
4:00pm - 5:15pm SPARK (FLOW) Mentoring Club
Wednesday, December 4th
8:15am - 9:00am Creative Writing Club
11:50am - 12:20pm Tumbling Club (2nd/3rd Grades)
1:20pm - 1:50pm Tumbling Club (4th/5th Grades)
2:00pm - 2:30pm Character Ed/Mindset Lesson: Mrs. Cendana's PM Class
Thursday, December 5th
10:45am Character Ed/Mindset Lesson: Ms. Erdman's Class
11:50am - 12:20pm Maker-Space Club (2nd/3rd Grades)
12:40pm - 1:10pm Maker-Space Club (1st Grade)
1:20pm - 1:50pm Maker-Space Club (4th/5th Grades)
4:00pm - 5:00pm Book Fair open!
3:50pm - 5:15pm Art Club (Intermediate Grades)
Friday, December 6th
9:45am - 11:15am STEM for ALL School-Wide Activity
Upcoming Events
Save the Date!!!
Book Fair - Nov. 25th - Dec. 6th
STEM for ALL - December 6th
The Challenge: Design a map of the Ridge Elementary School Garden and Outdoor Education Area.
We need your help! Please send in any gardening magazines or pictures of gardens and seeds to help our students create their vision of our RES School Garden and Outdoor Education Area!
Please send in all donated materials by Thursday, December 5th.
If you're available to volunteer, and are approved, please click here to sign up to support this STEM for ALL activity for your child(ren)!
New Year, New Book Swap!
Books may be sent in with students or dropped off in the school foyer beginning December 6th through January 10th.
School Pictures - Retakes on December 6th
Students not enrolled on the original RES Picture Day will have their pictures taken on December 10th.
If parents/guardians are interested in having their child's picture retaken, this may be done.
- The student needs to bring the original photo package, including original envelope and all picture products, to turn into the photographers.
- A new form does not need to be filled out.
Please click here for Retake Day ordering instructions and forms.
Family Holiday Brunch - Dec. 12th
The RSVP Form may also be accessed by clicking here.
Please return the RSVP, with the payment attached, by Monday, December 2nd. Cash or checks are accepted.
Cost of Adult Lunches: $5.00
Cost of Unenrolled Child Lunches: $2.75
Lunch times:
Kindergarten/1st Grade: 12:10pm - 12:40pm
2nd/3rd Grade: 11:20am - 11:50am
4th/5th Grade: 12:50pm - 1:20pm
Family Movie Night - Dec. 13th
Dinner, starting at 5:30pm, will be provided.
Click here for donations needed to make this a fun-filled, successful Movie Night!
Cookie decorating and coloring stations will also be available for students!
Our Clothes Closest will also be open in the Art Room from 5:30pm - 6:30pm.
Important Informational Items/Reminders
Yearbook Cover Contest: Entry Deadline December 3rd
It’s back……. Yearbook Cover Contest!
We are holding a contest for student artwork and the selected drawing will be featured as the cover of the Ridge 2019-2020 yearbook.
The judges will be looking for creativity, authentic work and school spirit (Ridge Pride: Be safe - Be kind - Be responsible).
This is an opportunity for every student at Ridge to use their creative and artistic skills while having fun!!!
Please click here for the full contest guidelines.
Please click here for examples.
GOOD LUCK RES STUDENTS!!!!
Breakfast
In case of inclement weather and a 2-hour delay, breakfast is not served
Lost and Found
Please mark your child's name (at least last name) inside coats and lunch boxes.
There are many unclaimed items in the lost and found because students don't always recognize their own items or realize that they have misplaced an item.
Green School Committee
If interested, please email Mrs. Knight at jaknight@smcps.org
Outdoor Recess
As the weather continues to get colder, please note that students will not be permitted to participate in outdoor recess if they are not dressed warmly.
- All students need to wear a winter/thicker coat that zips/buttons.
- Any students wearing only a light jacket or sweatshirt will remain inside for indoor recess.
MTSS/PBIS Incentives
- Our MTSS/PBIS Team is recommending that the breakfast items be changed quarterly and we need your child(ren)'s feedback!
- Please click here to complete the survey with your child to have your child's opinion count! The survey will close on December 6th.
Rocking Rockets' Celebration: Monthly Celebration for students achieving a specific positive percentage on ClassDoJo.
- Students have had to earn an overall 75% positive or higher on ClassDoJo to participate in the monthly celebration.
- Beginning with the January Celebration (for the month of December), students will need to earn an overall 80% positive or higher to participate in the monthly celebration.
- Please support us in sharing the change in percentage by talking with your child(ren)!
- September overall positive range for all classes was between 92% and 100%.
- October overall positive range for all classes was between 90% and 97%.
- It is important to encourage and foster high expectations and the range of overall positive class percentages indicates that the criteria increase is reasonable for the majority of our students to meet.
Rocket Store: Each month students are able to "turn in" their positive ClassDoJo points for tangible items or intangible rewards (e.g., lunch with the principal/teacher, read a book to a younger grade, or extra recess).
- Beginning with the December Rocket Store, students in 4th and 5th Grade will only be able to chose from the "intangible" list of rewards.
- This change in practice for 4th and 5th graders is to move towards intrinsic motivation and opportunities to build relationships (lunches), give to others (read to another grade or help out), and build a classroom community (class-wide rewards like extra recess may be purchased).
Attendance Matters!
A student is considered truant if a student is unlawfully absent from school for more than:
- 8 days in any marking period
- 15 days in any semester
- 20 days in a school year
A student is considered chronically absent is he/she misses 2 or more days/month.
Click here for a video produced by St. Mary's County Public School Students on the importance of attending school.
See below for our October Attendance Class Winner!!!!
It was almost a three-way tie for the month of October!!!
Mrs. Robbins' and Mrs. Sayers' Classes were close behind...
Stay tuned for our November Attendance Class Winner!!!!
Box Tops - Updates and Reminders
As a reminder: Box Tops is moving to electronic submissions only once all current paper Box Tops expire.
St. Mary's County Public School System County-Wide Presentations & Events
Events Across the County...
RES Enrichment Activities and Before/After School Clubs
Tumbling Club
Session Day/Time: Wednesdays B Week during Recess
Session Dates: October 10th - December 18th.
Destination Imagination - Competitive Team
Session Day/Time:
- Mr. Cross' Team - Tuesdays from 4pm to 5pm
- Mrs. Haney's team - Fridays from 4pm to 5pm
Session Dates: Beginning of the week of October 14th through the week of March 2nd
South Central Regional Competition: Saturday, March 7th
Maker-Space Club (During Recess)
Session Day/Time: Thursdays during Recess
Session Dates: October 10th - January 17th (all students on the waitlist will be able to participate in the second session).
Art Club - Primary Grades
Session Day/Time: A Week Thursdays (3:50pm - 5:15pm)
Session Dates: October 17th - December 12th
Wait-listed students will be given priority if they apply for the second session.
Art Club - Intermediate Grades
Session Day/Time: B Week Thursdays (3:50pm - 5:15pm)
Session Dates: October 24th - December 5th
Wait-listed students will be given priority if they apply for the second session.
Robotics Club (After School)
Grades: 3rd -through 5th
Session Day/Time: Fridays from 4pm to 5:15pm
Session Dates: Begins Friday, October 25th.
Approved volunteers are welcome to assist! Volunteers do not need to have any prior experience with robotics, just a willingness to help!
Creative Writing Club
Grades: 4th and 5th Grade Students
Session Day/Time: Wednesdays from 8:15am to 9:00am
Session Dates: Wednesday, November 6th through Wednesday, March 25th.
Running/Walking Club
Session Day/Time: TBD
Session Dates: Stay tuned for our Spring Session!
Garden Club
Grades: Kindergarten - 5th
Session Day/Time: TBD
Session Dates: Stay tuned for our Spring Session!
FOR (Friends of Ridge) for the Kids!
Volunteering Updates and News
Click on the site below to access the Friends of Ridge (FOR) the Kids Site for additional news and information. Also be sure to join the FOR Facebook group using the link above!
Website: https://sites.google.com/smcps.org/respto/home
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/FriendsOfRidge/
Next Meeting - December 10th at 5:30pm
FOR meets monthly on the 2nd Tuesday of the month with alternating times of 4:15pm and 5:30pm to accommodate the availability of parents and families.
As many families may not be able to attend evening meetings, other options are available to support and participate in activities FOR the Kids. Meeting notes will be posted below for families unable to attend meetings and notifications of volunteer opportunities will be shared via our Rocket Weekly for Families and ClassDojo.
Previous Meetings are posted below:
- November 2019 Meeting Notes
- October 2019 Meeting Notes
- September 2019 Meeting Notes
The St. Mary's County Public School System (SMCPS) believes volunteer service to our schools is an essential component of student success.
At Ridge Elementary School, we are continually striving to build opportunities for our families and community members to volunteer to support both students and staff. We understand, and believe, that the success of our students comes from the partnership we have between homes and school. Only working together, collaboratively and collectively, will our students SOAR to Great Heights!
As we encourage and foster opportunities for volunteers, we also need to ensure the safety and security of all of our students and your children. All volunteers (e.g., field trips and assistance with small groups) must be a registered SMCPS Volunteer.
Please click here to begin the SMCPS Volunteer Registration Process if you're not a registered volunteer.
RES Students Soar to Great Heights!!!!
RES Spirit Webstore is OPEN!
Offering several different items to show your RES Pride all year!
Orders may be made at any time and most items come in a variety of color combinations.
If a paper copy is needed to place an order please contact the RES Main Office and one will be sent home.
Please click here to access the site.
RES Twitter
Please follow us: @res_smcps. We will be using Twitter for updates and reminders as well as a means of showcasing for everyone all of our Ridge Pride!