Riverbend Middle School News
October 1, 2024
Riverbend Families,
Communication and Student Safety
Welcome to October! This school year seems to be flying by! Fall sports are in full swing and our students and staff are doing some great things. We hope to see you at some of our home contests supporting our students. To ensure the safety of our students, all Riverbend students are required to be accompanied by a parent or guardian when attending any event at Riverbend or PHS. In the event of an emergency, such as the weather delay we experienced at the first home football game, we need to be sure students have someone to account for their safety.
I also wanted to take a moment to offer some clarification about communication. Our number one priority at Riverbend is making sure our students and staff are safe at all times. If a situation arises that relates to school safety, we will act quickly and follow our procedures to ensure the well-being of all our students and staff. In doing so, we must investigate all aspects of the situation, and it can be very time consuming when multiple other factors are involved. Before we can communicate any information to the public, we first have to be certain we have all of the facts. The last thing we want to do is create more worry by sharing inaccurate information. Please know that it is always our goal to communicate as quickly and efficiently as possible, and we will continue to take the necessary steps to make sure this occurs.
Finally, if you're ever curious to see how our day-to-day procedures run at Riverbend, please reach out. I would be more than happy to show you what a typical day at Riverbend looks like. We're eager for parents and guardians to see all of the great systems we have in place for the safety of our students and we would be proud for you to see them in action.
Parent Conferences
Parent conferences are scheduled for the week of 9/30-10/4. Teachers should be reaching out to you via telephone and/or email to set up a convenient meeting time. As always, you are able to schedule a meeting with a teacher or administrator throughout the trimester if you are unable to meet during this week.
Halloween Costumes
As a general reminder, Riverbend students should not be wearing Halloween costumes to school. As with any school dress code infraction, students will be required to change into appropriate attire before going to class. We appreciate your support in addressing this with your student as necessary.
Sincerely,
Todd Dempsey
Dear Parents/Guardians
I’m excited to introduce our upcoming group therapy program for middle school students, aimed at fostering emotional well-being and social skills. If you believe your child could benefit from joining a group, please complete the Google Form linked below to express your interest.
https://forms.gle/zBS4BfbG69hVk2BU8
This program provides a supportive environment where students can connect with peers, share their experiences, and learn valuable coping strategies. Your feedback will help us create the best possible experience for all participants.
Thank you for your support, and we look forward to helping your child thrive!
Immunizations due to the Nurse
Students in eighth grade are required by state law to have a Tdap and a Meningococcal vaccine no later than October 1st, 2024 or have proper exemption forms on file with the school nurse.
If you are unsure if your child is missing vaccines, please do not hesitate to call your school nurse or myself. If your child is up to date and you have not turned in your most recent vaccination records, please do so as soon as possible to get your child compliant for the state.
Prevention of head lice
Please remind your child not to share their personal items.
Head Lice can spread in many ways including:
Head-to-Head contact with the infested person
Sharing personal items like combs, brushes, or towels with the infested person
Wearing clothes infested with lice, which includes hats, scarves and hair ribbons
Using clothing or beddings that have recently been in contact with a person with lice
District policy for medication/ medication drop off
Please be aware that all prescription medications need to be dropped off by an adult/guardian to the school Nurse or Principal. Students should not be carrying medication at any time per district policy.
No medications, including over-the-counter medications, are to be carried in backpacks, purses, or on person for the safety of all of our students.
You can use the link below to access both breakfast and lunch menus for our building. Would you like to see something on the menu that's not there? Email Ms. Gail at gsimpson@mvr3.k12.mo.us your suggestions. Starting in October, we will have breakfast ala-carte. Students must have money in their account to be able to purchase these items.
Attention all 8th Grade Students:
Pacific High School has invited us to attend their musical “Matilda” on Thursday, October 31st. To be eligible to attend you must bring back your signed permission slip and $2 to Mrs. Schultz by Wednesday, October 30th. You also must not have any OSS for the 1st trimester or ISS from October 17 through October 31, 2024. You must also have NO F’s!!! Students who stay back will be working on MAP packets to prepare for that assessment.
This month's Beta Club Service Project is to bring in toiletry items for our building students in need. Please bring in either deodorant, body soap, or at least $2, so that we can purchase these items by October 28th. Turn these items into Mrs. Schultz (216) or Ms. Miles (210). In addition to turning in your items, please make sure that you mark the assignment complete in Google Classroom. Also, it is not too late to complete the September Service Project.
The 5th Annual Riverbend Craft Fair will be held on December 7, 2024. If you or someone you know is interested in registering a booth for this event, please contact Ms. Miles at riverbendcraftfair@gmail.com. We would also like to invite all family and community members to join us for a day of shopping. More information to come soon on times!
Article by Alexys Hampton, Riverbend Times
Photo by Haylie Behrle, Digital Media Student
This week's Staff Spotlight is Special Education teacher, Ms. Light.
The Meramec Valley school district feels like home to Samantha Light, a special education teacher at Riverbend Middle School. She went to school in the district from kindergarten through 12th grade.
She chose to be a special education teacher at Riverbend because she wanted to give back to the community that made her who she is.
As a special education teacher, Light often co-teaches in other classrooms. Light said she enjoys going into other classrooms and meeting other students, but it can be difficult to mesh yours and another teacher's teaching styles. She said her job is rewarding but challenging.
“I want to help kids develop life skills,” she said. “I want to help them to be the best adults they can be.”
Light is working on her master’s degree and said she spends a lot of time studying. She also spends time working a second job at a catering company. She even says she enjoys spending her free time going to her students' sports events, even if, so far, she hasn't made it past the concession stand.
Riverbend Middle School Information
Helping students reach full potential through innovation, engagement, character, and community.
Website: mvr3.k12.mo.us
Location: 2085 Hwy N. Pacific, Mo. 63069
Phone: (636) 271-1481
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RMSIndians