River Valley Academy News

This week marks the half-way point in the trimester! Students should be at least halfway done with all 5 of the classes they started in August!

Also, we have multiple important events happening this week, including Picture Day on Monday, Count Day and a Developing Healthy Kids event on Vaping on Wednesday, and HOCO (Homecoming) spirt days all week. More details on these events can be found below!

Please reach out with any questions or concerns, or if there is anything you need!

Take care,

Jenny Thompson

Director of Adult and Alternative Education

Rockford Public Schools

All students will be photographed for their RPS ID card and parents will have the option to purchase photos. Photos will also be used throughout the year for student recognition. Photographers will be at RVA on Monday, October 2. Look for an order form from your student!

Twice a year, Michigan public schools are required to count students. Students must be present for all classes on October 4, as they are counted in every class! Please don't schedule appointments on this day, and please make every effort to attend! Thank you!

Counselors from Arbor Circle will be coming to RVA on Fridays at 10:00 to offer a therapy group. The first group of the year will begin on October 20! Coping skills, adulting, and other student-initiated topics will be covered. Here is a link to the Arbor Circle website if you would like more information.

Students and teachers will meet Monday to evaluate progress on goals for weeks 5 and 6 of trimester 1 and to set goals for weeks 7 and 8. Goals should reflect efforts to complete all 5 classes before November 10, the end of the trimester.

Students (and their parents) who didn't meet their goals for two goal setting periods (4 school weeks) will be invited to an Academic Progress Support Plan Meeting. A component of the meeting will be to build a plan to support students in meeting their goals.

Progress Reports for the current two-week goal setting period will be emailed to parents on Friday, October 6, by 2:20 PM. Please let us know if you are not receiving that email from your student's advisor every two weeks!

Students who did not meet at least 3 out of 5 goals for two 2-week goal setting periods have been referred by their advisors for an Academic Progress Support Plan meeting. Cecily will be calling to schedule these meetings. Parents and students will be asked to attend, and the agenda will be to complete this plan.

To help our students learn to be successful in school and in life, we will be incorporating employability skills/ Social Emotional Learning lessons. Teachers will lead interactive lessons on the Essential Academic and Social Behavior Standards during RAM time. We believe these lessons will be an enormous help and support for our students!

To prepare adequately for the Michigan Merit Exam in April, RPS juniors will be taking the NMSQT/PSAT the week of October 23. This year, the SAT will be given online. RVA juniors will take the NMSQT/PSAT to practice using this new format.

Our school day will begin at 7:45 and end at 2:18. Here is a look at the class time schedule: Daily Schedule.

With Rockford's trimester high school system, students are expected to complete 2.5 credits (5 classes) each trimester, for a total of 7.5 credits each year. Students will begin the year with 5 classes, which should be completed by November 10. While November 10 seems like a long way off, trimesters are about 12 weeks long, so each week, students should be completing about 10% of each class, to finish on time. Completing this work will require students to make progress on assignments and activities in every class, every day!

Setting goals and making action plans is a key part of earning credit and graduating on time!

A graduate said, "Without you guys, I wouldn't be where I am today. Graduation is one thing, but the connections I have made with the teachers have taught me how to be a better person. All of the teachers at River Valley have helped me tremendously through my classes. The teachers are there to do whatever is possible to help you graduate."

We can't wait to get to know our students and to watch them succeed and grow into responsible adults! It's going to be a great year! To help you through, you can count on the RVA Staff! Get to know us in this section of the RVA News!

Jake Grasley has been teaching science at RVA for the last three years. His first two years were spent teaching in a private school in Fostoria, Ohio. After that, he taught Biology, Earth Science, and AP Biology in Reading, Michigan and Niles, MIchigan.

Outside of education, Jake worked five summers on a charter fishing boat on Lake Erie. He also spent a week in the summer moonlighting as a rancher in South Dakota!

Jake earned an associate degree from Monroe Community College and then transferred to Albion College, where he earned his bachelor's degree. He has also taken graduate classes at Siena Heights University.

When asked how he decided on a career path, Jake said, "I always wanted to earn a degree in Biological Science and when I transferred to Albion, I decided to go into education. I'm sure I was influenced by having a father who was also an educator."

Jake is motivated by his desire to learn and develop as a person and as a teacher. When asked what he enjoys most about his job, Jake said, "I've always enjoyed working in the field of science, but I also enjoy working with our students as well."

RVA courses are run through either Schoology or Edgenuity. Schoology courses are RPS teacher created and directed. If you want to know how your student is doing in these classes, log in to Schoology. If you need help getting in to Schoology, use this How to Cheat Sheet. Using a parent log in, parents can see messages and course information. However, if you want to see what your student has completed and what grades they have earned so far in classes, the best way to do that is to log in as your student. Students have access to the course gradebook which includes a list of assignments that need to be completed, showing scores earned on work that has been turned in.

Edgenuity courses offer parent updates. If you would like to be signed up to receive these, please complete this form. When the form has been processed, you will receive directions for signing up for the Parent Portal along with an access code. You will receive daily updates. If you want specific information on how your student is doing in Edgenuity, ask your student for their login information. If you log in as the student, you can see a more detailed report.

Good questions to ask your student include:

1. Are you attending all class sessions?

2. Are you completing at least one assignment in each class session?

3. About how far in each course are you?

4. What are you doing well?

5. What can you do better?

Parents and schools are partners in educating students!

Talk and Tour

Designed for students in grades 7-12, these free career exploration events are like getting 5 job shadows in one! Students can hear directly from a panel of professionals, ask career questions, and tour the employer’s workspace. Professionals will share their own career path, the inside scoop on what their jobs are really like, along with their perspective on what you can do to prepare for a career that interests you. Parents and Educators are welcome.

Offered each month, from 6-7:30 PM
Check out the current schedule at kentisd.org/talkandtour

Job Board -new resource!

The Kent ISD Workforce Development team recently launched a job board to help connect young job seekers with local employers. It is specifically designed to feature entry-level employment opportunities that lead to advanced opportunities. We will be working this fall to populate this resource with local jobs. Check out the Job Board here.

Recorded career videos are now available for student, parent, and educator use!

Kent ISD Career Readiness pivoted early in the pandemic and started hosting live virtual career conversations with local employers.

• These events were recorded and are accessible via a search engine tool on our website.
• These 30–60-minute career conversations will help educate students, parents and educators about in-demand careers and also expand their knowledge of opportunities with local employers.
• Search by a variety of criteria including Career Pathway, Program, Age Group and more.

Check them out at KentISD.org/CareerVideos

Scholarship Information!

Citizens Scholarship
Citizens wants to honor the dedication of students and families pursuing higher learning. There are no essays, no report cards- just a couple of easy registration steps to enter!

• Fill out the registration form to be entered for a chance to win a Grand Prize of $15,000 to use towards school expenses and one of the $2,500 monthly prizes!
• Additionally, each quarter a student who meets the required criteria for the Minority Scholarship Prize will be eligible to win a $2,500 quarterly prize.
• This Sweepstakes is open to high school seniors, undergrad and graduate students as well as parents or sponsors of high school, undergrad or graduate students. Students must plan on attending college, or be currently enrolled at least half-time in an eligible, accredited undergrad/grad post-secondary institution.

SkillPointe Foundation Scholarships

• Multiple $1,000 scholarships every month for individuals pursuing technical/vocational training in construction, healthcare, energy, manufacturing, transportation and other fields
• Application deadline is the last day of every month and a minimum of 2 winners will be notified approximately 6 weeks from entry.
• Exclusively for individuals wishing to gain a certificate, credential or 2 year degree.
• For more information and to apply, click here

Scholarship Database
View scholarships and sign up for their newsletter to stay up-to-date

Hand 2 Hand can help with food and toiletry needs.

RVA has an amazing staff, social worker, and mental health liaison who can listen and connect you to resources! Visit the RPS Mental Wellness Community Resource Guide for important information and contact information.

Ele's Place is a community-based organization with the mission to create awareness of and support for grieving children and their families. Please find a very helpful guide for parents - how to support teens, as well as a handout titled, How to Help Yourself: For Teens below.

Also, North Kent Connect (NKC) is a hub of help for families who could use some help with food, utilities, counseling, and support. Please check out the flyers below!

Free Covid-19 tests are coming back. Starting Monday (Sept 25), households can receive 4 free rapid tests through USPS again. Order here: COVIDtests.gov. Shipments will start Oct. 2.

Fall sports information can be found at the Rockford Athletics Website. Fall sports include: Cross Country, Football, Girls Golf, Boys Soccer, Girls Swim and Dive, Boys Tennis, Volleyball, Boys Water Polo. Sideline Cheer, Field Hockey, Girls Rugby, and Equestrian.

Ram’s Tale—also known as OUR yearbook! Notes on Book Sales and Senior Photos

Yearbook Advisor: John Feeley — jfeeley@rockfordschools.org

Book Cost:
$65 August 1st through Friday, September 30th—We hope you buy here!
$70 October 1st through Friday, December 16th
$75 December 17th through Wednesday, May 31st!

Books can be ordered at yearbookforever.com
● Select Rockford High School for ALL 9-12 students
● Ensure to select Rockford, Michigan as there are Rockford schools in other states!

Senior Pictures— The Requirements / must be wallet size & in color!

Before submitting your senior picture, please consider the following guidelines and requirements.
Must:
⮚ Be a wallet sized photo (2X3)
⮚ Formatted vertically
⮚ Appropriately dressed
⮚ Not full length
⮚ Full color image
⮚ No sepia or other toned images

Preferences:

*Digital images 300 DPI or greater

*Digital images over hard copy phones, especially in the case of shooting one’s own photo

*Turn in early!!

Email Pictures to jfeeley@rockfordschools.org
Please Email Pictures: DO NOT send links!
Senior Photos Due By Friday, December 9th, 2023
—1 week before Christmas Break

October 2: Picture Day/Goal setting for weeks 7 and 8 of Trimester 1

October 4: Michigan Fall Count Day - All students must be present all day! DHK Vaping Presentation

October 11: RPS Early Release Day

October 16: Goal setting for weeks 9 and 10 of Trimester 1

October 27: RPS Early Release Day - students dismissed at 12:18

October 30: Goal setting for week 11 and 12 of Trimester 1

November 10: End of Trimester 1 - Students should have a minimum of 5 classes completed by this day!

North Kent CONNECT: Clients | North Kent Connect (nkconnect.org)

Mobile Food Pantries: https://www.feedwm.org/findfood/

Assistance with housing, food, utilities:

contact 211 by phone or text (800-877-1107), text your zip code to 898211

Youth in need of shelter: The Bridge 616-451-3001 or 877-275-7792 the bridge - Arbor Circle

RVA Team - A caring group of educators dedicated to meeting students where they are and helping students grow and succeed!

Email: jthompson@rockfordschools.org
Website: http://www.rockfordschools.org
Location: 350 North Main Street, Rockford, MI, USA
Phone: 616-863-6324
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rivervalleyacademy
Twitter: @academy_river