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ROCKET REPORT
02/01/2024
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Dates to Remember
KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN FOR THE 2024-24 SCHOOL YEAR
* May 20th Honor's Day -9 AM Lakeside Baptist Church
* May 21st 5th Grade Graduation -8:15 AM (School Gym)
* May 22nd K-5 Early Dismissal 11:30/Special Snack
* May 23rd K-5 Early Dismissal 11:30/Last Day for Students
*August 8th - 1st Day of School For Students
HAVE A WONDERFUL SUMMER!
ADMINISTRATIVE
Gratitude and Goodbye: A Message from Our Departing Principal
To My Rocky Ridge Family,
Since I announced my leave a few weeks ago, I cannot tell you how much your cards, emails, hugs, high fives, clapping in the cafeteria, and words of gratitude have meant to me. As I have been packing up my office, I have so many beautiful momentos of my 14 years in this building.
Thank you for allowing me this great opportunity to be a part of the Rocky Ridge Family. Thank you for your trust, your support, and your love. While we have many pieces of evidence that speak to our incredible growth like our state report card, I am most proud of how we work together as a family.
Let me leave you with one more of “my mama” stories: My mom always told me that I am never alone. She said that behind me were all my ancestors, my family, and my dear friends that were cheering me on and giving me strength. She said to always do the right thing so that I am always bringing pride and joy to those people. Thank you for being behind me and walking alongside me. Know that no matter where I go, I too will be walking behind you and cheering you on.
With much love and gratitude,
Dilhani (Dil) Uswatte; aka “Dr. Dil”, “”Dr. Uswatte”
PS
I hope many of you will stay in contact with me. You can reach me at duswatte@gmail.com
Honor's Day
Dear Parents/Guardians,
On Monday, May 20th, all gr. K-4 students will be escorted by our teachers and SRO Morgan to attend Honor's Day at Lakeside Baptist. We will leave the school shortly after 8:30 to arrive before 9 am.
If you wish to attend, please arrive before 9am. Seating is available for parents in the upper section of the sanctuary. There may be a few rows for parents at the very back of the sanctuary, but that cannot be determined until we seat students.
If for some reason you do not wish for your student to participate, please email your child's teacher before 3pm on Friday, May 17th.
We are so excited to celebrate our outstanding students and staff. Thank you for helping us to make it a great year!
Dr.Uswatte
Retirement Reflections
As we celebrate the many years of service and dedication, we express our deepest gratitude to Mrs. Capra, Mrs. Cleavin, and Mrs. Ezekiel for their unwavering commitment to shaping the minds and hearts of our students. Though they may be retiring from their roles within our school walls, their impact will forever remain etched in the fabric of our Rocky Ridge community. We wish them all the joy, fulfillment, and relaxation that retirement brings, knowing that their influence will continue to resonate with us for years to come.
Congratulations to our remarkable 5th graders on your graduation from elementary school! As you embark on this exciting journey to middle school, we want to take a moment to congratulate each and every one of you on this significant milestone.
To our wonderful teachers, especially the 5th grade team, we want to extend our deepest gratitude. Thank you for your dedication, passion, and tireless efforts in guiding and shaping these young minds.
Checkmate Champions: Rocky Ridge Elementary Chess Team Triumphs!
Congratulations to our Rocky Ridge Chess Team! They all won awards at this weekend’s Hoover Chess Tournament. We are so proud of you!
SRO for the Day: Fun with Officer Morgan-King
SRO for the day winner Jonathan Fisher and his friend enjoyed popsicles with our School Resource Officer, Officer Morgan- King. They had the opportunity to learn about a career in law enforcement and even got to check out Office Morgan-King cool police Tahoe! They had a blast.
Salute to our 5th Graders
Congratulations to our remarkable 5th graders on your graduation from elementary school!
As you embark on this exciting journey to middle school, we want to take a moment to congratulate each and every one of you on this significant milestone.
To our wonderful teachers, especially the 5th grade team, we want to extend our deepest gratitude. Thank you for your dedication, passion, and tireless efforts in guiding and shaping these young minds.
To the graduating class, as you transition to middle school, remember the lesson you've learned, the friendships you've made, and the memories you've created here at RRES. Remember to stay curious, be kind, and never stop believing in yourselves.
Wishing you all the best as you spread your wings and soar in middle school.
Lunchtime Visits with students
Please note that lunch with your student will be concluding on Friday, May 17th and will resume on September 9th, 2024. Thank you for your understanding.
Lost & Found
If your child is missing a jacket, sweater,Lost etc., items will be out in the carpool area starting, Wednesday, May 23 & Thursday, May 24th at 12n. All items not picked up at that time will be donated.
Thank You and Happy Summer
Wishing everyone a fantastic summer break filled with relaxation, travel and fun adventures. See you all refreshed and ready to start anew in August
Yearbooks for sale.
We still have a few yearbooks available for purchase at $40 each. Get yours before they're gone!
Important Medication Information
Dear Parent/Guardian,
The end of the school year requires some housekeeping tasks throughout the school. The health room is no exception.
An adult will be required to pick up any medications that your child may have in the health room. Medications should be picked up by noon on May 23, 2024. Any medications left at school will be destroyed after 12pm on May 23th unless specific arrangements have been made with the Nurse.
When your child returns to school in August a new medication form with parent and physician signature will be required for any prescription medications needing to be given during the school day. All over the counter medications will need an authorization form signed by the parent. One form will be required for each medication brought to school for the 2023-2024 school year.
If you have any questions please contact me at 205-439-2930.
Have a safe and happy summer☺
Erika Hadaway, LPN
School Nurse
(205)439-2930
New Student Registration Information
English Version
Arabic Version
Spanish Version
MH
We are continuing our study of ocean creatures. We are learning about jellyfish and octopi. We counted the legs of an octopus and sang a fun counting song with jellyfish. This helps us practice number recognition and math skills such as counting, addition, and subtraction. We made a jellyfish painted craft and used crayons to color an octopus. We also used our ELA skills to respond and comment during stories about a jellyfish and an octopus. We are ready for the summer.
PRE-K
Our class wants to thank you for the many ways you have helped us! We loved when you would come to our class to visit us. We are thankful for all the ways you supported our play and learning. Our class will miss giving you hugs and saying "hello" in the hallway! Dr. Uswatte, "we wish you well" during this exciting new chapter! Love, Pre-K
KINDERGARTEN
As we say farewell to Dr. Uswatte, we would like to thank her for all of her hard work and years of service here at RRES! We will miss her dearly, and wish her good luck on her new adventure!
FIRST GRADE
Thank you, Parents, for your support wishing you and your family a great and safe summer.
The First Grade Team wishes Dr. Uswatte the best as she embarks on this new journey! We have been so blessed to grow under her leadership and will miss her immensely. We’ll be cheering her on as she ROCKS her role at i3 Academy.
SECOND GRADE
This school year has been such a success! We, as the second grade teachers, would like to thank you for all your hard work, enthusiasm, encouragement, and support throughout this school year. We have enjoyed partnering with all the parents, guardians, and students to achieve all learning goals and friendships. Please have a healthy, safe, happy, and fun-filled summer! We hope to see you all back here at Rocky Ridge in August.
The second grade teachers would like to express our appreciation for all the kindness, encouragement, and leadership Dr. Uswatte has given us all these years. Dr. Uswatte is always enthusiastic and helpful to both students and adults. She has been an exceptional leader and child and teacher advocate. She has encouraged us to learn more and has helped all of us continue to grow as educators. Thank you Dr. Uswatte, for being YOU! With much sincerity, From the Second Grade Teachers.
THIRD GRADE
Wow, this school year has been utterly fantastic! The third grade teachers could not be more proud of the growth and success of each of our students! Thank you to the parents for volunteering in many different ways to help make this school year a huge success! PLEASE encourage your child to read over the summer and work on fact fluency in addition and multiplication. Have a FABULOUS summer!
FOURTH GRADE
It is the last full week of this school year! We know summer is right around the corner, but let's finish this year strong! In Math, students are working on geometry. In reading, they are learning about different communities and how communities evolve over time. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your child's homeroom teacher. Have a great week!
We would also like to send our well wishes to Dr. Uswatte as she embarks on her new journey to the i3 Academy! They are so very lucky to have you serve alongside them! This isn't goodbye - just see you later! You will be greatly missed, Dil!
FIFTH GRADE
This week, we will celebrate our read-aloud novel, Chains, by creating poetry through a process called “Blackout Poetry.” We are continuing our engineering design challenge this week. Students will be investigating the concept of drag through the design of a parachute! The colonists passed the first two proposals during the First Continental Congress! Lexington and Concord are soon to follow, as well as learned about Common Sense and yet King George has ignored the colonists’ requests! This week, students will review previously learned math skills. We will solve one or two students Estimysteries each day. We will also be using all that we have learned this year in math to make a 5th Grade Level Math Board Game!
The whole fifth grade is really going to miss Dr. Uswatte! We created MANY lasting memories over the years and especially this year at Nature's Classroom. We all wish her the best of luck as she sets off on a new adventure!
Farewell Dr. Uswatte
Dear Dr. Uswatte,
I wish you all the best in your new adventure. Thank you for all that you've done for RRES and for me personally.
With love, gratitude and admiration,
Chari
Title One Reading Club
Alabama Literacy Act Information
Rocky Ridge K-3 families!
The year is in full swing and you may have received information from your child's teacher about their progress in reading. As a K-3 student in Alabama's public schools and at Rocky Ridge Elementary WE strive to make sure your child has supports in place so that they may make progress in reading across all grade levels. Please take some time and watch the Alabama Literacy Act presentation video. There are also additional pieces of information included for you to use to support your child at home. At the end of the presentation, there will be a QR code that you can use to ask any additional questions you may have after you have watched the presentation and read the additional handouts.
Thank you!
Erica Robinson, Rocky Ridge Reading Specialist
1. Alabama Literacy Act Presentation for K-3 Families (video)
Spanish Literacy Act Presentation
SPANISH VERSION - HOOVER Parent Literacy Act In...
Presentation, no video with sound/voice3. YouTube Video Alabama Literacy Act Overview
Erica Robinson
Reading Specialist/Coach
Rocky Ridge Elementary
M.A., Early Childhood Elementary
205-439-2953
Vaccinations Information
Please Read Important Information Regarding Head Lice!
Parents/Guardians
Head lice often cause unnecessary absenteeism from school for students each year. When students are sent home with head lice, not only do they miss school, but parents must often miss work to treat their child and clean their home. Head lice outbreaks are costly for everyone.
More information regarding head lice can be found by clicking this link. https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/lice/head/gen_info/faqs.html
Please help us do a better job of controlling head lice by:
Teaching your child not to share combs, brushes, caps, etc.
Checking your child for head lice and/or nits once each week. If you find lice or nits, treat at once with a lice-killing product and manually remove the nits. You may wish to consult your physician for special circumstances or instruction.
Notifying the school nurse if your child has evidence of head lice or nits or if their head has been unusually itchy.
To check your child, start at the back of the head at the hairline and slowly part small sections of hair while looking closely for small pearly eggs (nits) attached to the hair near the scalp. The eggs are not easy to remove and do not flick off like dandruff.
Thank you for your cooperation in helping us address this problem. It is our goal to keep your child healthy and attending school. If you have questions or concerns, please contact our school nurse, Mrs. Hadaway at 205-439-2930 or by email at ehadaway@hoover.k12.al.us
Medication Policy per Hoover City School
All medications must be provided and delivered by the parent or guardian to the school nurse/health room.
Students should never have any medications in backpacks, lunch boxes, etc. The ONLY exception is emergency medication such as asthma inhalers, epi pens, etc., prescribed and documented by the student's physician and approved by the SCHOOL NURSE prior to student having the medication at school.
SPAIN PARK YOUTH FOOTBALL
HEALTHY SNACK REMINDER
Healthy Snack Policy and Reminder
Special Occasion Treat Suggestions
All the items we sell in the cafeteria are ‘Smart Snack’ approved. Parents will often purchase treats for their child’s birthday celebration through our CNP Department during lunch service. This often consists of low-fat ice-cream and/or baked chips.
What NOT to bring for a Snack/Celebration
Please do not send candy, cake, cookies, soda, donuts, cupcakes or regular chips for snack. These are foods of minimal nutritional value (FMNV) and can have a negative influence on children’s health and behavior. Effective, July 1st , 2014, every snack that you bring in for your child must meet the ‘Smart Snacks’ criteria. See link for product calculator in the Resource section below to help determine if your snack is approved. Feel free to call the CNP Department at 205-439-1062 if you have any questions.
HOOVER CITY SCHOOLS ATTENDANCE POLICY
If an absence is planned, a completed Anticipated Absence Form/Formulario de Ausencia Anticipada MUST be submitted to the school office at least three (3) days in advance of the absence. This form is to be used for full day or partial day absences.
Excused Absences: Absences are excused for the following reasons:
illness
death in the immediate family
inclement weather
legal quarantine
emergency conditions as determined by the Principal/Designee or Superintendent/Designee
permission of Principal and consent of parent
When a student returns, the parent must provide in writing within three (3) days of the student’s return to school an excuse which includes the following:
a written statement from the parent or doctor stating the reason for the absence
the date of the absence(s)
the parent’s signature
After nine (9) absences in a year, Hoover City Schools may not excuse other absences unless verified by a physician explanation.
A form for anticipated absences can be found on the school’s website.
Unexcused Absences: Any absence that does not fall under the category of Excused Absence is recorded as an Unexcused Absence. Any student with 5 (five) unexcused absences during the school year may be referred to Early Warning Court in the court division of the student’s school zone.
All photos of excuses can be sent to rresattendance@hoover.k12.al.us
General School Information
HCS EEOC NOTICE
(Notice of Nondiscrimination for Mass-Distributed Publications/Mass Communications)
Updated 2022
EQUAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
(Board policy, 6.6) No student will be unlawfully excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination in any program or activity offered or sponsored by the Board on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, disability, creed, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, immigrant or migrant status, non-English speaking ability, or homeless status. All career and technical education opportunities are offered to all students regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, or disability. The district also provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups.
Mrs. Claire Jones-Moore, IDEA Coordinator
Mrs. Terri Coleman, 504 Coordinator
Mrs. Natasha Flowers, Title I Coordinator
Mrs. Natasha Flowers, Title II Coordinator
Mrs. Natasha Flowers, Title III Coordinator
Dr. Terry Lamar, Title IX Coordinator
Hoover City Schools
2810 Metropolitan Way
Hoover, AL 35243
(205) 439-1000
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
(Board policy, 5.14.1) The Board is an equal opportunity employer. Personnel actions and decisions will be made without regard to factors or considerations prohibited by federal or state law (as such laws may from time to time be amended), including but not limited to race, gender, gender identity, age, disability, national origin, citizenship, religious preference, pregnancy, genetic information, political affiliation, military service, sexual orientation, or other non-merit based factors. Subject to the limitations set forth in 4.6.2, the general complaint (grievance) policy (4.6.1) may be used to present any complaint alleging unlawful discrimination or harassment. Inquiries regarding compliance and complaint procedures can be directed to:
Mrs. Kristi Williams, Equal Opportunity Employment Coordinator
Hoover City Schools
2810 Metropolitan Way
Hoover, AL 35243
(205) 439-1000
Hoover City School 2023-24 Calendar