This Week @ Riverside

FBLA Shine Kits Community Service Project-our kids worked with the Barnett-Searing National Cancer Foundation (BSNCF) to collect items for the Shine Kit care packages meant for adolescents undergoing cancer treatment.

We held the kit assembly on January 18th and made exactly 100 kits. Fatima Zikria, Elham Fakhro, and Sabrina Lu were the project leads and did a fantastic job! These young ladies created the logo and the name of the kit. Riverside was selected for the 2025 BSNCF Youth Inspire Award as well.

Here are some words from the Barnett-Searing outreach coordinator (Brett Fox):

We are very proud to share the news that the Riverside FBLA/Interact was nominated for the 2025 BSNCF Youth Inspire Award - and you won by unanimous vote! We are so grateful for your hard work with the Shine Kits, and we look forward to highlighting you and your amazing crew throughout 2025!

SPRING SPORTS TRYOUTS begin Monday, February 24. Tryout times will be posted on RiversideRams.Net in the next week or so. All athletes must have turned in a VHSL doctor’s physical to Matt.Oblas@LCPS.org and have completed the online paperwork. Those instructions are on RiversideRams.Net under “Required Forms for Participation.”

Dear Riverside Drivers,

I hope this email finds you well. We are a week out from our Winter Break, but I’d like to touch base about two important matters that affect our school’s daily routine and safety.

When 1700+ students (walking, biking, driving, riding a bus) + parent drivers descend upon 1 location we must all keep our patience and show kindness.

While school starts at 9:30 am, that is the time students should be in class, not the time they are dropped off or parking. The doors of the schoolhouse are open early and students should plan to be here early. One of my favorite lines (not sure who actually first said it) is “if your not early your late.” This is a habit that will serve them well.

Firstly, I'd like to emphasize the importance of following our established traffic patterns for student drop-off. Our current system is designed to ensure the safety of all students and to keep traffic flowing smoothly. By adhering to these procedures, you help us create a safer, more efficient traffic experience for everyone.

Remember:

• Follow the designated route (Created by LCPS Transportation - see the attached image)

• Pay attention to vehicle movement and pull up to the furthest available space in the front loop

• You may also choose to drop off your student(s) along the traffic pattern and have them walk up to the schoolhouse. Often this is the faster route.

• Note: There is an alternate parking area on Kipheart that can be accessed for pick up and drop off. There is also a paved path to/from the schoolhouse.

• Have your child ready to exit the vehicle quickly

• Do not park or leave your vehicle unattended in the drop-off lane or front loop

• The parking lot on the “C” side (Kipheart Dr) “D” side of Riverside (Charlena Beth Dr) is not for parking or student drop-off/pick-ups. Those lots are for staff only.

Secondly, with the changing seasons, it's crucial to plan ahead for inclement weather. On days when rain, snow, or other adverse conditions are forecast:

• Leave home a few minutes earlier

• Drive cautiously and reduce speed

• Be patient, as drop-off may take longer than usual

In the last three weeks we have had too many instances where staff members were cursed at or who were almost hit by parents who were dropping off their students in the wrong areas. With these situations, I have asked staff to take down tag numbers so we can address these people directly.

Your help is greatly appreciated and will go a long way in keeping our student drop off and pick-up process safe and running smoothly.

Thank you for your continued support and understanding.

The deadline to apply for the Academies of Loudoun for the 2025-2026 school year is Monday, February 10, 2025, at 12:00 PM (NOON). The 2025 Winter Admissions Cycle is open to all currently enrolled 9th, 10th, and 11th graders interested in applying to the Monroe Advanced Technical Academy (MATA) and/or the Advanced Academy of Engineering & Technology (Adv. AET) programs for the upcoming 2025-2026 school year. Don’t miss out—APPLY NOW!

Are you a first-generation college-bound student? If so, consider applying to CAMPUS! While definitions vary among higher education institutions, LCPS utilizes the least restrictive definition of “first-generation”: neither household parent/guardian obtained a Bachelor’s degree from a U.S. college/university immediately upon completion of high school.

CAMPUS is a high school program that helps first-generation college-bound students prepare for college! Students learn about goal-setting, time management, applying to college, financial aid, scholarships, go on free field trips to colleges, listen to college & career guest speakers and more!

**The application is now open until March 7th and can be found in Student Opportunities through LCPSGO! **

Contact Amanda.Johnson@lcps.org with any questions!

To support students in various capacities, Riverside has provided after-school activity buses for 3 school days each week! This transportation system currently runs on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays with departure times of 5:30.

• See the picture accompanying this for the stops. (may not be your normal drop off)

National School Counselor Week!

Monday, February 3: A-Day

• 8:30 - 9:30 AM FCA meeting (aux gym)

• 8:30-9:00 AM Class Show Rehearsal (auditorium)

• 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM LCPS Student Equity Committee (Morreale at Admin)

• Electives Fair during Advisory

• 11:30 AM Admin Meeting (main office)

• US Army recruiter visiting during all lunches outside Cafeteria

• 4:30-5:00 PM Badminton (cafeteria)

• 4:30-9:00 PM Class Show Rehearsal - BB (1816)

• 6:30-8:00 PM Softball Rules meeting (1804)

Tuesday, February 4: B- Day

• 8:30-9:00 AM Class Show Rehearsal (auditorium)

• 8:45 - 9:15 AM NAHS Art Honor Officer meeting (1822)

• 9:30 - 10:00 AM School Counseling Team Meeting (Main office)

• Electives Fair during Advisory

• 4:00 PM Report cards posted in Parent/StudentVue

• 4:30-5:15 PM RAMS Writing Center Club (1130A)

• 4:30-9:00 PM Class Show Rehearsal - BB (1816)

• 5:30 - 9:00 PM Tri-M Music Honor Society Induction (auditorium)

• Girls Basketball @ Potomac Falls 5:45, 5:45, 7pm (bus leaves at 4:30pm)

• Boys Basketball vs. Potomac Falls 5:45, 5:45, 7pm (Northman)

Wednesday, February 5: A-Day

• 8:30 - 9:00 AM Class Show Rehearsal (auditorium)

• African-American History Museum Field Trip

• 8:30 - 9:15 AM RAMS Writing Center Club (1130A)

• 9:30 AM - 12:30PM ACCESS Testing (library)

• 4:30 - 9:00 PM Class Show Rehearsal - BB (1816)

• Girls Basketball @ Broad Run 5:45, 5:45, 7pm (bus leaves at 4:30pm)

• Wrestling Senior Night vs. Dominion 6pm

Thursday, February 6: B-Day

• 8:30 AM - 4:00 PM School Counseling Director Meeting (Mr. Mason at Admin)

• 8:30 -9:00 AM Class Show Rehearsal (auditorium)

• 9:30 AM - 12:30PM ACCESS Testing (library)

• 4:30 - 8:30 PM NAHS Honor Society Induction Ceremony (library)

• 4:30-9:00 PM Class Show Rehearsal - BB (1816)

Friday, February 7: A-Day

• 8:00 AM Calendar Meeting (main office)

• 8:30-9:00 AM Class Show Rehearsal (auditorium)

• 8:45 - 9:15 AM Red Cross Club meeting (1407)

• 9:30 AM - 12:30PM ACCESS Testing (library)

• 9:40 AM - IC Meeting (1510)

• 11:30 AM AP Meeting (main office)

• 4:30-9:00 PM Class Show Rehearsal - BB (1816)

• 4:30-5:45 PM VA Law Mock Trial preparation (L305, L400-L409, L504, L511)

• Basketball @ Lightridge (early dismissal at 3pm for JV Boys, Freshmen Girls, Varsity Girls; bus leaves at 4:45pm for Freshmen Boys, Varsity Boys, JV Girls) (Mr. Anderson)

• 5pm—JV Boys, Freshmen Girls

• 6:15pm—Varsity Girls, Freshmen Boys

• 7:30pm—Varsity Boys, JV Girls

Saturday, February 8:

• 8:30AM - 5:30PM Class Show Construction (auditorium)

• 9:00 AM-5:45 PM VA Law Mock Trial (cafeteria, L305, L400-L409, L504, L511)

• Region Swim Championship @ Claude Moore 10am (bus leaves at 8am)

• JV Wrestling @ Warren County (bus leaves at 6:30am)

Sunday, February 9:

• 8:30 AM - 5:30 PM Class Show Construction (auditorium)

Coming Events

• February 10: Daytime Concert - TUSAB Herald Trumpets (9-11 AM; auditorium)

• February 10: Deadline to apply to Advanced AET and MATA programs for 2025-26 (12:00 Noon)

• February 13: Winter Pep-Rally

• February 14: Sources of Strength faculty/student basketball game

• February 21: Deadline to register for March 8 SAT

• Address: 19019 Upper Belmont Pl., Leesburg VA 20176
• Main Office: 703-554-8900
• Instagram: @Riverside_HS
• Twitter: @RiversideLCPS
• Website: https://www.lcps.org/riverside