Ridgeway RAP November 15, 2024

November

• Thursday, November 26 - Ridgeway Book Swap
• Wednesday, November 27 to Friday, November 29 - No School, Thanksgiving Break

December

• Friday, December 6 - Munch-n-Read 1:50-2:20
• Tuesday, December 10 - Picture Retakes
• Friday, December 20 - Winter Parties
• December 23 - January 3 - No School Winter Break

Tuesday/Thursday Morning (7:10-7:35 AM)

Running Club - Tuesday, November 19 and Thursday, November 21

Afternoon Clubs

Monday, November 18: No Clubs

Tuesday, November 19: No Clubs

Wednesday, November 20 : Photography &Yearbook Club

Thursday, November 21: Choir

Friday, November 22: No Clubs

Thank you so much to all families who attended conferences (and to those who will attend next week due to teacher illness/rescheduling)! It was great to see so many of you and I know teachers had a blast talking about the growth and accomplishments of our students. Thank you for taking the time to make this a priority. If you still do not have a conference scheduled with your child’s teacher, they will be reaching out again next week. Also, thank you to all who contributed to our PTSA potluck meal on Wednesday. It’s a blessing to have a meal provided for our teachers on these long conference days.

Jeff Middle has seen an uptick in unaccompanied 5th graders (and younger) being dropped off at games unattended. They do not allow anyone younger than 6th grade to be present without an adult. This creates a supervision and safety concern. If your child is wanting to attend any district sporting event please know an adult must accompany them.

Thank you for attending the parent-teacher conferences! It was a pleasure meeting with you, and we appreciate your support.

**Reading:** We are continuing our work with informational text. This week, we focused on using text features to locate information within a text. We also enjoyed learning more about technology in the past.

**Writing:** This week, the students wrote informational pieces about technology in schools and how it differs from the past. Please ask your child about their favorite piece of technology and how it has changed over the years.

**Math (Mincke/Triplett):** We are concentrating on composing numbers using five- and ten-frames, while also continuing our work with graphing and collecting data.

**Math (Blades/Horn):** Our focus is on using addition and subtraction strategies to solve equations fluently. We are also learning about measurement and data, emphasizing standard measurements to find and compare lengths and heights.

**Fundations (Mincke/Triplett):** We learned the new letters h, k, and l, focusing on proper letter formation. Additionally, we introduced the new high-frequency words 'the' and 'like.'

**Phonics (Blades/Horn):** We are learning r-blends and l-blends, with an emphasis on accuracy and fluency in spelling. Our high-frequency words are 'which,' 'now,' and 'do.'

• The weather is changing! Please send your student with a jacket each day. We have a lot of students not prepared for the morning recess temperatures. Coats and jackets are required when the temperature is below 56 degrees.
• Second grade math has started Unit 4. We are practicing telling time on analog times. Encourage your student to tell you the time on analog clocks and the difference between A.M. and P.M.
• Third grade math is continuing learning strategies for multi digit addition and subtraction problems.

We are going to have a book swap for students! Here’s how it works:

• Students bring gently used books to school to donate for the swap. This is a great time to go through your bookshelf at home and donate books you no longer want.
• Their teacher will keep track of their donation.
• It is a 1-for-1 swap, so students who bring in 3 books will get to choose 3 books (max 5). *Note: all students will get at least one book from the book swap.
• On the day of the swap, all students will get to visit the collection of books and choose at least one book.

Bring books next week Monday-Friday (Nov. 18-22). The book swap will be held November 26.

Greetings RWE Families,

The comprehensive school counseling program at Ridgeway is for all students. The focus is on academic, personal/social and career growth and wellness. That is delivered through counseling classes every two weeks, small group counseling to focus on more specific skills and individual counseling as needed as well as parent consult. Please reach out if your student is in need of support in any of these areas.

Below is a recap of counseling class this Trimester:

In Class Curriculum

• Transitions and Social Awareness: Lesson 1: Meet the Counselor: (K-3 Unit A) The Rabbit Listened. Who can I go to for help when I need it? Listening game/connections (4-5 Unit C) Kahoot getting to know you: building connections with classmates. Students learned that school counselors are here to listen to them, and that the door is open to them when they need support. Asking for help from a trusted adult at home and school is a skill that students should be encouraged to do.
• Responsible Decision Making: (K-3) Ways to Stay Safe and the Always Ask First Rule: Students learned in our second steps lessons, the 3 R’s of Safety: Recognize, Refuse, Report: Recognize: Is it safe? What is the rule? Refuse: If it is unsafe: Refuse and say words that mean no. Report: Report to an adult if something is unsafe: Tell an Adult they trust. Students reviewed the Never Never Rules. Parents are encouraged to talk about safety rules at home with their students. (4-5) Keeping yourself Safe: reviewing the ways to stay safe 3 R’s of Safety, practicing assertiveness and refusing things that are unsafe: students did role plays for different scenarios and how to report anything unsafe. Reviewing never never rules. Students learned the Always Ask First Rule: always ask first before you go anywhere, do anything out of the ordinary, or take anything from someone.
• Ways to Stay Safe Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8CcVStRnhc
• Never never rules song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-dsAqJ3Ln4

• Relationship Skills: Building connections: listening to classmates practice and games, getting to know you. Students brainstormed friendly behaviors and scenarios in the classroom, on the playground, in the lunchroom and home, including role play. Specific skills of listening, using eye contact, friendly face, responding with a question, being curious and nonjudgmental, responding kindly, and caring about each other, (conversation starters to build connections, teamwork)
• Guess Who game.
• “Because Amelia Smiled”
• K-1 song: Hello Friend: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ywIu30lqKA
• “The Golden Rule”

• Responsible Decision Making: Bullying: Second Steps lesson and skills using the 3 R’s to recognize what bullying is and isn’t (not a mean moment, not a conflict) Bullying is when person(s) with an imbalance of power are mean, on purpose to someone else, either physically, verbally, cyber, or socially/excluded, repeatedly and it is one sided and the person hasn’t been able to make it stop. Students learned that each of us is responsible for making our school a great place to be, by making good choices, and stopping to think before you say or do anything and how that would make another person feel (empathy building) Students learned that conflicts happen and is something that can be worked out by talking it out, playing fair, being kind, listening, taking turns, using kind words and actions and refusing to take part and standing up for themselves or someone else who isn’t being treated kindly. Recognize, Is it bullying?, Refuse? Say words that mean no, and Report, tell an adult they trust for help. Bystanders can help stand up to bullying by refusing and reporting. Choices and Consequences: Students learned about choices and consequences and that consequences can be good, not so good or natural. Different scenarios such as eating too much candy, leaving your room a mess, doing your work, listening at school, etc.

• Child Protection Unit: Lesson 3: Using the second steps skills of the 3 R’s to recognize safe, unsafe and unwanted touches, role play assertiveness and saying no to any touch that makes you feel uncomfortable (unsafe or unwanted touch).. Reviewing the Always Ask First Rule and asking a trusted adult for help when something is unsafe. Lesson 4: These lessons will continue before break and a letter be sent home the day your student learns the private body parts rule. See attached: https://docs.google.com/document/d/10yBxvJSkPyRh3T5gpeox_1lL05ViaOGX/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=108090916073252691072&rtpof=true&sd=truewill

It is an honor and a privilege to be a part of the RWE Community and to work with the amazing students, families and staff at RWE. Thank you for all you do to support our students. Please reach out anytime to consult or if you have questions.

Best,

Mrs. Beth Ryberg

School Counselor

The Grants Committee works to identify grant options for faculty and staff that can be used for projects, clubs, facility additions, or classroom resources. These grants can be enormously beneficial to our students and teachers, and you can help! If you work for a company or organization that offers grants- or you are aware of other grant opportunities- please let us know. We are always looking for new options to explore. Also, we are on the lookout for some used laptops for our Yearbook Club, so if you have contacts with a company or organization that donates old laptops, we would love that information!

Feel free to email any grant information to Kali.Wright-Smith@wcmo.edu.

Thanks in advance!

Childcare is available in the gym for every PTSA meeting unless otherwise noted. PTSA meetings are typically the second Thursday of the month. There is no meeting in December.

If you would like to donate to a specific cause, you can venmo PTSA @ridgeway_ptsa and put your cause/intention in the description.