
Ridgeline eNews
May 30, 2024
RIDGELINE CALENDAR OF EVENTS:
Full calendar: http://www.ridgeline.org/calendar
May
Thursday 5/30 End of the Year Picnic at Ridgeline 5:30-7pm
Friday 5/31 Budget Committee Meeting 8:30-11am
June
Tuesday 6/4 Fundraising Committee Meeting 9am
Tuesday 6/4 Flower Planting Epic Work Party, 3:30-5pm at Ridgeline
Wednesday 6/5 Equity Committee Meeting 7pm
Thursday 6/6 8th Grade Graduation & Ice Cream Social 6pm
Friday 6/7 No School - Grading Day
Last Week of School
Monday 6/10 Middle School Adventure Trip - departure
Tuesday 6/11 Upper El Science Fair, 3:05 - 4:00pm
Tuesday 6/11 Board Meeting 6-8pm
Wednesday 6/12 Middle School Adventure Trip - return
Thursday 6/13 Field Day 9am - 12pm
Thursday 6/13 Last Day of School ***Early Dismissal at 1:05pm
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
End of Year Picnic - Tonight at 5:30pm!
Ridgeline families: bring your own picnic dinner & blanket, and gather out on the front lawn. You are invited to come chat with Ridgeline staff, visit with friends, and get to know other Ridgeline families even better! You will also have a chance to meet and welcome incoming families to our community (you’ll recognize them by their name tags)! We also encourage you to grab a few extra blue bags for the summer, during the event, or as the event wraps up. We hope your family is able to join us for this fun end-of-year picnic!
Handel's Fundraiser - A Sweet Success!
The Handel’s fundraiser did incredibly well last week! The store manager shared this was by far the most successful fundraiser they’ve ever had at the Eugene location! Together, we raised $390 - exceeding our goal of $300!! Thank you to everyone who came out and purchased ice cream in support of our school. We plan to do it again next year!
Field Day (Last Day of School) Outdoor Fun & What You Need to Know about June 13!
On Thursday, June 13–the last day of school–Ridgeline students will participate in field day activities facilitated by our PE teacher, Kyle Wood, from 9am - noon. Please send your child to school that day dressed for outdoor physical activities, including shoes they can run in, with sunscreen pre-applied, and a water bottle with your child’s name on it. Please also make arrangements for early dismissal at 1:05pm.
Interested in helping out? We need one adult to volunteer at each station and facilitate all the fun! Currently, we have the following 9 stations:
-Indiana Jones game, South Field
-Ga-Ga Ball, South Field
-Bubbles
-Tattoos
-Art Station
-Sponge Tag
-Water and popsicles
-Obstacle Course
-Dodgeball/Fireball
Click this link in Track it Forward to view the volunteer sign up list and the donation request list. We still need a few items donated for Field Day fun. If you are able to help with any of the following, we greatly appreciate your generosity: popsicles (you can also purchase these at Costco) and bubble solution (available at Target). Please drop your donation off at the front office by Thursday, June 6.
Thank you for helping make this a fantastic end of the year celebration for all Ridgeline students. Please contact the office at ridgelineoffice@ridgeline.org if you have questions.
Flower Planting Epic Work Party - Tuesday, June 4 from 3:30-5pm
Due to the heavy rain on May 4, planting flowers was just not possible. Come join this epic work party, where volunteers will focus on planting flowers, spreading mulch, weeding, and continuing to beautify the space on campus that will be a memorial for Betsy Brandenfels. Click here to sign up in Track It Forward.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Volunteer Thank Yous
Ridgeline Classroom Organizers (i.e. Room Parents) play a very important role throughout the school year. They are committed volunteers who serve as dependable resources for teachers, and are invested role models for students, and collaborators with other Ridgeline parents.
Thank you to the following super humans, who have served as this year’s Classroom Organizers:
Kindergarten - Lauren Masak & Shannon Harty
Room 3 - Heather Conrad
Room 4 - Jenny Noyce & Megan Thompson
Room 5 - Jennifer Weaver
Room 8 - Shannon Harty & Rachael McEachern
Room 9 - Amanda Kreiger
Room 10 - Amanda Bedortha
Middle School - Nancy Willcox-Trent
Your clear communication, facilitation of classroom volunteer sign-ups, promotion of school-wide volunteer opportunities, and incredible organization has been greatly appreciated! THANK YOU for playing an integral role in helping our community connect and engage!
Finally, we would be remiss if we didn’t give a special nod to Jenny Noyce, who has provided leadership to this amazing group of volunteers. Thank you Jenny!
Track it Forward - Information for New Volunteers
If you are new to Ridgeline and have not yet created a Track it Forward account for logging your volunteer hours, please take a moment to do so. Volunteer hour reporting is important for us to show support for Ridgeline when applying for grants and for reporting to our sponsoring district, Eugene 4J.
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/user
-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!
Volunteer Opportunities - NEW
Facilities - Summer Help Wanted
Is it tough to get your 40 hours of volunteer time in during the school year? Do you enjoy being outside and working with your hands? We have some great summer volunteer opportunities for you to consider. Check Track It Forward to review the Facilities summer projects volunteer help jobs!
For all of these opportunities, please reach out to Jesse Cloninger, at jesse.cloninger@ridgeline.org to sign up (the School Community Coordinator will not be in the front office checking this list from late June through mid-August).
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.
CONTINUING NEWS
Please complete the 2023-2024 School Climate Survey about school culture
Why
- Ridgeline is committed to developing a school where everyone actively works toward the goals of equity and inclusion. This commitment is outlined in Ridgeline’s Equity and Inclusion Statement. Administering a school climate survey is a part of this commitment. The results will be used to inform our decision-making as we establish goals focused on reducing disparities in education.
What You Need to Know
The climate survey is a tool to gather feelings, opinions, and perceptions about our school climate.
It helps us gather, monitor, and report on our school culture and progress toward our equity goals.
The survey's focus this year is primarily on peer relationships.
If you took the survey last year, you'll notice the number of questions has been greatly reduced.
When is it Due
- Please take a few minutes to complete the linked climate survey by May 31, 2024.
- Our goal is for ALL families to participate, but we would really appreciate it if over 100 families submitted responses.
What About the Results
- Last year’s survey results will be published in next week’s eNews. These results along with the 2021-2022 survey results will also be posted on the school’s website on the family resource page.
- Next year, Ridgeline will be administering the SEED survey. You can learn more about it here.
Thank you for your participation and engagement!
RIDGELINE COMMITTEES & ORGANIZATIONS
Ridgeline Board of Directors - Seeking Board Members
Hello!
Do you want to give back to your community? Are you energized to work on a variety of diverse projects? Do you enjoy working collaboratively within a group? If so, consider joining the Ridgeline Montessori Board of Directors! We are a diverse group of thoughtful, inquisitive community members who enjoy serving the Ridgeline community. Prior experience is not important. If you'd like to learn more, please read this letter from the Board.
We will have several openings on the Board going into next school year. I would like to personally invite interested community members to join our meetings (virtually or in person), or to meet one-on-one. I can share information about Board responsibilities and insight about how we support the public Montessori education that allows our children to thrive. If you are curious about Board work, please get in touch via email at april-kay.williams@ridgeline.org
Warmly,
April-Kay Williams, Board President, parent, Ridgeline Equity Committee member
COMMUNITY NEWS
Lane County Public Health Pertussis (Whooping Cough) Update & Guidance
Lane County Public Health officials declared a community-wide outbreak of pertussis, an illness that’s more commonly known as ‘whooping cough,’ following a surge in cases within the last couple weeks, according to county officials.
Public health officials said on May 15 that, in the last seven days, the number of presumptive and confirmed cases have doubled, with the total number of cases at 40 and more still awaiting lab results. Some cases are linked, but sporadic cases scattered throughout the community suggest the illness has spread throughout the county.
According to the CDC website, “Whooping cough vaccines work but are not perfect. For people who've been vaccinated but still get whooping cough, their illness is generally milder.” Whooping cough appears similar to a common cold early on. Healthcare providers often don't suspect or diagnose it until more severe symptoms appear.
Early symptoms can last for 1 to 2 weeks and usually include:
Runny or stuffed-up nose
Low-grade fever (less than 100.4°F)
Mild, occasional cough
If you have cold-like symptoms, please get tested. In the unfortunate event of a pertussis diagnosis, it is paramount to follow medical advice, including taking prescribed antibiotics until completion, isolating until no longer infectious, and notifying the school if your student is diagnosed with pertussis.
An early diagnosis can help prevent the length of time a person is contagious. Individuals can transmit the bacteria from the onset of symptoms for up to three weeks after coughing begins.
Should you require further information or assistance, please do not hesitate to contact Lane County Public Health at http://www.lanecountyor.gov/publichealth.
Lane County Public Health urgently requests your cooperation in the following areas:
Ensuring that your Tdap vaccination is up to date.
Promptly referring students and/or family members displaying cough symptoms to see a doctor for assessment.
Stay informed about the evolving situation.
Additionally, Lane County Public Health advocates for good respiratory hygiene to curb the spread of pertussis and other respiratory illnesses. They recommend adhering to the following preventive measures:
Covering your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing.
Disposing of used tissues in a waste basket immediately.
Coughing or sneezing into your upper sleeve or elbow if a tissue is unavailable and refraining from coughing into your hands to prevent transmission.
Regularly wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
Using alcohol-based hand sanitizer when soap and water are unavailable.
Staying home when you are unwell.
For more information about whooping cough, visit the CDC website here.
Maude Kerns Art Center - Hosting Juried Art Exhibit Opportunity for Teens
The Maude Kerns Art Center will be holding the 25th annual juried Mayor's Teen Art Show in September, which offers teens an opportunity to exhibit their art and learn many valuable skills. The application deadline is May 31, 2024. There is no fee to participate and a variety of cash prizes and awards will be given including the Mayor’s Award.
This show is open to all teen artists ages 13 – 19 years old living in Eugene, Springfield, and surrounding areas. We accept all work in 2-D and 3-D art forms including but not limited to: painting, drawing, sculpture, ceramics, photography, collage, printmaking, digital art, video art, costumes or wearables, fiber art, jewelry, assemblage, etc.
Please visit our “Call to Artists” page to download the application and invite students to apply via email or paper: https://www.mkartcenter.org/calls.html. Please direct all questions to exhibits@mkartcenter.org and to submit an application.
Volunteer Opportunities for Youth 12 Years and Up this Summer at Positive Community Kitchen
Positive Community Kitchen creates organic nutrient-dense food for people undergoing a health crisis. In the kitchen, we have volunteers learning about nutrition and kitchen skills. Previous kitchen skills are not needed to join us, just a good attitude and willingness to learn. The summer cohort runs from June 17th to September 18th.
SAVE-THE-DATE: Thursday, June 6th 4-6pm for PCK's Summer Volunteer Orientation in the Stellaria Community Room, 150 Shelton McMurphy Blvd on the second floor above the PCK kitchen. We will be talking more about PCK and our services, learning more about volunteer opportunities, and eating some PCK food! RSVP Here: https://signup.com/go/ugXwDWg
Here is the link to sign up to volunteer: PCK Application & Waivers
YMCA Before-School Program at Ridgeline is Starting this Fall - Register Now
The Eugene YMCA is happy to introduce a before-school care program at Ridgeline starting this September! The before-school program will run in the Ridgeline Montessori gym from 7am to 8:15am, and is available for registration NOW! If you are interested in signing your youth up, please get started by clicking here. If you have any questions, please the YMCA Youth Development Team at youth@eugeneymca.org.
Openings Available in Before/After Care at Your School! - Eugene Family YMCA
The Eugene Family YMCA is excited to announce they have openings in the before/afterschool programs at Ridgeline for the upcoming school year. If you have not yet registered, please take a moment to do so. They have increased the number of possible youth in these programs next year, which means there is a lot of room for new families. Please help spread the word and share the flyer below.